Game for Trouble (Game for It 2)

“Now she has the upper hand. You gave it to her on a silver platter. She knows no matter what, you’re going to keep on chasing. Am I right?”

“I…” Hell. He hated to admit it, but yes. He wanted to chase her. Wanted to keep on chasing her until he wore the woman out and she caved in because she had nowhere else to go.

Now that he thought about it, he realized that was all sorts of fucked up.

“You need to stop chasing. Let her come to you,” Jared suggested. His advice was pretty much the complete opposite of his wife’s.

Talk about confusing.

Nick snorted. “You know, I did throw down a bit of a challenge last night, and it seemed to work.”

“Oh, yeah?” Jared asked expectantly.

“Yeah, I had to get all mean on her before she turned me into a complete pussy,” Nick muttered, scrubbing his palm along his jaw.

“Perfect. See? You need to switch it up. Make her work for it, my friend. Make her work for you. If this woman is really worth it, she’ll come chasing after you no matter what.” Jared said this with absolute authority.

Nick wished he felt as confident as Jared sounded. “What if she doesn’t come chasing me?”

“Then she wasn’t worth it, was she?”

Well, didn’t Jared make it sound so easy? “Easier said than done,” Nick said. That was his biggest fear, that they’d come to realize neither of them was worth it to the other. What they shared could end up as a whole lot of nothing. “I’d have to be a dead man to stop chasing her, Jared.”

Jared laughed and Nick sent him a withering stare, shutting him up.

“I mean it. But you know, I can definitely make her think I’ve stopped chasing her for a little while and see if she lowers her guard.”

“Now you’re talking,” Jared said with a nod.

Nick frowned. What if this stupid plan didn’t work? Damn it, he really wanted to land Willow in his bed. Over and over again. Just to prove to her that they were good together. But could she stand being in a real relationship with him? What he did for a living was rough on relationships. He was always gone.

Always. And she’d hate that. Resent it. Resent him.

The last thing he wanted was for Willow to hate him.

Again.

Chapter Seven

“It’s so wonderful to meet you, Mr. Whitmore,” Willow greeted warmly the moment he stepped into Sweet Treats, his daughter at his side.

Great. She knew Amanda would recognize her from school. Not that they’d shared the same friends, what with their age difference, but Carmel High School wasn’t that big. Amanda would know who she was. Plus, everyone knew Willow’s father…

“Aren’t you Willow Cavanaugh?” Amanda asked in a high-pitched voice, her gaze narrowed.

Willow offered her a bland smile. “I am.”

“What are you doing working a cheesy little set-up like this when your father represents half of the Monterey Bay?” Amanda sneered.

“Mandy, please,” Phil Whitmore chastised before turning to Willow. “And it’s a lovely little set-up you have here, Miss Cavanaugh.”

“Thank you. Won’t you please sit down?” She escorted them to her desk, her blood boiling in her veins at what Amanda said. God, she’d already faced this sort of problem before but on a much smaller scale. She was an idiot to forget the fact that Phillip Whitmore and Walter Cavanaugh definitely moved in the same social circles.

They’d all wonder what the heck Willow was doing, trying to grow her own business when in their eyes, she didn’t need to.

Once they were settled in their seats, Phil launched into a detailed explanation, talking so quickly his daughter couldn’t get a word in. Weird, considering in these types of situations normally it was the mother who helped organize a bridal shower. At the very least, the maid of honor and the bridesmaids were the ones she met up with to discuss bachelorette party details.

But the bride and her father planning a Vegas bachelorette party together? That was a first.