Total pages in book: 84
Estimated words: 80943 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 405(@200wpm)___ 324(@250wpm)___ 270(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 80943 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 405(@200wpm)___ 324(@250wpm)___ 270(@300wpm)
But although it made sense in her head, her heart couldn’t stop weeping at the idea of not being with him.
Silence stretched between them, until Brody released a frustrated curse and raked his hands through his dark hair.
“I care about you, Hayden. The last thing I want to do is end this.” He shook his head, looking determined. “And I don’t see it as an ending. I just want this mess to go away. I want my name cleared and my career unaffected. When it all dies down, we can pick up where we left off.”
She couldn’t help but laugh. “Because it’s that easy, right?” Her laughter died, replaced with a tired frown. “Whatever. It would have ended anyway. Sooner or later.”
Unhappiness flooded his gaze. “Come on, don’t say that. This break doesn’t have to be permanent.”
“Maybe it should.” A sob wedged in her throat, and it took every ounce of willpower she possessed to swallow it back. “We’re probably doing ourselves a favor by letting go now. Maybe it will end up saving us both a lot of heartache in the future.”
He opened his mouth to respond, but she didn’t give him the chance. Blinking back the tears stinging her eyelids, she headed back to the bedroom to find her clothes.
Twenty-Eight
The Uber ride back to her car was probably the most mortifying experience of Hayden’s life. Somehow, while she’d gotten dressed, ordered the car, murmured a soft goodbye to Brody, she’d managed to rein in her emotions. But the second she slid into the back seat and watched Brody’s beautiful house disappear in the rearview mirror, she’d burst into tears.
Looking stunned, the driver handed her a small packet of tissues then promptly ignored her. Despite the tears fogging her vision, she noticed the man shooting her strange looks in the mirror. Apparently, it wasn’t every day that a brokenhearted woman in tears rode in his back seat.
And brokenhearted was the only word she could come up with to describe how she felt right now. Although she’d told Brody the breakup was for the best, her heart ached so badly it felt like someone had scraped it with a razor blade. All she wanted to do was go back to the penthouse, crawl under the covers and cry.
The driver dropped her at the arena, where she got into her rental car and swiped at her wet eyes, taking a few calming breaths.
Fifteen excruciatingly long minutes later, she was walking into the hotel, hoping nobody noticed her blotchy face. In the lobby, the clerk behind the check-in desk gestured at her.
Hayden reluctantly headed over and was surprised when he said, “There’s a man waiting for you in the bar.”
Hope and happiness soared inside her.
Brody.
It had to be. And he would’ve definitely had time to get here before her, since she’d had to pick up her car. Maybe he realized how foolish it was to end things because of something a reporter had written.
She hurried across the marble floor toward the large oak doors leading into the hotel bar. Only a few patrons were inside, but when she searched for Brody’s massive shoulders and unruly dark hair, she came up empty-handed.
Disappointment crashed into her. Of course he wasn’t here. He’d made it clear back at his place that he couldn’t risk his career by being seen with her.
She glanced around again, then faltered when her gaze landed on a man she’d dismissed during her first inspection.
Doug.
Oh, God. What was he doing here?
“Hayden!” He rose from his seat and walked toward her with a timid smile.
She stared at him, taking in the familiar sight of his blond hair, arranged in a no-nonsense haircut. His pale blue eyes, serious as always. That lean, trim body he kept in shape at the university gym. He wore a pair of starched tan slacks and a crisp, white button-down shirt, and the attire kind of irked her. Everything about Doug was neat and orderly and unbelievably tedious. She found herself longing for even the tiniest bit of disorder. An undone button. A coffee stain. A patch of stubble he’d missed while shaving.
But there was nothing disorderly about this man. He was like a perfectly wrapped gift that only used three efficient pieces of tape and featured a little bow with the same length tails. The kind of gift you hesitated to open because you’d feel like an ass messing it up.
Brody, on the other hand… He was a gift you tore open the second you got it—the exterior didn’t matter because you knew what it contained was a million times better anyway.
Tears stung her eyes at the thought.
“Hi,” Doug said gently. “It’s good to see you.”
She wanted to tell him it was good to see him, too, but the words refused to come out. They stared at each other for a moment, and then he was pulling her into an awkward embrace. She half-heartedly hugged him back, noticing that the feel of his arms around her had no effect on her whatsoever.