Page 81 of How to Train Your Billionaire

I can’t believe I let him in. Can’t believe I ended my self-imposed boy ban for him. And for what? To feel like absolute crap about myself now that he cast me aside.

A two-line text message telling mehey thanks, you were good for Charles, but absolutely nothing about how I was good for him too? It’s horseshit. Iwasgood for Hayes. Whether he saw it or not. I guess Tessa wasn’t wrong about me—I do pick the worst guys. I thought Hayes was giving beige flags when in reality they were red, red, red.

My phone buzzes. Text from Tessa.

Tessa:How’s life on the love boat?

Frankie:Crashed and burned spectacularly.

Tessa:Details. Now.

Frankie:Can’t. Too humiliating.

Tessa:Did you sleep with Hayes?

Ugh, she knows me too well.

Frankie:Maybe.

Tessa:Francesca.

Frankie:Fine. Yes. And it was amazing. And now he’s gone.

Tessa:Gone as in . . . ?

Frankie:Gone as in flew back to New York immediately after like I was a prostitute he regretted hiring.

My phone rings thirty seconds later.

“What the actual hell?” Tessa’s voice is sharp. “He justleft?”

“Yep. Had a sudden business emergency.” I lean against the railing. “God, I’m so stupid.”

“You’re not stupid. He’s an ass.”

“Same difference.”

“No, it’s not. You took a chance. That takes guts.”

“Guts and apparently zero common sense.”

“Frankie.” Tessa’s voice softens. “Did it feel real? When you were together?”

I close my eyes, remembering the way Hayes looked at me in the lavender fields. The way he touched my face like I was precious. The way he held me afterward, like he didn’t want to let go.

“Yeah,” I whisper. “It felt real.”

“Then maybe it was. Maybe he’s just scared.”

“Since when do you defend the men who hurt me?”

“Since never. But this one ... I don’t know. Something about him seems different.”

Different. Yeah. That’s the problem.

Hayes Winters isn’t like my usual disasters. He’s not obviously broken or clearly wrong for me. He’s successful, smart, devastatingly handsome, and absolutely incredible in bed.

Which makes it so much worse when he runs.