AllFreeNovel
Share Us
On the drive back to the retreat, Keaton was at the wheel. He’d only had a small glass of wine, and the espresso he’d drunk with dessert made him feel like a spring wound tight. It was probably a bad idea, given sharing a bed with August was already making it tough to sleep. But at least he was feeling wide-awake and super alert for the drive back in the dark.
They’d spent the first leg of the journey chatting about her friendship with Scout and Isla, who seemed like fun and interesting women. August made friends so easily.
Add that to a list of skills I definitely do not have.
Keaton was more of a closed-circle kinda guy. He loved his family fiercely, but that left little room for anyone else. Usually that didn’t bother him, but when he saw how easily August attracted people to her genuine and warm personality, it made him wonder if something in him was missing.
Just outside the turnoff for the retreat, he realized that she’d been skirting the topic they were supposed to be talking about.
“So,” he said. “Tell me why your attention has been MIA tonight.”
For a few heartbeats, she said nothing, then, “Remember how you told me that Asher was a bad guy and to stay away from him...and how I didn’t listen?”
“Yeah.” He glanced over to her, but it was hard to see anything. The road leading into the retreat was dark and he had to concentrate on making sure he wasn’t veering off the edge. “What about it?”
“Turns out you were right.” Her voice was tight.
“What did he do?” Keaton felt his lip curl back as if he were about to snarl. But he held himself in check. The last thing he wanted was August clamming up. “He didn’t hurt you, did he? Because I swear to God—”
“No, nothing like that.” She shook her head. “We only got as far as a kiss and I wanted it.”
Hearing her say those words made his stomach twist.
“But earlier today I got a call from the matchmaking agency and...”
He waited a few breaths before asking, “And?”
“Apparently Asher is registered with several different agencies.”
He wasn’t quite sure if that was a bad thing, or if there was more to come, but he kept his eyes on the road and his mouth shut.
“That means he’s been matched with different women at each place and has been going on dates with a few people at once.” She blew out a breath. “Which I guess isn’tsobad, even though it technically breaks the contract with the matchmaking agency. But I mean, who’s to say there aren’t some clients also using Tinder or an equivalent dating app at the same time? Going on a date by itself doesn’t mean exclusivity. We never even got to that point in our conversations, so it wasn’t like he was breaking a promise.”
“Right.” The sucker punch was coming; he could feel in the tone of her voice how she was dancing around it.
“Apparently he sold the idea of a DIYThe Bachelorexperience toNew York Magazine. At least, I think they know about it. Maybe he was going to write it first and then pitch it... I can’t remember exactly what she said.” August was picking up pace, the words tumbling out quicker and quicker. “And if I’m one of the people he matched with, then he might try to put me in the article! I can’t have that. It could damage my business, especially since many of my clients are particular about their security. At the very least it will make me look gullible and—”
“August, breathe.”
She drew in a shaky breath. “I believed him.”
Good lord how he wanted to turn this car around right now and drive back to New York so he could find Asher Benson and make his face unpresentable for television. That privileged asshole never thought about anyone but himself.
But that wouldn’t help the situation.
“He’s a good liar,” Keaton said, keeping his voice even. “Don’t beat yourself up.”
“I should know that already, though. Youtoldme and I didn’t listen.”
Silence settled over the car as they continued along the winding road, black shadows moving outside the car as moonlight filtered down. Ahead of them, the headlights bounced on the road, catching on the vehicle in front of them.
“Say it,” August said, her voice heavy.
“What?”
“I told you so.”
“There’s no satisfaction in saying that,” he said, shaking his head. “I wish I wasn’t right.”
