Total pages in book: 83
Estimated words: 76984 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 385(@200wpm)___ 308(@250wpm)___ 257(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 76984 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 385(@200wpm)___ 308(@250wpm)___ 257(@300wpm)
The momentary freedom I felt on the day I met Peaches. The crack in my chest when I opened my heart to Esmé. I couldn’t stuff the feelings back inside or drink them away. Believe me, I’d tried.
“What do I do?”
“Quit fighting it and let yourself feel. Face your demons, no matter how painful it gets. You’re letting all those buried emotions out at once. It’s gonna hurt like hell.”
I didn’t speak for a while. We sat in silence as her words soaked into my thick skull. In my heart, I acknowledged there was no turning back. But how did I move forward?
“Maggie’s out on a date.”
“So, she said. How are you feeling about that?”
“Maybe I should go lie down on the couch and we can continue our session, Dr. Shaw.”
“You’re a master at deflecting with sarcasm and a jerk at times.”
I ran my fingers through my hair, sitting back in the seat. I had to laugh at how well my sister had me pegged.
“All right. Here’s what I’m feeling.” I took a couple of deep breaths, wishing the discomfort away, but it didn’t help. “I want to go to the restaurant where she’s meeting this jerk and punch the shit out of him. Happy now?”
My hands shook as adrenaline rushed through my veins. The other things I wanted to do revolved around fucking Maggie senseless, so I kept them to myself.
“It’s a start. Good luck finding them in New York City.” My sister scoffed, totally underestimating me.
“I don’t need luck.”
I pulled my phone from my back pocket and entered my password. I brought up the same GPS tracking app Jared loaded onto Maggie’s phone and watched a little blue dot float around in the Meatpacking District. I widened the screen.
“Bingo.” I showed my phone to my sister. “They’re at the Viceroy Hotel. Soon, I will be too.” My T-shirt and jeans wouldn’t get me in the door. I needed to up my game to something more club-worthy.
“Wait,” my sister called out as I headed to my bedroom. I turned around, and her brows were drawn in worry. Did she really think I’d punch the guy out? “Don’t touch her until you fire her as your nanny. I mean it.”
Well, that surprised me. Maggie was considered my employee, and that made her even more forbidden.
“You make a good point. Never mix business with pleasure. Plus, I promised Barclay I’d keep my hands to myself.” It was a line I hadn’t crossed yet.
I continued to the bedroom and changed into something appropriate for the bar. When I emerged, Chloe was still sitting at the table.
“I have a couple favors to ask you.”
“Let me guess. You’d like me to spend the night here with Esmé and tell Barclay that you, the perpetual bachelor, have fallen for Maggie and I approve.”
“Yes to both. Thanks, Chloe.” She was two steps ahead of me.
“I’ll cancel all my meetings tomorrow, but on one condition.”
“Name it.”
“Don’t break that girl’s heart. She’s too sweet to be hurt and I’ll never forgive you if you do.”
“Duly noted. Remember, she’s on the date, and I have to convince her to be with me.”
“Yeah, I saw the look on her face when she left. It reminded me of someone going to a funeral.” Chloe laughed at her own joke like she always did.
I hugged my sister goodbye and texted my car service for a quick pickup. If the streets weren’t jammed with traffic, I’d be at The Viceroy Hotel in twenty minutes or less. I felt pretty sober, but I downed the rest of my lukewarm coffee for one last jolt before I headed out the door. I had a woman to win over and planned on keeping her up until the late-night hours.
32
Maggie
After Thomas and I split the bill, I said goodbye with a quick kiss on his cheek. No doubt about it, any girl would be lucky to have him for a boyfriend. He was forever material, and I’d enjoyed meeting him, but his brown eyes made me wish for blue. His warm smile made me miss a sarcastic scowl.
Thomas told me about his life in Wisconsin before coming to New York City for his job. He was a happy, well-adjusted man with no baggage to explore. Being his girlfriend would be easy, perfect, but I didn’t want perfect. I wanted flawed and damaged—a man who needed healing.
My desire to help others in life drew me to Lucas. I wasn’t crazy enough to think I could save him. I wanted to help him save himself. Hold his hand and walk next to him as he faced whatever was keeping him from living his life.
I’d done all I could at this point. If we were going to be together, the ball was in his court. He needed to make the next move, since he was the one who’d rejected me while I’d held my heart in my hands, hoping he would take it. Sure, it had stung like hell, but something broken inside of him kept him from following his desires. He was the most tormented soul I’d ever met, and I was falling in love with him despite knowing heartache was likely ahead of me.