Total pages in book: 123
Estimated words: 117177 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 586(@200wpm)___ 469(@250wpm)___ 391(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 117177 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 586(@200wpm)___ 469(@250wpm)___ 391(@300wpm)
The blank expression instantly slipped as she glared at me. “I can’t? My boyfriend has rekindled his friendship with his gorgeous, smart, philanthropic ex-girlfriend whom his father loved, FYI, and I can’t be jealous?”
“ ‘Friendship’ being the operative word. And if you trust me, you have to know that’s all it is.” Tiredness added a sharpness to my tone.
She flinched, and I had no choice but to release her or have her struggle in my embrace.
“Fuck, Hallie . . .” I bowed my head in exhaustion as she stood up from the couch.
“So you’re saying that you wouldn’t have a problem with me being friends with an ex?”
“No.” I answered honestly, exasperated. “Hallie, I trust you. I trust you would never do that to me. She’s a friend, and we have to trust each other with our friendships. Right?”
“You’re making me feel like I’m a child for feeling this way.”
My heart lurched at her hurt expression.
“If I was suddenly having coffees and cocktails with Derek or George or whomever . . . it wouldn’t bother you just a little?”
I thought about my reaction to Derek, and remorse sliced through me. “Yeah,” I acknowledged, pushing up off the couch. I hated the wary look on her face as I approached. “Mi cielo,” I whispered, pulling her against me. “I’m sorry. You’re right. It would bother me a little.”
Pressing soothing kisses to her lips and along her jaw, I felt her relax into me again, and relief moved through me. Clasping her face in my hands, I stared into her eyes and said, “We’re only human. So I get it that jealousy happens. But I promise you, you have no reason to be jealous of Darcy. And I need to know you trust me.”
Hallie nodded slowly. “I do. Old insecurities kicking in there.”
“You have no reason for them.” I nipped playfully at her mouth. “You’re all I think about. You’re all I want.” My kiss was hungrier now, deeper as my exhaustion gave way to something more powerful. I started walking her backward toward the bedroom. “And I’m going to show you just how much.”
THIRTY-THREE
Hallie
It would seem this was the week for unannounced visitors to my office. When Navid informed me that my dad was at Reception, I had to ask him to repeat the information. But sure enough, my dad was at Reception.
Stomach rioting with butterflies, I walked out to meet him, and my heart lurched in my chest as our gazes caught. Dad’s expression wasn’t hard to read. He looked ill at ease and forlorn.
“What are you doing here?”
“I stopped by your place last night, but you weren’t home.”
The apartment buzzer had gone off last night, but Chris and I ignored it because he was passionately endeavoring to show me how little need I had to be jealous of Darcy, and there was no way either of us wanted to stop for a door buzzer.
Trying not to blush, I looked away. “Yeah, I was out.”
“With your boyfriend?”
Disappointment crashed through me. “Is that why you’re here?”
“No,” he said hurriedly before glancing around. “Is there somewhere more private we can talk?”
Nodding, I told him to follow me and led him to my office. I caught Althea’s eyes across the room and gave her a slight nod to reassure her I was all right.
Safely enclosed in my office, I leaned against my desk as my father took in my space.
“I’ve never been here before. The place looks great.”
“Thanks.” I studied him while he wasn’t looking. Dad appeared exhausted. The vitality that had glowed from him these past few months had disappeared. He seemed dejected and weary again. “Why did you come?”
He exhaled slowly. “I had a conversation with your mother yesterday that woke me up.”
Surprised, I could only raise my brows.
Dad chuckled humorlessly. “She called me yesterday to see if I knew anything about your relationship with this astronaut because you weren’t answering her calls.”
“Chris.”
“Right. Chris. And I told her I hadn’t spoken to you in weeks. I told her why. And I told her that because of your visit to the house, what you said, Miranda left me and that I was angry with you.”
I flinched. Not from guilt.
From unbelievable hurt, that he would dare to blame anything in his life on me.
Dad grimaced. “Your mother tore me one like she never has before, and you know that’s saying a lot. She told me I was a selfish asshole who’d neglected the one person in my life who had loved me and would always love me despite my many mistakes. The one person in both our lives who, until recently, never failed to show up. She also blamed me for you not calling her.”
Wow. My mom had actually said that to my dad about me? “I stopped taking her calls because I just wanted out of this wreckage you two have created.”