Playing the Field (Hot-Lanta Series) (5 page)

             
Molly knew that question was coming and there was only one answer even though she didn’t want to say it. “We would be honored, Jane.”

             
Jane squealed. “Oh thank you so much. You don’t know what this means to me and Patty you will be my bridesmaid right?’

             
Patty looked a little shocked but put her tea down long enough to say, “Of course.”

             
Marc chimed in. “Well good thing Patty because I heard it’s customary for the bridesmaids to sleep with the best man, so let me know when you’re free.”

             
Patty shoved Marc to the side. “How about never Sullivan. You know where we stand.”

             
“One of these days Patty Cakes, one of these days I will be the one proposing to you.”

             
“Oh is that right?” Patty said “How do you think that? You have known me for over a year and a half now and how far have you gotten in my pants?”

             
Brady slapped Marc on the back and said, “She’s got you there man. I think Winnie has a better chance at growing up and getting married then you do of courting Patty.”

             
Marc leaned back in his chair and crossed his arms. “Well, I haven’t really been trying. That’s all. Game’s on now.”

             
Patty just shrugged her shoulders. Molly could tell Patty was set in her ways and was not going to get anywhere near another man. Molly wondered what her real reasoning was and before she could think she just blurted out, “Are you a lesbian Patty?”

             
Jane whacked Molly on the arm. “Molly!”

             
Rubbing her arm Molly said, “Sorry I was just curious. Clearly Marc is an extremely handsome man I didn’t know what her deal was and if she didn’t like penis our friend Marc here was clearly barking up the wrong tree.”

             
“I’m not a lesbian Molly, I just was in a very bad relationship when I lived in New York and don’t care to be in another at the current moment.” Patty responded shrugging her shoulders.

             
Well Molly knew what it felt like not to want to be in another relationship. She was in the same boat. All she wanted was a good screw every once in a while and that was it. She wanted absolutely no emotional connection.

                                          ***

              Patty felt awkward at brunch, she felt like Molly was judging her the whole time. Of course she knew Marc was extremely attractive she actually had never met a man more attractive than Marc. Before she was even working with Jane when she lived in NYC she would watch the Mets play the Braves and Patty would just sit there and stare at Marc on the television. The fact that she was sitting next to him at brunch while he was hitting on her the whole time was unbelievable to her.

             
She wished she could date Marc but she didn’t want to get him wrapped up in the chaos that was her life. Gino her ex-boyfriend who emotionally and physically abused her while she was living in NYC was still trying to figure out where she was. He was not very happy that she left him. He keeps telling all her friends how sorry he is and he wants her back. She was not going to fall for that bullshit. He just wanted his punching bag back.

She heard that ever since
she left, he had been tanking at his job and had lost quite a bit of money. She was happy she got out before things got too serious. She couldn’t imagine how he would treat her now knowing he is close to being fired.

             
Marc didn’t need to get tangled up in her life. He would send her emails occasionally and call her from time to time at the office but nothing too serious. Patty knew she was a girl to check off of his list of women he wanted to have sex with. She was nothing special to start anything with and all his outlandish claims of wanting to marry her were just for show.

             
After talking about the amazing proposal Brady made last night, some wedding arrangements and what’s coming up this week for work Patty said her good byes to everyone and started walking out to her car. She was in no position to pay for valet services and she enjoyed the walk to her car.

             
“Hey Patty, wait up.” Came Marc’s voice from behind her. She groaned. She did not want to talk to him right now. She just wanted to go back to her place take off the summer dress she was wearing slip on some sweats and read her kindle.

             
Patty turned around and saw Marc slowing up from a jog. “Hey Marc, what’s up? She said casually.

             
“I was wondering what you were doing later tonight.”

             
Crap, think of something fast…

             
He interrupted her thoughts when he said, “Because I was thinking it might be nice to go for a walk in Centennial Olympic park and catch the late night showing of the Fountain of Rings.”

             
God he looked so cute, no she couldn’t do this. She was not dating or seeing or courting anybody for quite a long time.

             
Marc caught her before she answered. “Before you say no, I want to go just as friends.”

             
Patty was taken back a little. Friends? Was he serious?

             
“You’re telling me, you just want to go as friends, no strings attached? No asking for a good night kiss? No holding hands? I know you Sully and I don’t think you can do such a thing.”

             
Marc smiled when she called him Sully. That was the nickname all the fans gave him and she found it quite fitting. “I can do that and I will do that. How is this, we make a friend contract.”

             
Patty was confused.  “A friend contract?”

             
“Yes, we will draw up a contract stating that under no circumstances will I make any moves on you nor will we be romantically involved at any point during our friendship.”

             
Patty thought about that for a second.  “So you are telling me we will just forever be friends? No romantic thoughts? No trying to get me into bed? No getting jealous if the other one has a date? Just friends?”

             
“Yes you are correct, totally platonic.”

             
“What are you getting at Marc?”

             
Marc faked shock. “I don’t know what you mean, I just want to be close with you and if that means only being your friend well that is good enough for me.”

             
Patty thought about it for a second. Could she just be friends with Marc? It seemed pretty simple and if they signed a contract then he would have to abide by it.

             
“What if you break the contract and try to kiss me or something?”

             
Marc smiled. “Now would it be so horrible if I kissed you?”

             
“Sullivan…”

             
“Alright, alright. There will be repercussions if either of us breaks the contract.”

             
“Well I don’t ever see myself breaking the contract so that is no big deal for me. What will the punishment be?”

             
“Termination of friendship”

             
“Wow that is pretty serious, do you think you can handle that if we go for a walk tonight. Knowing you, we won’t be friends by tomorrow.” Said Patty with a smile.

             
“Awfully cocky today aren’t we Patty Cakes. I said I want to be your friend and I mean it. Everything will be entirely non-physical and no romance. So don’t be expecting me to pay for your meals or expect flowers or any of that crap. I’m going to treat you just like I would treat Brady.”

             
Patty laughed. “Well I have seen you slap Brady’s ass and sit on his lap a couple of times, doesn’t that cross the line of physical?”

             
Marc laughed, “Well Brady is not a good example because secretly he is my boyfriend. Don’t tell Jane though she will be heart broken.”

             
Patty laughed, damn him for being cute. Hmm, she looked at him for a couple of seconds and then stuck out her hand. “Deal.”

             
Marc grabbed her hand and kissed the top of it saying deal.

             
Patty pulled it back saying, “Hey! You didn’t even last a second!”

             
“I haven’t signed any contract yet Patty Cakes so I’m still free to do whatever I like.” Marc said with a mischievous grin.

             
“Real smooth Sully but no more funny business. I will write something up tonight so you can sign it when you come over.”

             
“Oh so you will leave your den of single-dom and come hang out with me tonight?”

             
“Don’t push your luck. I just happen to love Centennial Park.”

             
“Alright then, I will see you tonight. And just so we’re in the clear friends are allowed to hug so if I hug you that’s ok.”

             
Patty was going to debate that but she was too tired to get in an argument about hugs with Marc when she knew he was going to two step his way through the conversation and somehow prove that hugging was in fact an ok thing to do.

             
“Fine, see you tonight. Eight-ish?’

             
“That sounds good to me.” Marc said with a smile.

             
They exchanged information and Patty got in her car. What was she doing? She could not be friends with Marc. He was the man she always dreamed of being with and it was going to be pure torture being around him. Maybe she could shut that part of her brain off, just remember what a relationship brings to her life; heartache, pain and disappointment.

Chapter 4

             
Patty pulled into her work parking lot fifteen minutes late for her morning meeting. She grabbed her bag and threw herself out of the car and through the front door of JB events. Jane and Lucy were sitting at the conference room having a friendly chat over coffee when Patty frantically joined them.

             
“I’m so sorry Jane, my alarm never went off. I could kill Marc.” Did she just say that last part out loud?

             
She must have because the look of astonishment on Jane’s face was unmistakable. “Marc? You were with Marc last night? Oh my God, Patty did you guys hook up?”

             
Ugh Patty didn’t want to get into details but she knew Jane would not start their morning meeting until Patty spilled the beans.

             
“No we did not hook up, we actually did the exact opposite. We signed a friend contract last night.”

             
“Friend contract?” Lucy asked a little perplexed.

             
“Yes a friend contract, it was Marc’s idea. I don’t know how it came about to be honest but basically we are just going to be friends and that is it. If he breaks the contract then we no longer will be friends, and that’s it no more communication.”

             
Jane and Lucy just looked at her as if she was crazy. Jane finally broke the silence when she said, “You mean to tell me you signed a contract that states you will by no means be romantically involved with Marc Sullivan starting catcher for the Atlanta Braves, even though you know he wants you?”

             
Well when Jane put it like that she made Patty sound like an idiot but Jane knew her background and her reasoning. She had to understand.

             
“Jane, you know I don’t want to get involved with anyone and I just couldn’t take Marc’s flirting anymore. He wanted to hang out with me and I wouldn’t mind his company but I didn’t want to lead him on so he offered the idea of having a completely platonic relationship. I agreed.”

             
Jane thought for a second and then said, “I still think you are a little crazy. Even if you are not ready now, don’t you think you will be ready at some point in your life? Don’t you want to have that option?”