Series: The Laws of Opposite Attract Series by Vi Keeland
Total pages in book: 107
Estimated words: 105253 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 526(@200wpm)___ 421(@250wpm)___ 351(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 105253 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 526(@200wpm)___ 421(@250wpm)___ 351(@300wpm)
I did manage to spot Billie walking back toward the building with a coffee in hand. Her long, black hair swayed in the breeze. She hadn’t reached out to me since the day we met, even though she’d mentioned us going to lunch. I suppose it hadn’t been that long, but I wondered if I should make the first move. That was very unlike me. And my gut told me not to push starting a friendship that would have to be short-lived anyway. This temporary stay was about business, not pleasure—despite the pleasure-filled way I’d kicked it off with Owen.
My phone rang, putting a halt to my window watching. Robert’s name flashed on the screen. I took a deep breath in and answered. “You’re up early…”
“Hey, babe. I actually haven’t gone to sleep yet.”
“Ah. I should’ve known.”
“How’s it going over there?” he asked.
“It’s…been busy.”
“Yeah? Why?”
Why? “Well, for one, my brother and sister are a handful and—”
“You need to come back, Devyn,” he interrupted. “They upped the start date for shooting in Italy. I’m leaving in less than three weeks, and I’m not gonna be back in the States for four months.”
Is he serious? “Why can’t you come to New York?”
“I have press here in L.A. almost every day. Let me buy your ticket. You don’t have to stay long.”
This was yet another example of how self-absorbed Robert was. “I can’t just leave Heath and Hannah alone to go screw you for three days.”
“Your mother can leave them permanently, but you can’t leave them for a few days?”
My mouth dropped. “Is that supposed to be funny?”
“Okay, I’m sorry. That wasn’t funny. I get it.” He paused. “Why don’t you just bring them with you? I’ll pay for their tickets, too.”
Throwing my pen, I shouted, “They’re in school, Robert. And I can’t even get a handle on them here, in their own environment. I certainly can’t trust them out in L.A. I’d need to keep an eye on them every second, and that defeats the purpose of me coming out to see you.” I shook my head. “I’m sorry. It’s just not gonna work.”
“What’s not gonna work? You coming out here…or us?”
Both.
Maybe?
“What are we, Robert? We’re not together. We’re not even really friends.”
He sighed. “You mean something to me, Devyn. I know I’m busy, but I want you in my life.”
“You’ve always wanted to have your cake and eat it, too. But I have a life of my own and responsibilities you obviously can’t understand.”
“Yeah. I guess you’re right.” He exhaled. “Well, I tried. And I didn’t mean to get you all worked up—at least not in this way. If you change your mind, let me know. I’ll book the tickets.”
I blew out a frustrated breath. “I’m sorry. That’s not gonna happen.”
He sighed. “Yeah. I’m sorry, too.”
After I hung up, my mood disintegrated. I was angry at myself for wasting so much time infatuated with a man who wouldn’t even try to understand my current predicament. One positive thing about being in New York was the distance and clarity it provided me about the things in my life that had been weighing me down for so long. Robert was certainly at the top of that list.
***
Rather than continue stewing over that phone call, a little while later I decided to take a walk to get some fresh air.
As I approached the building on my way back, a Town Car pulled up. To my surprise, Owen emerged from it. My heart pounded. He wasn’t alone. A beautiful, tall blonde exited the vehicle right after him. A wave of nausea hit as she wrapped her arms around him in a hug. Then she got back inside, and the car took off.
Swallowing my jealousy, I contemplated sneaking into the building before Owen spotted me, but his eyes found mine before I had a chance.
“Hey, you.” His mouth spread into a smile.
Owen looked gorgeous in a crisp, blue, collared shirt with the sleeves rolled up. It fit perfectly over his broad shoulders. His navy dress pants and shiny brown shoes finished off the look. When he removed his shades, the sun caught his eyes, which were a gorgeous aquamarine.
“How was your date?” I asked, tasting the unjustified bitterness on my tongue.
“Date?” He laughed. “It went very well, in fact.”
Fighting the urge to flee, I nodded. “Well, that’s good.”
“It was a business date,” he clarified. “I took my client to see a few properties. She had her driver drop me off after.”
“Oh.” I looked down at my feet, hiding my relief. “Well, she was very beautiful. I just assumed…”
“Carolyn is married, and her husband is a friend of mine. They’re in the market for a bigger place in the City.”
“Ah.” My cheeks burned with embarrassment.
“I would’ve gone back to the office, but I left my laptop behind and was going to fetch it before returning to work.” He tilted his head. “What are you up to?”