Total pages in book: 105
Estimated words: 100277 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 501(@200wpm)___ 401(@250wpm)___ 334(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 100277 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 501(@200wpm)___ 401(@250wpm)___ 334(@300wpm)
“I can carry my own luggage.”
“Star—”
“Rafe, give me my suitcase.” I held out a hand.
He pushed his jaw out to the side in agitation but abruptly held the handle out to me.
I took it carefully so I didn’t touch him. “Thanks. You’ll call me about the details for our next event?”
Rafe studied me for a few seconds, his eyes searching. Whatever he found made him look away, and he nodded with a short, abrupt bob of his head. “Yeah, I’ll call you.”
“Drive safe.”
When I reached my building entrance and looked back, Rafe still stood there, hands in his pockets, watching me with a granite look I would have assumed was anger just a few months ago.
Now I knew better.
Feeling guilty, confused, irritated, I quickly whirled around and hurried inside my building.
* * *
• • •
I was a hot mess.
While it had been me who drew the line in the sand between me and my fake boyfriend, I found myself pissed and hurt when I didn’t hear from Rafe all week. I’d gotten used to his daily texts and check-ins. No one, not even Roger, checked in with me like that. Rafe’s sudden absence from my life was a reminder to never allow myself to get used to someone.
I knew it wasn’t fair to be pissed at him.
I’d made it clear I wanted us to forget what had happened and maintain some professionalism.
But I wasn’t feeling very rational at the moment.
I wasn’t feeling very me.
Stuck in my head, I wasn’t great company, and my friends remarked on it and voiced their concern. I begged off with a lie about a bad period, which wasn’t completely false for the first few days because my period had arrived the night I returned from Harrison.
Unfortunately, by day ten of radio silence from Rafe, I had no such excuse.
I was sad and angry and . . . hurt.
That he could evoke such a response was just one more reason to steer clear of the guy.
Even Gigi texted me to check in. But not her brother.
However, on day eleven, Rafe finally texted, but only to tell me he didn’t need me to come to family dinner with him that Sunday.
His text had made my mood worse, so I’d called my friends to meet me at a bar in our neighborhood that had a dance floor. Kendall and I danced my blues away while Roger and Jude sat in a corner talking, and I woke up the next morning with the hangover from hell.
Deciding I’d done enough moping over Rafe Whitman, I called All on the Line and We Bring Them to Life and filled my schedule to the brim over the next week.
I did not add my schedule to the shared app with Rafe, considering I was pretty sure he’d fired me.
* * *
• • •
Then, on day fifteen, my phone beeped while I was waiting in line for a new gaming system.
You haven’t updated the app with your schedule. Please do so. Your presence is still required this Friday night for Pippa and Hugo’s anniversary dinner.
I’d stared at the text from Rafe, stunned. Not because he’d returned to bossy formality, but because apparently I wasn’t fired.
And I’d lined up a line-sitting job that might go into Friday night.
Shit.
What was I to do?
If I quit, I’d lose all that money to go traveling. To take off. To be free. To not care if a sexy vet texted me on the daily. But could I face him when I was this hurt and angry?
I consoled myself with the knowledge that once I had all the money he intended to pay me, this would be over and I’d never have to see his too-handsome face again.
I’d just have to give the line-sitting job back.
My fingers flew over my phone screen. Just text me the details.
A minute later:
I’ll send a cab to pick you up at six. Dinner is at seven. I’ll meet you there.
Wow. Now he couldn’t even be bothered to pick me up himself.
Asshole.
Chapter Eighteen
Rafe was waiting outside Pippa and Hugo’s building when the cab he’d oh so politely sent me pulled up. He’d foregone a suit jacket and wore a white shirt, gray pants, and a waistcoat that matched the pants. The waistcoat delineated his trim waist and flat stomach.
I’d forgotten how tall he was.
Butterflies, mostly nervous ones, fluttered to life as I got out of the prepaid cab after tipping the driver. A warm breeze blew over my bare legs as I crossed the sidewalk to meet Rafe. I’d chosen to wear a short summer dress with my favorite wedged heels. Looking at Rafe, I wondered if I was underdressed for the event but then reminded myself I didn’t care.
Rafe didn’t seem to care either, because he barely looked at me as he opened the apartment door. “Shall we?” He gestured me in first.