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Maybe not, but it would hurt her.
I haven’t sought out a relationship in the past few years because I have nothing to offer a woman beyond a good dinner and great sex.
“Change the subject,” I tell her as I grab a pot to heat on the stove. “I’ll make the popcorn, you’ll eat it, and then I’m heading to bed.”
She giggles. “To not dream about the woman in the red dress?”
That’s the plan.
CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
Harrison
With annoyance tugging at me, I run through the contact list on my phone.
Ava Wells didn’t key her number in here.
I’ve checked under my contacts that begin with A and those with W.
My idea to meet up today to give her the freshly cleaned dress has hit a snag.
Despite my best attempt not to dream about the sweet little blonde, I spent all night tossing and turning, thinking about her. I attribute that to the fact that I did what I thought would be a quick online search for information about her last night before I went to bed.
That took me down the rabbit hole of her social media. Nothing I found there was surprising, including images of her with what I assume are men she’s dated.
I toss my phone on my bed to finish getting dressed.
I enter my walk-in closet and choose a suit, a shirt, and a tie. All are shades of gray. It’s a muted look, but it will do the job.
I have a busy day ahead of me, and regardless of which suit I put on, the responsibilities I carry on my shoulders are the same.
A chime from my phone sends me back into my bedroom as I thread a black leather belt through the loops on my pants.
My hand fumbles as I try to reach behind me, a curse word or ten falls from my lips as I yank the belt free and toss it on the bed.
Reaching for the phone, I sigh.
I’d prefer if all hell didn’t break loose until I had at least an hour to put out the fires that are always there to greet me when I arrive at the offices of Food Harmony.
Any new business venture requires care and attention, but this one has sucked the life out of me.
I’ve bought and sold several enterprises since my twenty-fifth birthday, but this is the first that I’m fully committed to. I want this to be Joslyn’s legacy.
I scoop up my phone and then realize I need my goddamn reading glasses, so I seek them out on the nightstand next to my laptop.
After sliding them on, I drop my gaze to my phone and read the message that awaits.
London: Good morning! Do you have time to meet up today for the clothing exchange?
I laugh out loud.
Naturally, Ava entered that name into my phone’s contact list.
It’s fitting and charming in a way that suits her.
I type out a response.
Harrison: Name the time and place.
Her response appears on my phone’s screen almost instantly.
London: I’m heading out for some errands in a bit. Can you swing by Palla on Fifth in an hour?
I have a meeting then, but that can wait. A trip to the café I often frequent seems like a much better use of my time.
Harrison: I’ll be there. See you soon, London.
As she types out her response, I watch the three dots bounce on the screen.
London: Soon, Harry! I’ll grab you a coffee if I get there first. How do you take it?
My response is quick and straightforward.
Harrison: Just like you do.
Smiling, I drop my phone back on the bed before I head back to my closet. A face-to-face with Ava requires a new approach when it comes to my wardrobe.
Switching out my gray shirt and tie for something blue and vibrant may be a waste of time, but there’s nothing wrong with leaving a lasting impression on a woman, even one you can never touch.
I wish to fuck I never would have met Sean Wells.
If we weren’t friends, I could take the beautiful blonde in the ripped jeans and red blouse to bed.
I stare at Ava as she takes a seat at a table in the corner of Palla on Fifth. A guy in a suit is five feet away from her with his gaze pinned on her.
I know what he’s up to because I’ve taken that approach myself.
What’s more innocent than asking a beautiful woman if she’ll share her table in a crowded coffee shop? That leads to small talk, then an exchange of numbers, and if fate plays her cards right, a one-night stand twelve hours later that satiates the real thirst.
Since there are two cups of coffee on the table in front of Ava, I head toward her, not caring that the shopping bag in my hand swats an older man in the leg.
He doesn’t curse me out, so I toss him a smile over my shoulder.
