Page 3 of Play for Power (Central Sparks #3)

“Smells incredible.” I hum as I lean over the bowl and sniff up all of Casey’s goodness.

I sometimes wish I knew how to cook, but I quickly swat away those thoughts because it’s not like I’m ever going to need those kinds of skills.

As Mom would say, why waste my time learning the skill of something I can pay someone else to do.

God, that is so shitty to think.

“What’s the face?” Jessie gestures in my direction.

“Huh?”

“The…” He pulls his face into a snarl. “You’re doing that.”

“Oh…it’s nothing. Just remembering the weirdo from earlier.” I artfully deflect as the girls laugh.

We all dig into the food, the usual sound of satisfied tastebuds and forks clattering with the bowls.

“Incredible, sunshine,” Jessie says quietly, leaning over to leave a kiss on Casey’s head as the other set of lovebirds nod in agreement.

The meal finishes quickly—standard with Casey’s yummy cooking—and as we settle into casual post-weekend topics, Casey and Jessie make quick eyes before Casey rolls back her shoulders. “So, I have an announcement.”

“Oh shit! You’re pregnant!” No wonder the lumberjack has been so touchy-feely and Addison was cagey.

“Why is that always your first assumption?” Casey laughs, shaking her head.

“Well, maybe you need to find a better way to announce things.” I settle back into my chair with my glass of wine. “C’mon then, out with it, the suspense is killing me.” The sarcasm was thick with that statement.

“Well…I’m moving in with Jessie.”

Bubbles burn my nose and I struggle to catch my breath with the mouthful of wine I just inhaled. I sputter and cough through the burning haze, trying to catch my breath.

“You’re what?” I manage to get out. I look at Addison, but she just looks like she is trying not to cringe. When I look back at Casey, she looks like she is buried under a mountain of guilt and I suddenly feel even worse.

“I’m so sorry, Rosie, I didn’t mean to spring it on you, I promise I’ll cover my rent portion until you find another housemate. I’ll even still come over and cook dinner!”

“Ace—” Jessie attempts to interject, but Casey stops him.

“No, really, it’s the least I could do.” She would offer something so ridiculous.

“I thought you were working on your people pleasing?” I accuse playfully, which gets me an appreciative look from Jessie while Noah and Addy laugh silently.

“Don’t stress about it, Case, I am happy for you guys.

All of you, really.” I gesture around the table.

“I’ll be fine. And don’t you dare pay the rent.

You know as well as I do Papa Garcia isn’t going to care or notice. ”

“So, you’ll be okay? On your own?” I don’t dignify the question with a real answer. Does she know who she is asking? Of course, I am fine on my own.

“When will you leave?” I ask instead.

“We’ll probably start the transition this week, I guess. We kind of wanted to get it over and done with. I have those self-defense classes starting next month and I want to be settled so I can give the studio my full attention.” I smile at her and try to come to terms with that new reality.

I’ll be living in a three-bedroom apartment. By myself.

And then the idea hits me out of nowhere, so quick I gasp, sitting up and hitting my glass to the table,

“What?” Casey looks startled, with her eyes glued to me.

“I can use your bedroom as a second closet. Imagine the Great Wall of Heels I can make in there!” I feel my smile grow across my face and imagine the new layout of the second wardrobe.

It’s perfect. My current Great Wall of Heels—a name dubbed by Addison—is on a section of wall in my current room that is not nearly large enough to house my collection.

I’m just one big walking, talking cliché, I know. Filthy rich parents, raised by a nanny, a limitless credit card, and an obsession with designer shoes—or clothes in general, really—that, if sold, would make me a small fortune.

The table relaxes, but when my eyes meet Casey’s again, there is an inherent sadness still resting within them, so I get serious and placate her nerves.

“Seriously, I’ll be fine.” I reach across the table and squeeze her hand.

“I thrive alone, you know this. Plus, with the way my job is going, I am not even going to know the difference. I’ll be too busy trying not to plot the murder of my dumb-ass coworkers to notice your absence.

” I give her a knowing look and she visibly relaxes.

The conversation around the table continues relatively casually, before the boys leave the table to begin the cleanup. The three of us girls head to the couch with a glass of wine in hand.

“So, date was bad?” Addy queries as we settle in.

“Horrible. I couldn’t focus on the moment, I kept thinking about work. I ended up having to pull on the ghost of orgasms past in order to finish.” I throw my head back at the embarrassing memory.

“Was he bad…or was it just the dull dick again,” Casey asks, and when I look at her, she has the knowing look in her eye.

I know what she is asking. She thinks Caleb has ruined all men for me, but her theory is tied into Caleb being a soul mate or some other cringey shit like that.

It was nothing of the sort. I was just higher strung than usual because of work.

Andersen Schulz was now Andersen Schulz and Meyers, after two of the biggest names in publishing merged.

Both seemed to be struggling, so they put their big-boy pants on and negotiated a deal to become one.

Now we have double the staff in every department and double the dickheads in management.

Essentially, we’ve been told that no one’s job is safe.

We are each being evaluated, and underperforming staff will be cut by the end of the month.

I wasn’t worried about my work—I’m excellent—I was worried about the fact that the people making these decisions are old, white Neanderthals with little appendages swinging between their legs. I wouldn’t be surprised if the entire romance department was cut completely.

“Dory was okay?—”

“I’m sorry… Dory!?” Addison chuckles.

“Well, Dorian, but Dory suited him.” I wave her off, lifting my wine to drink. “Anyway, he was fine, the penis department, also fine. I don’t know, he just wasn’t doing it for me, you know? There was no…like…I don’t know. Fire? No spark.”

“Goodness me! Spark? What have you done with Rosie Garcia?” Casey mocks.

“Oh, shut it. Nothing’s changed, but a little passion doesn’t go astray, even for a one-night stand. What happened to all the chivalrous gentlemen who just want to fuck and run. Why can’t they all be Henry Cavill in the sheets and Leo DiCap in the streets? You know?”

I am met with absolute silence. When I look up at the girls, I see only confusion.

“You know?” I prompt again. Jesus. I need single friends.

“We don’t know.” Addy shakes her head at me. Grunting, I reluctantly explain. Don’t they know it isn’t funny when you have to explain it?

“Henry in the sheets, so wild, animalistic, caveman-like, but also a gentleman, ‘wants to please you,’ kind of thing.” Casey starts choking on her wine, and I see a very smug Jessie by the sink avoiding eye contact.

My eyes roll so far into the back of my head they nearly disappear.

I ignore the connotations and push forward.

“Leo is obviously anticommitment. He goes for the gorgeous girls, probably good in the sack—I mean, it’s Leo—and then ditches.

On to the next.” I think I lost everyone’s interest around the Henry Cavill explanation.

“Anyway, it doesn’t matter. I have a date with Vivienne later, she’ll fix me right up. ”

“Ugh! I’m going to need a Vivienne.” Addison harumphs from next to me and a little burst of excitement lights me up at the drama of that statement.

“HA! Greek god, you’re not doing it for her anymore!

” I shout to Noah in the kitchen, and he comes casually strolling toward the couch.

Looking thoroughly chastised, he stands behind where Addison sits on the couch, her head thrown back against the pillow to look up at him, a playful smirk on her face.

“Care to elaborate, shortcake.”

“Clearly, you need to up your game,” Casey teases as Jessie rounds the couch, sitting almost on top of her as he pulls her to his side, her legs in his lap. Ugh, gross.

“You know why.” Addy smacks his chest and he leans down to hover just above her.

“Still waiting for an explanation over here! I want the gossip. Why do you need a replacement for Noah’s dick!?” I’m practically swinging my arms around waiting for the details, ignoring Jessie’s grumbles about not wanting to hear about his little sister’s sex life.

Addy laughs but lifts her head in my direction. “Noah has to go to Chicago for the next two months to set up the new office there, but I can’t ditch Lucas and the bar for that long, so I’m staying here.”

“No dick replacement, Garcia. Just a fill-in, I guess.” He doesn’t look all that pleased, but I guess couples don’t like being apart?

I don’t really know. Up until Noah and Addy, and now Casey and JJ, my only example of a long-term relationship was my parents, and that was a glorified business deal.

After a time, my mother couldn’t be paid to be in the same room as my father. Not that I blame her.

“Well, I’ll take you shopping, Ads, and we’ll get you sorted. I have a list of recommendations.” I flick a smug smile at Noah, who just grunts, jumps the couch, and plops in beside Addy.

Which means, Noah and Addy are snuggled on one side, Casey and JJ are practically on top of each other on the other…and it’s just me in the middle.

Oh great.

“Well, I’m pooped. Going for a splash in the shower and hittin’ the hay. Have fun, lovebirds,” I throw back to them before hightailing it the fuck out of there. They can have their emotions-fest, I wasn’t interested in gagging on that delicious dinner.

Freshly showered and pampered, I finally felt a little relief for the day to be at an end.

I couldn’t be bothered with the blow dryer, these curls, while gorgeous, are the worst for exhaustion.

The hair-wash day always takes so long. Instead, I opt for a silk wrap for my damp curls, a loose band tee, and my favorite bum-hugging panties.

I end up lying in my cozy sheets, staring at the ceiling, an unfamiliar buzz humming through my veins that I’m not quite sure what to do with.

I feel simultaneously exhausted and antsy.

Maybe even a little agitated. Like everything normal about my life is being thrown to the wind.

Like I’m slowly losing control of my perfect world and I can’t seem to slow it all down long enough to know how to handle it.

Why do things have to change? Everything was perfect the way it was, I don’t understand why the girls had to go get their hearts tangled up in men.

Stupid thoughts, and I hate myself for it because I love them, and I love that they are so incredibly happy.

Bound to be miserable one day, I’m sure.

All marriages end in affairs or divorce… or in Addison’s parent’s case, both.

I just wish things weren’t changing. The future I’ve been denying, delaying, and hiding from was creeping closer, and it was a reminder I didn’t want or need. In all my avoidance and running, I hadn’t stopped to check how quickly it was all going to catch up to me.