Page 40 of Knocked Up by my Rival

“I wasn’t even thinking about the logistics,” Rachel said, shaking her head. “I was thinking about you, looking after the kids with no way to keep them busy.”

“Well, we figured something out.”

“We?” Rachel asked.

I nodded. “Troy Larson was with me.”

“What?” She looked adequately shocked. I giggled and explained to her how it had happened that Troy Larson hadn’t only been at the house but how he’d been stranded there the whole weekend. I left out the part where Troy and I had slept together. Rachel didn’t need to know about that.

“It sounds like something from a fairy tale,” Rachel said, a smile playing around her lips.

“It’s not,” I deadpanned. “He’s nothing more than a business rival.”

Rachel laughed outright at that. “Not with the way you’re talking about him, he’s not. Mack, he spent the weekend helping you look after the kids. I don’t know what kind of rival does that. It sounds more to me like he likes you… and you like him.”

I rolled my eyes, but I couldn’t help smiling.

She was right—I did like him. A lot more than I should have.

“Okay, so maybe I don’t hate the guy.”

Rachel squealed with delight. “Do you have a picture of him?”

I took out my phone, and after trying to get it to connect three times, I finally managed to open his company website. I enlarged a photo of him and showed my sister.

“Oh, I would totally do that,” she said.

I giggled. “You can’t say that!”

“What? He’s sohot. And clearly very successful if he owns the company.”

I lifted a shoulder nonchalantly. “I guess he is rich. He has a shit ton of money, but that’s not everything, you know.”

“Of course not,” Rachel said. “It’s about how you get along and if he’s good with kids.” She winked playfully at me when I rolled my eyes again. “He’s not even from your company, so you can date him.”

I shook my head and ran my hand through my hair. “Yeah, that’s not happening. We may be working together, but it’s me or him when it comes to the project, and that kind of competition isn’t a good basis for a relationship.”

Rachel’s grin broadened.

“What?” I asked, narrowing my eyes.

“You saidrelationship.You haven’t talked about dating someone in the long term in a long, long time.”

“And I’m not talking about it now,” I said. “No matter how hot and charming and sweet he is. We have so much in common, but we also have really big differences, and it’s just not going to happen.”

Rachel only stared me down until I buckled with a sigh.

“Although, I do find myself wondering what might happen if I see him outside of work.”

Rachel sighed happily and leaned back against her pillows. “You have no idea how happy it makes me to hear that you’re thinking about something like that. I worry about you, you know. You’re such a strong person, and you deserve a strong guy who can handle you.”

“Handle me!?” I laughed. “You’re making it sound like I’m a handful.”

“Oh, honey, you’retwohands full and that’s on a good day.”

We both laughed, and I shook my head.

“I don’t know if this is going anywhere,” I admitted. “Men are always intimidated by who I am and what my future plans are like, and I don’t know if this guy will feel differently.”

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