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Page 44 of One Wild Wedding Weekend

“No, of course not,” she lied. “We’ve had some fun, but he hasn’t tried to mislead me. If anything, I’m the one who escalated things. Now I simply have to back off.”

“I hope you know what you’re doing.”

“I don’t think I do,” she said wistfully. “I may regret pushing him away. But even Tabby and John have warned me not to get involved.”

“Any man can change if he finds the love of his life.”

“Says who?”

Jared shrugged. “I don’t know. Seems like something you wanted to hear.”

“It doesn’t matter,” she said, keeping her tone light. “He’s fun in bed, but I’m at a point in my life where concentrating on my career is the thing to do. Mr. Dunn believes in me. I want to prove to everyone that he made the right choice.”

“A job won’t keep you warm at night.”

“Says the workaholic.”

Jared grinned as he got to his feet. “My work gives me something I’ve never found in a romantic relationship. It matters. I literally save kids’ lives sometimes. If that’s the only thing I ever accomplish in my life, it will be enough.”

Daley followed him to the door. “I can’t argue with that. All I do is find new ways to sell cookies or life insurance or dance lessons.”

He stood in the hall and smiled at her. “I’ll study this guy when we’re at the reception. Sizing up strangers is one of my superpowers.”

“What if I run into him at the office in the meantime?”

“Sounds like you’d better come up with a plan. ’Cause if you don’t avoid him, I guess I’ll be getting dumped.”

“You won’t. I swear. My plan is not to see him at all between now and the reception. That way, he can’t suggest we go together.”

“How big is this office?” Jared asked, his expression dubious.

“Oh, hush,” she said. “You’re making me nervous. Tristan and I work in different suites. This plan will work. I’m sure of it.”

Jared waved as he headed for his apartment. “Good luck.”

When she went back inside and locked her door, she saw her phone on an end table where she had left it. As she picked it up, it dinged.

Thanks again for the food.

Those five words seemed threatening. How should she respond? Did he think she was infatuated with him? Did he think they were going to pick up where they left off?

She didn’t answer at first. Let him think she was busy. After turning out all the lights, she brushed her teeth and got ready for bed. It was too late to read now. Besides, with every guilty glance at that unanswered text, she found herself less and less sleepy.

This was dumb. She had to take a stand.

Before she could change her mind, she answered Tristan’s text with a thumbs-up emoji. Then she set her phone to Do Not Disturb and closed her eyes.

Nine

Tristan returned to work Thursday morning feeling almost a hundred percent. His instinct was to drop by Daley’s new office space, but he knew he couldn’t. For several reasons. In addition to not getting further involved with her, he faced a backlog of emails and tasks that awaited his attention.

Sometimes being the boss was not fun at all.

He found several excuses to wander down the hall where Daley and her team were now located. But he didn’t catch so much as a glimpse of her. He met a couple of her staff in the break room. They all seemed bright and enthusiastic and motivated.

But no Daley.

It’s possible she was avoiding him. That would be the smart thing.


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