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“Well, hello there, Handsome.”
Fuck. He’d forgotten all about her.
Chapter 5
Those specific words in that flirty female voice made Mae’s stomach twist. Seemed Merit really did use his come-on line a lot. She’d bet any money the woman’s name was Lyssa. And she’d bet double she worked at Brew for You, the trendy coffee shop located only a couple miles away. Okay, so it was an easy bet going off the to-go cup next to her water glass, but she’d still take it.
“Um, I’m really sorry, but something came up,” she heard Merit say. “I can’t do this tonight…”
His low-pitched voice faded, and she glanced over her shoulder to see he’d stepped outside while pulling the door mostly closed behind him.
Mae stared for a moment, then gave herself a mental shake. Forget the man’s husky voice and the way it made her stomach flutter. Forget his tousled hair and sexy good looks. And most definitely forget how it felt to be caught against his hard chest, his skin all hot beneath her palm, the sweaty, manly scent of him surrounding her as he swept her up into his arms like a romance book hero. In that mind-muddling moment, she’d wanted to lock her arms around his neck and never let go.
But how stupid was that when there was another woman at his door right now. His date for the evening—or more likely a booty call.
She forced her feet to carry her across the room and yanked the door open to find a tall, pretty brunette plastered against Merit’s bare chest.
Booty call for the win.
He pushed the woman away to arms length as Mae stepped out onto the flagstones.
“Don’t mind me,” she quipped with a forced smile. “I was just leaving. He’s all yours.”
“Mae—wait.”
She didn’t stop. Didn’t even look back as she hurried to her red company truck.
After backing out of his driveway, she made it about three blocks away before she had to pull over to the side of the road so she could fill her lungs with an effective dose of oxygen.
She knew what kind of guy Merit was. She hadn’t expected anything different than what had just happened, so why was she so…
Disappointed. Hurt.
Stupid.
Slumped in her seat, she lamented over nearly passing out at his front door, then painstakingly went over their conversation. Resentment rose up when his accusation resounded in her head.
As if I’d plan something like this!
Jaw clenched tight, she pulled out her phone and texted Honor to ask if she could stop by for a bit. She needed her best friend now more than anything, and blew out a breath of relief at the return text—Of course. Come on over—that came back moment
s later.
She put the truck in drive, glad she’d planned ahead for her brother to keep Ian overnight and take him to summer school in the morning. She’d known it was going to be hard telling Merit, and this was going to be just as bad.
When Mae parked in the driveway a few minutes later, Honor stepped out onto her front porch. She had her red hair up in a messy ponytail, wore a black tank top and gray yoga capris, with bare feet. And she looked happier than ever, her smile bright with lingering newlywed bliss.
Delaying the inevitable, Mae glanced across the street as she joined her friend. “Has Asher decided if he’s selling or not?”
“He’s listing it next week. Neither of us felt like dealing with renters living that close. He checked with Loyal and Roxanna first, but they found a house with a little more land between here and their parents’ place.”
Place. The Diamonds lived on an estate complete with gates, mansion, pool, gardens, multiple garages, guest house, stables, and seemingly endless pastures.
She ran her gaze over the lot that went with Asher’s four bedroom ranch house. The front yard was twice the size of her hers, and the back was double, too. For a moment, she dreamed she and Ian and the baby could live there, but she knew she couldn’t risk stretching her budget too thin. The business was doing well, but not quite well enough for this neighborhood.
“Come on in,” Honor said, drawing her back around. “Where’s Scoob?”
“Zach and Bryce took him camping.” Her brothers were great about spending time with their nephew, and she was happy he had strong male figures to help make up for no father.
