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Jeremy put his mug in the sink. “Tell her I’ll be a minute—”
“She asked to speak to Mr. Jenkins.”
Everyone’s eyes turned to me. Jeremy and Adam had both grilled me about my obvious history with Tiffany after her visit to the office. Even Lena had questioned me at length.
“The whole thing is weird, Rob, you have to admit that,” she had stated.
All I told them was I knew her from an old job I had during law school. I didn’t get into specifics but that didn't stop the questions.
“She seemed very interested in you. How did you know her?” Jeremy had asked. “If you tell me you boned that hot older lady I’ll never believe you,” he had laughed.
If only he knew.
“She ran a company I worked for. We were close for a while. End of story. I haven’t spoken to her in years so I’m really not sure why she’s making such a big deal about seeing me now,” I had explained. It was the truth or as much of it as I was willing to share.
“You’re sure you didn’t knock boots with Mrs. Robinson?” Jeremy prodded.
I didn’t bother to answer because, for all his feigned obliviousness, Jeremy could smell a lie with the best of them. It’s why he was a great attorney.
They were all looking at me now, clearly starting to question my story about my relationship with Tiffany Hardwell.
I should take the call. I knew what would happen if I didn’t. Allowing her to have any sort of control over my life made me sick to my stomach, but then I thought of Sky, and my mom, and Sam, and so I went to my office and closed the door before picking up the phone.
“Hello?”
“Robbie, Darling, took you long enough to answer.”
I balled my hands into fists, feeling a familiar rage. “My days of dropping everything every time you call are long over, Tiffany.”
She laughed her smoky, seductive laugh. At one time I would have gotten hard at the sound but now I simply felt cold. And annoyed. “What do you want?”
“You haven’t been by to see me. I thought you would have by now.”
I gritted my teeth hard enough to break a bone. “And I told you I had no desire to see you.”
“But I want to see you, Robbie.” Her voice became chilly. “I sure hope that pretty young woman isn’t taking up all your time. That girl needs to learn how to share.”
And there it was. The fucking grenade.
“What do you know about her?” I asked, not able to help myself. I was rising to her bait and she knew it. My reaction alone would tell her she had hit a nerve and she’d use it to her advantage.
“Skylar is such a nice girl. I really like her. Though she’s not a good fit for you, Robbie. I can’t imagine her being very understanding of your...lifestyle.”
There were a lot of things to unpack here. I tackled the most pressing thing first.
“How do you know her name?”
“Skylar and I are old friends,” she chuckled, clearly enjoying herself.
“What the fuck are you playing at, Tiffany?” I snarled.
“I told you, I’m here for you, Robbie. And you know I don’t like being ignored. So, come over tonight. Let’s catch up.” She wasn’t playing her full hand. Not yet.
The fear was there again.
“I can’t. I have business out of town this weekend,” I told her.
“Reschedule then. I want to see you tonight. I thought we could order in, share a bottle of wine—”
“I can’t reschedule. I’m not coming over, Tiffany,” I interjected harshly. The sound of her voice in my ears was making my skin crawl. To think I used to fancy myself in love with this awful woman. I had been such an idiot.
“I think you’ve forgotten who you’re dealing with, Robbie.” And there it was, the real Tiffany Hardwell.
“And you have no idea who I am now, Tiffany. The days of manipulating and controlling me are over. I’m not a boy anymore,” I warned her, my tone brittle and furious.
“Oh, I know that. I’ve seen with my own eyes what a big, gorgeous man you are now.”
“I have to go.”
“Fine. This weekend doesn’t work. I can be patient. Our time will come.” She sounded so sure. So confident. I used to think that made her sexy and alluring. Now I saw it for what it was—stone cold manipulation.
I hung up the phone without saying another word.
**
“That’s all you’re bringing?” I asked, tossing Skylar’s duffel bag into the trunk of my car.
“I’m not some clothes-obsessed woman that has to pack for a month when she’s going away for two days. Come on, now.” She rolled her eyes before kissing me. I grabbed her before she could move away and kissed her again, deeper this time. I briefly thought about bending her over the hood of my car and fucking her before we got on the road.
