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She laughs first, but when I don’t laugh, she asks, "Seriously?”
“Seriously. They’re good for these things.”
“Amazing. I knew Greg had found a gem with you. I wanted to steal you then but I didn’t think you would want to move to us since we’re kind of a smaller company." She eyes me. “You wouldn’t happen to have found another company to work at, would you?”
“Yeah, I have.” I think about Maddox and the blonde again. My next words are filled with heat. “I work with Reign Real Estate now.”
She whistles. “That’s big." She scans my face and then reaches into her side pocket. "Hey, here’s my card. If you ever get tired of rolling with the big dogs and want to join the growth of a smaller company, give me a call. We're women-led and super warm work environment."
I smile at the woman. “I'll consider it."
"Awesome." She smiles back. “Anyway, let’s get back out there, I have a group of people who would love to meet you.”
As we exit the lobby back toward the beach, I immediately spot Maddox. He's now sitting with another elderly man and the blonde. She’s hanging onto his arm and his smile is wide for all to see like he’s enjoying this.
This time, my anger is warranted.
Because if for nothing else, he’s supposed to be my fake boyfriend, for crying out loud. And here he is, canoodling with another woman.
Doesn’t he know how that makes us look?
Enough, I say to myself.No more thinking about him. You’re not a little girl anymore. You’re a woman, here to work.
Just when I reach that resolve, Maddox looks over. Something dark passes over his face, and he gestures me over but I ignore him. I turn instead and walk away with Diana.
“So, this company,” I say. "Tell me more about it."
Chapter Twenty-Two
Maddox
Iglancetowardthebathroom door for what is probably the thousandth time.
“Your girlfriend is taking a really long time, isn’t she?” Nina leans in to ask. I ignore her even though it’s true. Ava disappeared into that damn bathroom about five minutes ago and she hasn’t come out since, leaving me no option but to go back and keep Nina and her dad company.
As much as I enjoy business, I don't want to be with them. I want to be with Ava.
I want to be comforting her, wiping her tears, promising her anything so she never has to cry again.
But I’m the one making her cry in the first place.
I knew I would do it eventually. I didn’t anticipate just how much it would affect me to hurt her, though. After seeing her cry for me, I feel like a lowlife, the lowest form of humanity. If I could kick my own ass, I would.
But above all, I need to see her again to make sure she’s okay.
Damn it, what’s going on in that damn bathroom that has her so enraptured?
My foot taps impatiently but I can’t exactly excuse myself, not with Nina’s father sitting right there, his eyes on his precious daughter. I can’t drag myself away so soon. But Ava can. They would understand my girlfriend pulling me away.
Instead of hiding out in the bathroom like a coward.
Who’s the coward?My conscience mocks bringing back the memory of piercing disgust on Ava’s face as she uttered those words to me.
“You’re a coward.”
I can’t deny that her words struck me hard, mostly because she’s not wrong.
I’m scared.
