Page 91 of Playboy For Hire

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Page 91 of Playboy For Hire

“I saidout, nothome.” She pushed me up the stairs that led to the front door. “Now get up there.”

I was a little nervous, pushing open the door to the street, that Quinn might still be there. What would I say if he were? I didn’t want to see him again—didn’t want to see the pain on his face, didn’t want to have to end things a third time. But I alsodesperatelywanted to see him, to drink him in, to wrap my arms around him and never let him go.

But Quinn wasn’t there. The sidewalk was empty except for a guy in a suit, his tie loose and shirt untucked, walking past with an unsteady gait.

“Alright,” Tessa said once she joined me outside. “Now tell me what that conversation was about, the one with…Quinn, did you say his name was?”

I shivered at the sound of his name on someone else’s lips. It felt like she was reading my mind, though she’d obviously just heard it when I called it out in the bar.

“It’s nothing,” I said.

“It’s clearly not nothing, because you’ve been practically vibrating since he left. Whatever that conversation was about, it didn’t look like either one of you enjoyed it. And I’m supposed to be your girlfriend. You’re supposed to talk to me when you’re upset.” She snorted. “If I didn’t know any better, I’d say I just witnessed a breakup between you and that guy.”

I just looked at her, not sure what to say. Her eyes went wide.

“Wait,isthat what just happened? Seriously?”

“It’s…” I began, before trailing off. I didn’t even know where to start, or how to explain any of this. “It’s complicated.”

I was saying that a lot, lately.

“Whoa.” Tessa shook her head. “I didn’t know you liked guys.”

“I didn’t know I did either, until recently.”

“And you guys were what? Dating? Hooking up? Looking at real estate listings together?”

I laughed humorlessly. “I don’t even know what we were. But it’s over.”

I felt like crying. How pathetic was that? Standing out here on a public sidewalk, tearing up, talking to my fake girlfriend about my ex-fake-boyfriend. I needed to get a grip.

I took a deep breath. “I’m sorry. I didn’t know he was going to come here tonight. Let’s go back inside. My personal life shouldn’t get in the way of your evening.”

“I don’t mind. I wanted to make sure you really were okay.”

“That’s very sweet of you, but I’m fine.”

She gave me a searching look. “I know part of our relationship is transactional, but I do actually care about you.” She gave my hand a squeeze.

I shook my head. “Don’t do that. Don’t be nice to me or you’ll turn me into a crying baby.”

“Maybe that’s what you need right now. It sounds like this guy was really important to you.”

“He wasn’t supposed to be.” I looked at her helplessly. “I just wanted to be his friend. But then one thing led to another and…” I left it hanging, not sure how to finish.

“And what? He cheated on you? He stole all your money and social security number? He slandered your good name across town?”

“No, nothing like that. He just…” I blew out a long breath of air. “He likes me.”

“And that’s abadthing?”

“Not right now, but later on, yeah.”

“Why later on? Do you not like him?”

“No, Ilove—I mean, I like him. A lot. I do. And that’s the problem.”

“Two guys like each other and this is some kind of tragedy?” She sounded incredulous. “This isn’t the nineteen-fifties. I think you’ll be okay.”


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