Total pages in book: 124
Estimated words: 119005 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 595(@200wpm)___ 476(@250wpm)___ 397(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 119005 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 595(@200wpm)___ 476(@250wpm)___ 397(@300wpm)
I’d always choose my family.
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
BETH
Present day
Friday evening, I walked into Wahaca, excited to meet with Sheera and do whatever it took to land Aura Beauty as a client.
When the waiter led me over to the table, however, I slowed almost to a halt at the sight of Samuel Green. And no Sheera.
“Beth.” Samuel stood and rounded the table to greet me. He bent his head and brushed a dry kiss across my cheek.
I stopped myself from flinching. “H-hullo.”
At my questioning gaze, he grimaced. “Unfortunately, something came up and Mother can’t make dinner. So you’ve got me instead. Not a poor substitute, I hope.”
“O-of course not.” My stomach fell as I took a seat at the table.
I’d been surprised when Samuel texted me that Sheera was meeting me at Wahaca. She definitely seemed more of a Palm Court type than someone who would enjoy the laid-back, colorful, but industrial vibe of Wahaca. Not to mention eating food with your hands.
Deciding I’d gotten Sheera wrong, I’d been excited by the choice because it meant she wanted to eat somewhere I loved. And surely that was a good sign. So, I’d dressed for the occasion, cute but casual in a strappy pink and green summer dress that buttoned down the front. So certain of myself, I’d even paired the dress with Converse.
Now watching the way Samuel’s gaze roamed over my breasts and hips, I had a sneaking suspicion I’d been conned.
Sheera was never in Edinburgh, and this was all a ruse to get me here.
Honestly, I could barely concentrate as we perused the menu. Samuel asked about my week, and I reciprocated, but it felt stilted because inside I was panicking. If Samuel wanted to date me (and clearly only for superficial reasons because we gelled as well as oil and water), how did I say no without upsetting a potential client? Not just any client. The biggest client I’d ever hoped to score.
As our food arrived, it became clear Samuel was done asking me questions. He started talking about himself, his job, his penthouse apartment on Simpson Loan. I couldn’t tell if he was trying to impress me or if this was the inane rubbish he found interesting. Or maybe he thought because of who my family was, I’d find it interesting.
He was boring, but he wasn’t bad-looking. Should I date him? Maybe he’d grow on me.
“… So my mother really loves the Aston Martin, but I love the Ferrari. And I’m the one who’s going to be driving it.” He shrugged smugly. “I definitely think I’m more of a Ferrari man.”
Nope. I couldn’t do it.
I could not date this man.
When I looked at him, I felt nothing but impatience.
It turned out all Samuel needed from me for the rest of the meal was to smile and nod. In fact, that interested gleam in his eyes only seemed to grow the less I talked.
Charming.
At the end of the meal, I tried to leave on an ambiguous note. I didn’t want to jeopardize my position with Sheera, so I thought if I didn’t encourage but didn’t discourage, I could keep Samuel at bay until Sheera had made her decision.
However, Samuel insisted on walking me the fifteen minutes back to my place.
I attempted to dissuade him since his apartment was in the opposite direction. That did not work. As we walked, he kept strolling into my side and I kept having to subtly move away. The back of his hand brushed mine. He rested a hand on my lower back when we crossed the street. Sweat gathered in my palms as I considered a way to put him off without losing Aura Beauty.
“… I mean, Edinburgh is beautiful, but I do miss the melting pot that is London. There’s so much to do there. The bars and restaurants are better. The theater is better. The music scene is much, much more impressive. Shopping, sightseeing. Pretty much everything is better there. I do miss it. I’m sure you understand.”
Samuel had been talking nonstop, and I was beginning to think he merely liked the sound of his own voice. And frankly, I didn’t understand. I was born and raised in Edinburgh. I loved my city or I wouldn’t still be living there. “The air is better here.”
He smirked. “Okay, I’ll give you that. We do have a bit of a smog problem back in London. But that’s about it, really. London is far superior to Edinburgh. This city is rather provincial, in a way.”
Attempting to hide my irritation at his disparaging my hometown, I grimaced as we reached my building.
“This is me.” I slowed to a stop.
“Oh, I’ll walk you to your door. You can never be too careful these days.”
Fecking feck feck.
Smiling tightly, I strolled through the car park gates, searching my brain for a brilliant reason to put him off. We reached the front entrance. “Well, thanks again.”