AllFreeNovel
Share Us
I was an asshole.
She needed to know that.
“Thanks for throwing that in my face when you are one of the only people that I shared that with. But, if you must know, he was actually quite possessive, yes. And I was done with him long before he strayed, but that would have been a deal breaker for me either way. I don’t share, Bossman.”
“Good for you. You should hold out for Mr. Perfect. And I assure you, it’s not that punk in the city.”
“You think I’m going to take dating advice from you?” she said, glancing down at her phone when it vibrated. “It’s getting late. I need to go send those emails and then get to my brother’s house to go see Santa. I guess I’ll see you and yourwoman of the eveningat Reynolds’.”
I barked out a laugh. “I guess you will, Tink.”
She pulled my coat off her shoulders and chucked it at me before heading through the office and back upstairs. She got stopped several times because everyone loved her.
I took my time, watching the way she moved up the stairs. The way her lean legs elegantly took one step after the other. It was wrong, but I couldn’t help myself. This woman was consuming my thoughts. And I was dreading dinner with Heather.
I’d agreed to her coming to town because she was relentless about getting together, and I knew I needed to get laid. It had been too long, and it was the only chance I had at getting Georgia Reynolds out of my head.
* * *
Heather Olivia was the daughter of a wealthy banker, and she was definitely looking for a wealthy husband. I’d been upfront with her from the moment we met when she’d pursued me hard. I was always clear with the women that I spent time with. I enjoyed dinner, a nice bottle of wine, and a show or the opera now and then. I liked having a date to take to events that I had to attend. But I didn’t want anything deeper than that. I knew where that led, and I wasn’t interested in it. I didn’t open my life to the women that I spent time with. Everyone’s version of the fairy tale was different. My mother had thought my father was her prince on a white horse, and though he’d set her up in a castle and given her the finest things in life, she’d soon learned that it came at a cost. That he didn’t mean it when he said, “Till death do us part.”
He was a selfish prick with a wandering eye and an ice-cold heart. He’d humiliated her at her lowest point, chipping away at her as her body deteriorated right before our eyes.
Love was overrated. It was bullshit. I wasn’t here to say that it didn’t work for some people. My grandparents were the rare couple that got it right. But I was more than aware that most of the women who had attempted to sink their nails into me were after two things.
The Lancaster name and the Lancaster money.
It came with the territory.
I was fairly certain that Heather wanted both.
But we’d been doing this sporadically for two years now, and it was clear that I wasn’t going to change my mind. Yet she kept coming back.
She’d taken a car service here because the woman was a pampered princess. She didn’t work or have any real ambitions beyond shopping and finding a husband who’d keep her living in the lap of luxury. That was why I wasn’t sure why she hadn’t moved on to someone else. Someone more likely to give her what she wanted.
She was gorgeous, no doubt about it.
I arrived at Reynolds’ and was taken to a table in the back of the restaurant. The place was fairly busy, chatter and laughter surrounding me. Dark wood covered the floors, and stone accents on the walls offered a lot of character. It definitely had a rustic, cool vibe.
I looked up to see Heather walking my way. Her black hair was straight and shiny, and she wore a skintight red dress that clung to her and ended just below her knees. She wore a black fur coat that went almost to the ground, and sky-high fuck-me heels, per usual. Heads turned as she moved toward me because she stood out like a sore thumb in here, as most people were dressed in jeans and sweaters. I pushed to my feet and gave her a quick hug.
“Good to see you.”
“Well, I had no choice but to come to you, obviously. I can’t believe you’re living in this godforsaken town. Is it just the worst living here?” she asked as I slipped her coat off her shoulders and set it on the empty chair beside us. I pulled out her chair, and she took a seat, and I settled across from her.
“Actually, it hasn’t been so bad lately. It’s growing on me. It’s peaceful. There’s no press snapping pictures every time you go to fucking dinner. No traffic. And the office is thriving, so I have no complaints.”
“Well, why get all dressed up if no one is going to take photos of you and post them?” She chuckled. “I’m guessing the shopping is not great here. I’m sure there are some boutiques, but you know, I love my name brands. I’m hoping to see your new house while I’m here. I was disappointed you didn’t have me meet you there.”
Of course, she was. My plan to meet her here was intentional. I didn’t bring women to my home often. I normally took them to the hotel in the city, even when I was living there. Georgia had been spot on when she’d made that statement, but I sure as shit wasn’t going to admit it. I didn’t like inviting people into my personal space, nor did I ever spend the night with a woman. I had my reasons, and I made that clear upfront. I knew Heather was hoping to come home with me, and I also knew that I needed to get laid.
But I hadn’t decided how that would go down yet.
I’d probably take her to a hotel here in Cottonwood Cove, and then I could head home after.
Before I could answer, there was a ruckus a few feet away. A large group had entered, and for whatever reason, they were garnering a lot of attention.
Tinker Bell.
