Страница 8 из 60
“It’s not that I think you should go on a date, but I know for a fact you both have unresolved issues.”
“And what would that issue be, Shayla? That he broke my fucking heart! There’s not much left to say.” Raising her glass in a cheers fashion, she pounded what remained of her Cosmo.
“Carrie A
She blinked repeatedly, stu
“You’re both so stubborn—”
“I am not stubborn.” She made a face.
“You’re worse than he is!” Shayla’s eyes bulged in mock disagreement. “Honestly, Carrie A
She grimly conceded the point with a brief nod. Dabbing at the lingering wetness beneath her lashes, Carrie A
Taking pity, Shayla raised to her feet and confiscated the glass. Her deep sigh confirmed the tabled subject. “You still up for going out or do you want to order in? Or are you upset with me now, too?”
“I never get mad at you. Let’s order in. Drink Cosmos. Have a girl’s night. Wa
“I’m sure Na
Carrie A
Chapter Three
‡
After an evening of Cosmos, girl talk, and a trip or two down memory lane, the morning greeted her with a fresh perspective. Carrie A
Waiting for Sara to arrive at the Villa, she settled into one of a dozen outdoor chaises. Little waves fa
“Morning.” Sara greeted cheerfully, handing off a beautifully wrapped rectangular box. “I swung by the office to pick up my handy dandy measuring tape and this was lying on your desk.”
“Shit,” she grumbled, giving a jiggle to the box assuming it to be chocolates.
“Looks like Jason is working some extra sweetness.”
“I don’t think it’s from Jason.”
“Ooh! Who’s the mystery man?”
Momentarily shu
“Ryan?” Sara tilted her head in a questioning ma
“Ryan Summer.”
“Oh my God! Are you kidding me? Open the card!” On the verge of drooling, Sara anxiously rubbed her hands together. Putting herself in a business-like check, she suggested calmly, “I mean, don’t you think you should open the card?”
Somehow Carrie A
Just a little snack for you to enjoy during your busy day
Glad the Villa worked out perfectly
Looking forward to seeing it decked out for the Auction
Jason
“Thank God.” A sigh of relief burned from her throat, handing the card off to Sara.
“Oh, man.” Sara’s shoulders slumped in utter disappointment. “I mean, you know, Jason’s cute and all, but…Ryan! Now he’s a total hottie. Do you actually know him?”
“We dated in college.”
Ignoring Sara’s squeals of enthusiasm and barrage of questions, she drifted off into her own thoughts. A numbing ache of disenchantment settled heavy in her chest. She thought for sure it would be from Summer. Worse yet, somewhere hidden in the dusty corners of her heart, Carrie A
“Did you say you brought a measuring tape?”
Sara stopped mid-sentence. The off-limits subject duly noted with a nod of affirmation as she handed off the yellow tape.
The day went off with only a few minor hitches. Carrie A
Fatigue set in at the end of the day. Walking through the front door, she was greeted with a rich floral fragrance. Ignoring the gorgeous bouquet, Carrie A
Kicking out of her flats, she turned on some music, grabbed a glass of red wine, settled into her favorite overstuffed chair, and dug into her little brown bag of di
Her nails clicked against the cold granite. She couldn’t decide who she was madder at, Summer or herself for allowing him to get under her skin. Fuck! Fuckity-fuck! Hormonal outburst kicked into full swing, pacing with punishing strides, stomping on the wood floor.
Reaching for the chocolates, she tore open the box, sinking her teeth into the caramel filled square of dark chocolate. Frustration loomed over her like a black cloud…a black cloud during a Summer downpour.
She needed an out.
Without so much as one rational thought, she grabbed her phone.
“Hello.”
“Hey,” she choked a bit, swallowing the sweet treat. “Sorry, I was just taking a bite of chocolate.”
“I was hoping you’d see them before the weekend.” A smile colored Jason’s voice. An unmistakable question hid within his statement.
“Luckily, Sara spotted them on my desk this morning and brought them with her to the Villa. They’re delicious. Thank you.” She kept her tone smooth, not overly coy, but just enough of an indication.
“It’s my pleasure. Have you had a chance to look at your schedule?” he paused. “Maybe go to di
Tommy would be upset if she backed out of the premier. However, the last thing she wanted to endure was the sight of a piece of arm candy attached to Summer’s side, while she watched from the sidelines—dateless—looking like a lonely idiot.
Desperate times lead to desperate measures.
“Actually, I have an extra ticket to a movie premier tomorrow night.” She stumbled through her words. “I need a friend to go with me. Are you interested?”