Lexington and 42nd (The Off Field Series #1) by Kim Carmody Page B

the corner of my eye. She smiled, her cheeks slightly flushed and her eyes glowing.
    “Here she is. How’s your head?”
    She sank into the seat next to me. “Ugh, so much better. The sleep did wonders for me.” I looked over to James in time to catch his lips twitching in amusement. It was all so obvious now that I knew and I couldn’t help the smile that spread across my face. This was going to be fun.
    #
    We split the afternoon between the stadium in Arlington, making sure the Warriors were represented properly for the game, and checking out the venue for the post-game party, which was really no more than a sectioned off VIP area of a nightclub. The event would be informal, no working media and only a few clients.
    After listening to me whine throughout the afternoon about the lack of cowboys around town, Carrie and James promised we’d go to a Dallas institution for dinner, a place where I’d get my fix of true southern hospitality.
    It was called Mike Anderson’s BBQ House and it didn’t disappoint. The three of us sat around a bar table drinking beers and munching on ribs and beef brisket.
    “So, Em, I noticed Jensen didn’t take too well to hearing you had a date last week,” James said, grinning through a mouth full of onion rings.
    Oh hell no. After what I now knew about these two, there was no way I was going to be railroaded any longer about my non-existent love affair with Will.
    I shrugged. “Really? He seemed okay to me.”
    “Oh come on, don’t hold out on us. I saw the look on his face—there was no way in hell he was cool with it.”
    I popped a peanut in my mouth. “I’m really not sure why the interest in my so-called romance with Will. I’d rather hear what’s going on with you .”
    He held his hands up in innocence. “Nothing to see here, I’ve got nothing going on.”
    “Huh. And what about you Carrie, didn’t you go on a date last week?” Her eyes narrowed at me, clearly confused by my question. Which she rightly should be, given I had made it up. It had the effect I was after though as James half-choked on a mouthful of beer.
    “What are you talking about? I haven’t been on any dates lately.”
    I took another swig of beer, enjoying playing with them both. “My bad, I must have got my wires crossed.”
    We were all silent for a moment before I spoke again. “Did you get my email on the deal for Buck, James? You didn’t respond earlier today.” Another lie, there was no email about Buck. I just wanted them to squirm a little longer.
    James shook his head, a frown crossing his face. “No, I don’t think so. When did you send it?”
    “On Friday, but don’t worry I’ll send it again. It wasn’t urgent…I just thought you might have got to it this afternoon.” With that, both Carrie and James took a long gulp of beer.
    I let my drink land on the table with a thud. “Okay guys, the jig’s up. I know something’s going on between you two.”
    They both looked at me with wide eyes. “What? How ridiculous! Where on earth did that come from?” James half spat his drink at me.
    “You sure you want to go down that road?”
    Carrie laughed, but the sound was forced. “That’s hilarious, but you’re way off.”
    I sighed, looking pointedly at James. “So you’re going to tell me it wasn’t you groping Carrie at her front door this afternoon?”
    Their jaws dropped simultaneously.
    “Oh.”
    “Yes. Oh indeed. Now spill.”
    They looked at one another, before Carrie’s arm stretched out across the table to grasp mine.
    “Please, please, please don’t say anything, Em. We don’t even know what’s going on ourselves—this is all so totally new.”
    “Of course I won’t. Your secret’s safe with me.” I narrowed my eyes at them. “But I want details.”
    Carrie glanced back at James, a shy smile spreading across her face. “Well, it just sort of happened really. One minute we were laughing our heads off in the back of a cab coming home from the