All In:Playing the Fool(51)

"This isn't over, is it?" Joe asked between pants, making me smile as I thought the exact same thing.

"Hell no."

"I wish I knew how to quit you," Joe quoted the famous line with a fake  southern accent, making me giggle underneath him. He pushed himself up  off of me and then smacked my bare ass cheek. "Go make up with your man,  and Chad and I will see you both later."

"Okay, Joe," I agreed, and then dressed quickly. I left his office with  an extra bounce in my step, deciding on one last minute visit.

"Hey, Dad," I said when I burst into my father's office, since his  assistant wasn't at her desk. Imagine my surprise when I found her  sitting on my father's lap. Wow, there must be an aphrodisiac in the  freaking water cooler. At least when Joe and I fuck each other in the  office we're not breaking any vows.

"Lacy, I didn't know you were in town," my dad said as his assistant,  Karen maybe, stood up from his lap and quickly pulled the back of her  skirt down. My dad covered his lap with both hands.

"Nice, Dad. Cheating on another wife?" I asked. "Thank God I've finally  found a nice guy like Will, who's nothing like you or Zack," I told him.  Then I left to go see the man I didn't deserve, but would selfishly  keep for as long as he let me.



...



Will



I couldn't believe my eyes when I opened my apartment door.

"Lacy? Oh my God. What are you doing here?"

"How about I show you instead?" she asked, and then her arms were around  my neck and her lips were on mine. Fuck, I'd missed the taste of  cherries.

When she pulled away I was still in shock. "Well, I'll have to say that  was better than getting smacked, even though I deserved it."         

     



 

"Yeah, you did," she agreed. "I was upset, and it felt nice to be angry  instead of sad for a few minutes. But thank you for being there for me  those first few days and during the funeral. I don't know if I could've  handled it without you."

"I've missed you so damn much. And I'm sorry. About everything," I told her.

"I forgive you for everything, and I really missed you too."

"Thank you," I said in a relieved exhale. "And I promise I will never do anything to hurt you like that again."

"I know you won't," she said with a smile. "At least not intentionally."

"Not that I'm complaining, but what are you doing in Greensboro?"

Lacy blinked rapidly and looked up to the ceiling. "I got a letter  today. Well, I found a letter in my mailbox today. From my mom. She'd  sent it right before … Anyway, she asked me to forgive her, and she helped  me see what was right in front of me. How pissed I was at you and Joe  was nothing compared to how much I missed you."

"I've been going crazy without you. Joe has too," I told her, dragging  her body against mine. "You've been by to see him?" I asked, smelling  his cologne on her.

"Ah, yeah."

"Since I can smell him on your skin does that mean you fucked him?"

"Yes. Twice."

"I'm glad you two made up. He's been a mess."

"You don't mind?" she asked, sounding surprised.

"No. I mean, I was okay with it before, but then losing you … Lacy I've  told you I'll do whatever it takes to be with you. Even if that means  sharing you."

"Good," she said with a sigh of relief. "So Joe said you quit your job to work for Dylan?"

"Yeah I did. I had to let go of my pride and see it for the great opportunity that it was, not a handout."

"It is a great opportunity, especially if you'll be visiting Charlotte some?"

"I'd like to do more than visit Charlotte," I told her honestly.

"Really?" she asked, a beautiful smile lighting up her face.

"Really."

"I happen to have a very nice townhouse that I need help paying for on my own."

"Oh, so you're looking for a roommate?" I asked, so happy to have her  back in my arms and back in my life. I'd do anything to be with her.

"Nope, I'm not looking for a roommate. I'm looking for a live in boyfriend. Maybe eventually, someday, a fiancé?"

"I think I might know someone who's interested," I told her with a smile.

"I was hoping so. I even bought a ring in case you said yes," she said with a grin while biting her bottom lip.

"Did you really?" I laughed.

"Yep," she responded, then started digging through her purse. "Ah, here it is."

Lacy's outstretched hand offered me a ring alright.

"Is that … is that a cock ring?" I couldn't help my laugh as I accepted the thick, clear plastic circle.

"Yes. I thought it was more our style, don't you think?"

"Definitely," I told her. "I can't wait to try it out with you."

She laughed then said, "I also brought a movie we can watch. It's short  but really hot. Oh and it takes place on an elevator..." She barely  finished her sentence before I was covering her lips with mine. Those  were also the last recognizable words from her mouth that night. Chad  and Joe had missed her too, and the three of us didn't let her get any  sleep.





Chapter Twenty-Nine




Lacy



My cell phone started ringing in my purse, making me curse. Shoot, I  thought I'd silenced it. Since I was at work I started to hit ignore,  but at the last second decided to answer since it was an unknown  Charlotte number.

"Hello?" I said quietly.

"Ms. Pierce?"

"Speaking."

"Hi, this is Stacy Walker at WYMF News Twenty. I was just calling to see  if you're still interested in the reporter position for our morning  show."

"Yes, yes, I am." I tried to respond without freaking out.

"Great. If you can come by the station tomorrow around nine a.m. then  we'll start showing you the ropes, and you could be in front of a camera  by early next week."

"Oh my goodness. Thank you so much."

"Welcome to our team! See you then," the woman said then hung up.

I sat staring at my phone in shock and disbelief. I even scrolled  through my call log to find the number, just to prove I hadn't imagined  it. And there the incoming number was. Woo-hoo! I had a job. I was going  to be on TV!

I couldn't wait to call Will and tell him the good news. Over the last  few weeks he'd been moving his things in, finally making the townhouse  feel like our home. Joe and Chad had already been down for an overnight  weekend with us.         

     



 

I sat my phone down on my desk and started typing up my notice so I  could turn it in right away. I liked working in the legal field, and I  hated to up and leave on short notice, but this wasn't what I loved  doing. Journalism was.

I jumped clear out of my seat when my phone rang again. Oh shit, they've  changed their minds, I thought. But when I looked at the screen I saw  it was my doctor's office. My doctor's office?

"Hello?" I answered.

"Is this Lacy Pierce?"

"Yes."

"Ms. Pierce, this is Vicky from Dr. Miller's office. I was just calling  to see if you're ready to reschedule the appointment you canceled a few  weeks ago? For your yearly?"

"Oh yeah. Sorry about that, and the short notice." I'd canceled the  appointment that I was supposed to have the day after my mom's funeral.  "I'm actually living in Charlotte now, and just got a new job, so I'm  not sure when I can get back to Greensboro."

"Okay, that's fine. But have you decided to use a different form of  birth control or do you need Dr. Miller to call in a refill for a few  more months of the NuvaRing prescription in the meantime? It looks like  your prescription probably ran out a few weeks back."

"Oh fuck!" I exclaimed. "Wait when...when … what day did it expire?" I asked aloud to myself.

"When was your last period?" the woman asked.

"Oh shit," I muttered, not having the slightest idea when my last period was. Too much had been going on.

"You have been using another form of birth control, right?" she asked.

"Um, no," I responded, pulling up the calendar on my computer. Okay,  when was my last period? I know! It started the week of exams. I  remember because I was pissed at having to deal with cramps on top of  studying for tests. So, that would be … eight fucking weeks ago? No, no,  no. I was always on time! It must be the stress with my mom and all.  Only...I don't remember taking the expired ring out.

"I'm a, ah, few weeks late," I told the woman. "Like four of them. But that's normal right? When dealing with a lot of stress?"

"Have you had unprotected sex in the last few weeks?

"Y-yes."

"Then you should probably come on in here or go to an OBGYN there in town to take a pregnancy test."

"A pregnancy test?" I asked, unable to believe this was happening. I  might be pregnant. Holy shit, whose baby would it be? My sluttiness was  coming back to bite me in the ass.