Series: The Laws of Opposite Attract Series by Vi Keeland
Total pages in book: 101
Estimated words: 98878 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 494(@200wpm)___ 396(@250wpm)___ 330(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 98878 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 494(@200wpm)___ 396(@250wpm)___ 330(@300wpm)
“No. I’m not interested in meeting your big, burly, tatted friend—said no one ever.” He chuckled. “Bring it on.”
***
It wasn’t like I’d been anxiously awaiting that text from Wells the following day or anything. I hadn’t eaten all day, nor done anything productive—another useless day at work.
Around four PM, my phone chimed. I hopped out of my seat to grab it.
Wells: Alex and I will be dining at Le Poulet at eight.
My finger hovered over the keypad for several minutes. I wasn’t ready to commit, so I bought myself some time.
Brayden: Thanks. I appreciate you letting me know. Gonna think about what’s best and get back to you.
I wanted to take the risk and just show up. But then my common sense would kick in and remind me I was probably the last person Alex wanted to have turn up at dinner.
Better than my common sense, though, was my friend who always set things straight. I really could use Billie’s advice on this situation. I went down to the tattoo shop to see if she had a moment to chat.
Billie held her hand up when she saw me standing there, and I waited while she finished with her client.
As soon as she was done, she walked over. “What’s going on, Brayden? You never come down here in the middle of the day.”
“I need your advice.”
She smiled. “I figured something must be up.”
“How much time do you have?”
“Half hour ’til my next client.” She grabbed her black fringed purse. “Let’s go grab coffee.”
Billie and I walked to the coffee shop around the corner as I filled her in on the latest developments—from finding out Kate is Alex’s Caitlin, to my dilemma over Alex being in New York.
She reached across the table. “Okay, first off, I’m so freaking sorry. What a shitty thing to happen.” She frowned. “Are you okay?”
“Not really. I’m still shook up over the whole thing.”
“So you haven’t decided whether to go to the restaurant tonight?”
“I don’t have a true sense of the right decision. I want to see her, but showing up also feels a bit stalkerish.”
Billie ran her finger over the rim of her cup. “Whether or not you go tonight should depend on what you hope to achieve. Despite her friend’s good intentions, if you don’t think it will change anything right now, it’s probably best that you not upset her this evening. On the other hand, if you feel her decision about you is not set in stone and she might weaken to your charms, maybe showing up will help. Don’t kill yourself mulling it over.” She leaned in. “Quick. Don’t think about it for more than a few seconds. What’s your gut feeling? Go!”
My gut feeling? It’s too soon.
I shook my head. “If there’s a chance in hell she’ll see this situation differently, it’s not going to be now. It will be down the road. So I think the main benefit of showing up would be to satisfy my own need to see her.”
“Well, you have your answer. It won’t achieve much. And might even upset her.”
“Yeah.” I sighed. “As much as I hate to admit it, I think it’s best if I don’t go.”
Billie took a sip of her coffee. Then she shook her head. “Damn.”
“What?”
“If only this Alex could see how down you look right now. She’d never doubt how serious you were about her.”
After I returned to my apartment, I texted Wells to let him know I wouldn’t be coming and thanked him for trying to help.
I spent the remainder of the evening second-guessing my decision and lamenting the fact that the woman I was crazy about was in my city, and I couldn’t even see her.
***
The last thing I expected the following day was a certain name lighting up my phone.
Alex.
My heart sped up as I answered. “Hello?”
“Hi.”
“This is a pleasant surprise,” I said.
“How are you?” she asked.
“I’ve been better. How are you?”
“I’m…actually in New York.”
“Really? What are you doing here?” I asked, feeling a bit guilty for faking my surprise.
“I’m here for a medical spa expo. Wells and I spent last night here, and we have to leave later this afternoon. I’ve felt strange being here without you knowing, for some reason. Everywhere I go, I keep thinking I’m going to run into you, though I know that’s unlikely in a city of eight-million people. What are the chances, right?”
“About the same as having accidentally dated your daughter in college?”
“That was bad.” She chuckled. “But true.”
“Well, I have to laugh so I won’t cry, right?” I blew out a breath. “How long ’til you have to leave?”
“A few hours.”
“Meet me for coffee,” I blurted. “Just coffee. Nothing more, Alex. Bring Wells.”
“Wells has plans with someone he met at the expo today, so it would just be me.”
“Okay, then I’d love to show you the building. We don’t even have to go inside. I would just like you to see it.”