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“Did you think I wouldn’t approve?” All this time, I thought he was being a beach bum and living off his inheritance. Clearly, we don’t talk enough, or he doesn’t trust me enough.
“It’s new, a month out since everything launched. I didn’t want to say anything in case it was a fluke.” Justin gets up and moves toward the couch.
“Tell me everything.” The clock on the television tells me it’s only ten o’clock in the morning. There goes my great idea to start drinking. It’s a bit too early for that.
“Well, an idea formed. I watched a commercial, one of those swipe left for a match type of situation. It came to me. Think of all the time one of your football players needs a date or another celebrity needs someone to accompany them in order to keep the wolves at bay. I knew I could make it work for the wealthy, but I also wanted to cater to people who could afford it. Noelle’s email came across my desk. She’s pretty and gave all the right answers, so I knew she’d be right for you, and I got the ball rolling.” I close my eyes, pinch the bridge of my nose, and hold back on decking my brother again until his lights go out. It’s fucking genius. My brother, who’s a pain in the ass and spends most of his time sitting on the beach, came up with a business plan and implemented it.
“I’m fucking proud of you, but it’s stupid you had to use me and Noelle as a guinea pig. I came flying over here, treated her like shit, and now I’m going to leave because you found a woman I didn’t think I’d ever need or want. But if you meddle in my damn life ever again, brother or not, I’ll hand you your ass and you’ll never see me again.” I stand up and run my fingers through my hair. I’ve said what I’ve had to say. Now I need to get back to Noelle. She may not even want anything to do with me after the way I behaved. No woman should be walked out on, let alone be shouted at, no matter what the situation.
“Understood. For what it’s worth, I hope you and Noelle hit off.” Justin stands, too. His jaw is already turning an interesting shade of blue and purple. I kind of wish I’d hit him one more time.
“We did. I just pray I can fix this fuckup.” He nods. I return the sentiment, and then I’m heading out the door. The clothes on my body are from last night. I should change since my house is just down the street. I don’t, though. It’s the furthest thing from my mind. My only thought is getting back to Noelle, and I’m going to do exactly that.
Chapter 14
Noelle
I took the world’s longest and hottest shower, wasting not only water but also a good portion of my day. There are times when a girl needs to sit on her ass, let the hot water rain down on her body to wash away the tears. I did exactly that until I couldn’t anymore. I washed my face, ridding myself of last night’s makeup, then scrubbed and conditioned my hair. There were a lot of knots from a certain man who had no problem holding my head a certain way when I was sucking his dick. Then there was my body. Try as I might, there was no washing the lingering touches from Easton’s hands off me. The water started running cool, so I stepped out of the shower, wrapped a towel around my hair, and did the same with my body. I avert my eyes from the bed, my gaze landing on the floor, and I’m confronted with what I knew the second I walked away from Easton with my phone.
His clothes are gone.
He’s gone.
The only thing I’m left with are the memories, the sheets, and the scent of our time together. My feet move me in the direction of my closet. I’m not processing shit right now. Nope, I’m going to bury my head in the sand and do what any woman does best, go for comfort. I drop the towel and grab my big fluffy robe off the hook, uncaring that the temperature is still in the seventies. I need the comfort and something to warm up my freezing insides.
I walk out of my bedroom. The trail of clothes down the hallway doesn’t help matters either. It seems last night and this morning are trying to fuck with me some more. How wonderful. I lift my chin. Ignorance is bliss, and I’m going to do my best to ignore the things I have no control over right now. In a perfect world, Easton and I would have talked things out. Figured where it all went wrong, I also wouldn’t have run into the bathroom like a dog with its tail tucked between its legs. Clearly, we both made mistakes, me more than him. I can list all the things I did wrong, starting with hiring a fake date, sleeping with said date, and then not sticking around to see this whole fiasco through. No wonder Easton left while I was in the shower. I’d have left me, too.
