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“What’s wrong?” he whispers so low I think I might have made the question up in my mind. There’s no way he’s expressing any level of concern for me.
“What makes you think anything’s wrong?” I try to act nonchalant, as if the sound of his voice isn’t causing butterflies in my stomach and a blush on my cheeks. I place my free hand on my heated face, trying to cool it down before rolling my eyes and shuffling around the few papers on my desk. I don’t know why I’m so affected by him. He means nothing to me, and I mean nothing to him.
“Your voice sounds different. Have you been crying?”
My hand shoots back to my face, checking for tears, relieved to find none have slipped out. I’m holding it together better than I thought I would. Between Mike’s concern, and now Chance’s it’s getting to be too much. If Chance keeps being nice to me the way he is, I’m going to absolutely fall apart.
“No, of course not. I’m just…tired.”
“Right,” he answers, but doesn’t sound convinced. “Will you be ready by five tomorrow night?”
“Yes, Chance, I think I can be ready on time.” I don’t bother hiding my sarcasm.
He lets out a frustrated sigh. “Are you going to be like this the whole time.”
“Like what, darling? Waiting on your ever word? Jumping every time you ask something of me? I’m not that girl, Chance. You should have looked to one of your buckle bunnies if you wanted someone that was going to follow you around like a lost puppy.”
“You found me, remember?” He curses under his breath. “Look, we just have to make this work until the rodeo, alright? Do you think you can do that? After that, we can go back to not knowing each other, okay?”
The logical part of my brain knows that’s what the plan has been all along. My treacherous heart, though, hurts at the thought of going back to a time when I didn’t know Chance Declan existed. Or more, knew what his deep, gravelly voice felt whispered in my ear. To have his piercing blue eyes peer into my soul. Mostly, it hurts to think of never having his hard, toned body pressed up against mine.
I take a few steadying breaths, remembering why I’m doing this, and it has nothing to do with his body. “Fine. A few more weeks of playing lovey-dovey and then back to real life.”
He’s silent for a moment. Long enough to make me wonder if I’ve pushed him too far.
Which leads me to wonder why I care.
“Look, I’m sorry, okay? I don’t like this situation any more than you do.” He grumbles before diving into silence again. “I had a nice time the other night.”
“That’s your definition of a nice night? You almost made the poor waitress cry!”
“You’re right.” He hesitates, as if he doesn’t want to continue with his confession. “I remembered after I dropped you off that I did spend the night with her last year. Nice girl, but she was looking for more than I could give her. She wanted forever. I’m not a forever kind of guy.”
‘Not a forever kind of guy.’ I’d do well to remember that.
“Right. Well, I’m glad you remembered. Even if it was too late.” I can’t imagine living a life where I didn’t know all the people I’ve slept with. I’ve never understood hook up culture. While I wouldn’t ever judge someone based on how they live their life—mostly—I never saw the appeal of it for myself.
The silence that passes between us is thick with tension. I don’t know what to say. I don’t have words to placate him or make him feel better about his forgotten transgression. I also don’t have the words to ease my own feelings about what’s happening between us.
Surely my feelings toward Chance are only because Laughlin hurt me so badly. It has to be because I’m so desperate to feel something—anything—other than heartbreaking embarrassment when it comes to the man I thought I might marry.
Whatever my feelings are, I need to put them aside to get through my time with Chance.
“Look, why don’t we look at tomorrow as a fresh start? Forget about Laughlin and Hayley. We could use the time we need to be seen as a couple and convince people we are madly in love.” I close my eyes, hoping I believe my own words.
“In love,” Chance scoffs.
“Like? Tolerate? Not want to kill?” I pinch the bridge of my nose, feeling a dull headache start.
“Whatever you say, sweetheart.” Chance rewards me with a laugh as he hangs up.
“Ugh!” I slam the phone down, surprised the screen doesn’t shatter at the force. How the fuck am I going to get through the next few weeks pretending to be in love with this infuriating asshole?
I lean my head back on the chair and close my eyes. The dull headache is rapidly turning into a migraine the more I think about having to spend my free time with Chance fucking Declan.
This is going to end horribly.
Chapter Ten
