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I groan. “Why did you even respond at all?”
She keeps her gaze fixed on her fry as she swirls it around a puddle of ketchup. “I probably shouldn’t have, but I wanted to give him the benefit of the doubt.”
“What did he say?”
She’s silent for a while. “He told me he heard that I’m dating Brandon,” she says, “and that he’s happy for me.”
I snort. “We know that’s bullshit.”
“Yes,” she says softly.
“Be careful, Sofi. Texting your ex can be…dangerous.”
She scowls, tossing the ketchup-soaked fry onto her plate. “How dare you even insinuate something like that? I’d never do to Finn’s wife what he did to me.”
I let out a groan. “I didn’t mean it like that. I’m just saying be careful.”
She raises her chin. “Even if I was that kind of woman, he has nothing to offer me. I’m dating Pastor Brandon. There’s not a single Christian woman in Santa Barbara who would take Finn over Pastor Brandon.”
I clench my teeth, using all my willpower to keep ugly words from spilling off my tongue.
Brandon is just a prize to you. You don’t actually care about him.
Not the way I’m starting to…
Or already do.
Fuck. I think I’ve fallen for him.
ChapterFourteen
Mariana
I halt my typing to reach out and grab my bagel from the Styrofoam plate, placing my fingers carefully to avoid getting cream cheese on them. I can’t stand it when my keyboard gets greasy spots on it. Just as I take a big bite, Brandon appears in my doorway.
Perfect. Now I have an excuse to be short with him since my mouth is full.
I’ve been giving him one-word answers all day, and he’s noticed. I’m annoyed with myself for being passive aggressive, but I can’t help it.
I hate that he’s courting Sofia—a woman who doesn’t really interest him—when he won’t even consider me. Is it really because I’m fourteen years younger or is it something else?
Maybe it’s because I’m an atheist.
Maybe he doesn’t really think I’m worthy “all on my own” or whatever lip service he gave me that day at his house.
“What are you working on?” he asks.
I lift a finger in the air and purposely chew my food slowly. God, why am I so childish? When I finally swallow, I take a big sip of my coffee. “I’m writing the CEO of Beach Burger to see if we can hold the baptism on their private beach.”
He seems to perk up at that. “What a great idea.”
“I know his grandson. He’ll definitely say yes.”
I turn back to my computer, but he lingers in the doorway.
I wish I didn’t enjoy it. I wish I weren’t so petty that I made my silent treatment even worse when I saw how much it affected him.
“When you’re done with that…” In my periphery, I see him scratch the back of his head. “Do you think— Can you come to my office and help me with something?”
