Total pages in book: 88
Estimated words: 84676 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 423(@200wpm)___ 339(@250wpm)___ 282(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 84676 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 423(@200wpm)___ 339(@250wpm)___ 282(@300wpm)
I lean in and air kiss her cheek. She leans her free hand on my upper arm and it feels like liquid metal burning into my muscles. I step back. “I’m just out for a run and was passing. Not seen this place in a while.” I always avoid this street whenever coming up to see Worth.
“Do you want to come in for a coffee? Or a glass of water?” She smiles. “You look like you might need to hydrate.”
“It’s okay, I’m good,” I say.
“My dad’s inside,” she says. “I know he’d love to see you.”
I let out a cynical half laugh. I’m sure he would. But not because he likes my company—more because he likes the money I could make him. Hammonds like to use people. “How things change, right? Another time. I’m on my way to a friend’s for coffee.”
She goes to speak and then stops herself. Finally, she says, “You know way back, when we first knew each other. My memory isn’t great, but I’m sure we both did things we weren’t proud of. We were kids, though, right? It’s water under the bridge now.”
It’s less of a question and more of a commentary or maybe a command. It would be on-brand for her to believe she has the ability to decide what’s forgotten between us. She flicks her hand up and then tosses her hair over her shoulder in the way she always used to. Younger me was mesmerized by her confidence and ability to take everything in her stride. But now it seems kind of sad. I can’t help wondering how much she pushes away—out of sight and out of mind.
I pause, waiting for her to finish her sentence, to offer me some kind of apology. But after a few long moments, I realize she’s waiting for me to speak.
“My memory’s pretty good,” I say.
Her smile falters briefly, but she recovers quickly, pulling back her shoulders just a little. No one would notice, unless you’d seen it before and were waiting for it.
“I do hope we can get together for dinner with you and your beautiful new fiancée.”
“Jules,” I say.
“Jules,” she repeats. “She seems lovely.”
“She is lovely,” I say. None of Jules is a veneer. All her loveliness goes right through to the core of her.
Standing here in front of Caroline, all I can think about is Jules. The only reason she’s been living with me, pretending to be engaged to me, is because of the woman opposite me. Nothing makes sense.
Seeing Caroline Thursday night was meant to give me closure, but I’m not sure I got anything at all from it. Today, seeing her one-on-one with all pretenses gone, doesn’t make things any clearer.
Maybe I got my closure with Caroline a long time ago.
“Yeah, maybe we’ll figure out a time for dinner,” I say noncommittally, although I have no intention of actually following through. I check my watch, even though Worth isn’t expecting me. “I better go. Don’t want to be late.”
She smiles her hundred-million-dollar smile. “Send Jules my love.”
I can’t think of a response, so I just nod and head up the street. I have no reason to be here.
I’m still panting when Worth opens the door.
“Are you running from the scene of a crime?”
I push past him and head straight to the downstairs restroom, where I throw water on my face.
“Jack’s here and we’re in the kitchen,” Worth calls on his way past.
I brace my hands on the sink and look in the mirror. Why didn’t I stop her from leaving? I’m not sure I’m going to be able to go back to my apartment now. Not after having Jules there, in my bed, in the kitchen, watching movies together. It’s going to feel so empty.
I push my hands through my hair and head to the back of the house, where there’s a kitchen-dining room. It’s so moody and sultry in here, like a shady forest floor, it reminds me of Worth himself.
“Hey,” Worth says. “Grab a drink and come sit.”
Worth has some sodas out on the counter, but I open his fridge and pull out a beer. I need to take the edge off.
“It’s five o’clock somewhere, I guess,” Jack says.
“Shoot me.” I take a seat on the bench opposite Jack and lean my arms on the table.
The energy is off and I know it’s my fault.
“Did you have a good time on Thursday?” Jack asks.
I nod. “It was good. I’m glad I went.”
“And seeing Caroline,” Worth says. “How was that?”
My phone buzzes in my pocket. I pull it out and squint at the email preview, trying to focus on who it is, because I must be reading it wrong. “I just ran into her on the street, and now,” I say, tapping the phone before setting it on the table. “She emailed me.”