Total pages in book: 84
Estimated words: 79963 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 400(@200wpm)___ 320(@250wpm)___ 267(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 79963 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 400(@200wpm)___ 320(@250wpm)___ 267(@300wpm)
My eyes widened with surprise. “Yes, but that is completely different.”
“Why?” he thundered.
“Because Dan doesn’t want me back and Paige obviously does.”
“Dan doesn’t want you back! Do me a favor, look in the fucking mirror. Of course, he wants you back. But he’s such a little lily-livered pansy he doesn’t know how to go about it.”
“Dan and I are just friends,” I defended.
“Paige and I are just friends too.”
I stood. “All right. I won’t go to meet Dan.”
It was as if Max was a balloon and I had pricked him with a needle. He deflated in front of me. All the fight went out of him. He exhaled audibly.
“Meet Dan if you must. It doesn’t matter anyway. I didn’t agree to meet Paige for lunch. I was meant to be having lunch with my mother. Instead, I found Paige waiting because my mother had taken to bed with a migraine episode. It was a lie and it was irritating, but I stayed out of respect for my mother. It was not an enjoyable lunch.”
“Why do you always have to come across as if you don’t need anybody,” I whispered.
His eyes glittered. “You want me to need you?”
I said nothing.
“Well, I don’t need you. I don’t need anyone.”
I could tell by his tone that he meant every word. I swallowed hard. What a catastrophe to fall for a man who didn’t share my dreams. It was better to know early, I told myself, even though it felt like a knife had been plunged into my chest.
He turned and retreated to his office.
Chapter 46
Lillian
The hard truth was Max had not mentioned a future with me. Not even once. He’d never once made any promises other than the intoxicatingly sweet words he whispered in my ear when we were having sex.
I pulled myself up short.
It was me who was changing the rules. I started this affair with the intention to enjoy the present, and yet here I was back to planning a future with him again.
I was glad when my mother rang and asked me to pass by her place for coffee. I needed to get out of my own head. Max hadn’t texted me with new work by the time I left the office so I figured he must be really busy.
Not hearing from him made me sad.
Rose rang as I was closing up and asked me to pick her up on the way to Mom’s. I texted her to come out to the car when I got to her place. My melancholy felt contagious and I didn’t want to go in and say hello to the girls and Dylan when I was in such a lousy mood.
Rose noticed it as soon as she entered the car. “Tough day?” she asked, sympathy in her voice.
“Sort of,” I said, not sure how to classify my day. I’d not told Rose about Max yet.
“Come on, out with it,” she ordered.
“I think I’m in love with my boss.”
“What?” she shouted, looking at me with a horrified expression.
I said nothing.
“Are you serious?”
I didn’t look at her, I just nodded.
“So you’re sleeping with your boss,” she said slowly.
I took a deep breath. “Yes.”
“Why, Lillian?”
“I couldn’t help it. Like a moth to a flame, I was drawn to him.”
“He’s not married, is he?” she asked worriedly.
“No, he’s not.”
“Well, that’s a relief.”
“Not really,” I said. “The relationship is very sexual. I don’t think he’s interested in a serious relationship.”
“Lillian, just because the relationship is very sexual doesn’t mean he’s not interested in a serious relationship. But if you guys are to get serious, I don’t think working in the same office is a good idea.”
“Then there’s Paige,” I said, and the hurt came tumbling out from somewhere deep inside me. As words poured out of me, it made me realize what little chance I had with Max.
“And his mother was very quick to let me know how in love they had been,” I finished.
“She was just being a jerk,” Rose said loyally. “It wasn’t her place to tell you if Max did or did not have feelings for Paige. Listen. Relax. Stop overthinking this. What will be will be and stressing about it won’t change anything.”
“Easier said than done,” I muttered.
“I know. Are you forgetting how many times Dylan and I broke things off and then got back together again?” she asked.
I laughed at the memory. Dylan had had serious commitment issues, and at times I’d doubted whether he was really interested in my sister in the long term. “And look at the two of you now.”
“That’s what I mean. It takes time for a couple to figure out what they want. Some people more than others. Does Max seem like a player to you?”
“I don’t think so.”
“Well, there you go then. Be patient. And give it a chance.”
We got to my mother’s place and as we got out of the car, I pulled Rose in for a quick hug. “Thank you. I feel a bit better.”