Total pages in book: 85
Estimated words: 82453 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 412(@200wpm)___ 330(@250wpm)___ 275(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 82453 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 412(@200wpm)___ 330(@250wpm)___ 275(@300wpm)
I extend a hand to him. “I’m okay, Al. I have a beautiful life.”
He takes my hand in his and squeezes it. “That’s what I’ve always wanted for you.”
We hold hands and sway on the swings in silence for a moment before I look his way again. “I’m in love.”
His head snaps in my direction. “No shit, Gilbert?”
My lips part in a soft smile. “No shit.”
I don’t expand on that because it’s the first time I’ve told anyone that I love Rook, and I want to savor that for a moment more before I tell my childhood friend that the man I love broke my heart tonight.
“I’m so fucking happy for you.” He squeezes my hand again. “What’s his name?”
The sound of hurried footsteps approaching lures both our gazes up, and from the darkness, a man comes into view.
It’s my man, or the man I thought was mine.
When Rook is within three feet of us, he stops and stares.
I tug my hand free of Al’s and jump to my feet. My toes get lost in the sand as Al moves to stand, too.
“What the fuck, Allard?” Rook blurts out. “What the hell are you doing with the woman I love?”
CHAPTER FIFTY-SIX
Rook
I don’t know what the hell I stumbled into, but I want answers.
“Carrie,” I say her name, wishing like fuck Allard wasn’t next to her.
She was holding his hand when I approached them.
None of this makes any fucking sense.
After Abby called Carrie’s landlord in Brooklyn and found out that she wasn’t there, she told me to hightail it to this playground in Queens. Apparently, Carrie has always come here when she needs an escape from life.
Tonight called for that because she thinks I screwed another woman hours before I was going to fuck her.
I scrub a hand over my jaw and repeat her name. “Carrie.”
“Rook.” My name comes out of her in splintered shards.
I hear the broken emotion in it, and it splits my heart in two.
I don’t give two fucks if Dalton Allard is standing less than a foot from her. I need her to know now that I would never hurt her. I need to take that pain from her.
“Milo was in the hotel suite,” I say. “Not me. I would never do that to you. I love you, Carrie.”
She stumbles forward in the sand to get to me, so I rush at her to scoop my arms around her waist. I tug her up and against me, her feet dangling in the air.
“It was Milo?” she asks quietly. “Not you?”
I place her back down but don’t let go of her. Staring into her eyes, I nod. “It was him.”
Her gaze searches my face. “Your watch was there.”
“No.” I hold up my wrist to show her the watch I’ve been wearing since Declan got it for me. “Milo took that one over a year ago because it had an inscription. It was a gift.”
“From Chesca,” she says, her gaze dropping to my watch. “I read the inscription before I left The Beaumont.”
I give her credit for not destroying the watch before she left. Either way, that watch didn’t stand a chance tonight.
Her hands grab hold of the lapels of my jacket. “I thought you wanted someone else.”
“No.” I press my lips to the center of her forehead. “Christ, no. I think I’ve been in love with you since I saw you in Abigail’s office months ago.”
“Really?” she asks, her brilliant green eyes clouding with tears. “Since then?”
“I felt so connected to you,” I confess. “I wanted to chase you, but with Abby working for me and…”
“Abby works for you?” Dalton decides to butt in. “Abigail Duvall works for you?”
“Abigail Wells,” Carrie corrects him. “She married Rook’s best friend months ago.”
Wrapping my arms tighter around her, I glance at Allard. “I need someone to explain what I walked in on.”
Carrie nods. “I need to say something first. Al, would you give us a minute?”
“Of course.” He nods softly at her. “I’ll be on the bench by the entrance to the park.”
With that, he walks away, taking all the answers I need about what I saw with him.
When he’s disappeared into the darkness, Carrie sets her gaze on me. “Rook.”
I wipe her falling tears with the pad of my thumb. “It’s okay, beautiful. I’m here. Whatever you need to say, I want to hear it.”
Her bottom lip trembles slightly. “I love you.”
“You love me?” I ask to be clear.
“With all of my heart.” She sobs lightly. “I was so lost earlier. It didn’t make sense. I know what I heard, but my heart kept telling me it didn’t make sense.”
I cup her face in my hands and look directly into her eyes. “Your heart knows my heart. I love you, Carrie. I have never loved anyone the way I love you, and I will always love you.”