Page 37 of In Good Company

I roll my eyes before hooking my arm through hers and pulling her up the driveway. It isn’t my place to keep pushing her on it. Not when she’s just made me realize that I might have the smallest, tiniest, barely there crush on Callahan Hastings.

The same man opening the gate to his backyard and walking right to us.

“I was worried you were ditching us and found something far better to do,” Cal points out.

I should form words and respond to him, but I can’t. My throat suddenly feels swollen and my mouth incredibly dry as I take in the sight in front of me.

Cal. Shirtless. Each and every one of his abs is on full display. They even glisten as the sun reflects off what must be sunscreen that he’s applied. My gaze travels down, finding him in a simple pair of navy swim trunks. They hit his lower thigh, giving me the slightest peek of his strong, muscular thighs.

A sharp elbow jab to my stomach makes me yelp. I wince, my eyes darting to Charlotte. “Ow!” I grumble, rubbing the spot where her elbow just hit me.

Charlotte ignores my protest and looks from Cal to me with a smile. “We wouldn’t dream of missing this pool party. Lucy had to wait a long time for me. I had to get home and shower and all. I’ve never been fast at getting ready,” she explains.

Cal nods as he comes to a stop in front of us. “Glad youboth made it.” He nods his head in the direction of the pool in his backyard. “Everyone else is here.”

Charlotte excitedly claps her hands and walks in the direction he just gestured to. “The pool parties I’ve been to have never been at houses this nice. I’m ready!”

She quickly walks ahead, and I chase after her, not wanting to be left alone with Cal while I’m still getting used to the sight of his perfectly toned body on display.

“Oh my God, your boss is hot,” Charlotte whispers to me, leaning in close as we link arms once again and walk in the direction of his backyard.

“Charlotte,” I scold, looking over my shoulder to find Cal right behind us.

The smirk on Cal’s face tells me everything I need to know. “Thank you, Charlotte,” he drawls, keeping pace with us as we reach the gate.

I groan, my eyes snapping forward as a blush creeps up my cheeks. “I hate you so much,” I whisper, making sure my voice is actually only heard by her. I wish she could’ve afforded me the same luxury when talking about Cal’s looks. Her whisper was a terrible attempt at being quiet.

Luckily, the sight of everyone we had lunch with at the club distracts me from the embarrassment.

“There you are!” Emma excitedly calls from a pink flamingo floaty in the pool. “The girls and I were worried that we’d scared you off somehow.”

“If anyone scared them off, it’d be you, Em,” Margo points out from where she lies on a pool chair.

“Rude!” Emma calls out, keeping a smile on her face. She screams when Preston dives into the pool right next to her, splashing water all over her.

“Happy you guys made it!” Jude pushes himself from the pool in one effortless move and walks upto us.

“Hello again, Charlotte,” Jude pretty much purrs. He wraps his arm around Charlotte and pulls her body close to his.

“Jude!” Charlotte screams, attempting to push him off her. “You’re getting me all wet.”

Jude cackles, wrapping his other arm around Charlotte and pulling her flush against his body. “I’d be honored to get you wet,” he tosses out, a mischievous smile on his face.

I laugh, stepping around them to search for a spot to set my bag down.

“Jude, don’t even think about it,” Charlotte yells. I look over just in time to find Jude picking Charlotte up off the ground and throwing her over his shoulder. Her bag drops to the patio just in time for him to run to the edge and jump into the pool with an unwilling Charlotte in tow.

Cal’s shoulder brushes against mine as he steps next to me. “Should I be worried that Charlotte might retaliate against Jude?”

I laugh, watching as both Jude’s and Charlotte’s heads pop out from the water.

“She’ll pretend to be mad at him, but I know she actually isn’t.”

“Want to set your bag down?” Cal asks as if he can read my mind.

I nod as Charlotte begins to yell at Jude even more.

I take a look around, smiling at the familiar faces all hanging out. Jude, Charlotte, Preston, and Emma all swim in the pool. Winnie and Margo lie out on pool loungers, the two of them looking at magazines while their husbands sit at a small table drinking beers. Ryker sits with Beck and Archer, but he doesn’t pay any attention to the conversation between the two. His eyes are glued across the backyard where Camille paces back and forth next to one of the raised garden beds, her phone pressed to her ear as she appears to be having anintense conversation with someone on the other end of the line.

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