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Paul kissed me too, but the way Landon gazed at her was like she was the only woman around.He’s in love with her.If that didn’t get to me, Sophie met Landon when I met Paul. However, he’d never introduced me to his family, friends, or home. I only met Jonas and Lily by accident. If anything, it proved I needed to guard my heart. I couldn’t see Paul changing.
“Don’t you look lovely,” Laurence called to me, holding the spa door open for me to leave.
“Thank you.” I beat him to opening the Mercedes door and sat down. We fell into a discussion about his family. Though inside, I was jumpy.What if forcing my way over before Paul’s ready pushes him away? What would happen to our arrangement when it wasn’t enough for me, and I wanted to date him?
We were caught in traffic. After checking social media, I decided to look at Thunder Media. Right on the front page was a headline and video of Paul.
“Guess who’s still on the market, ladies?”
My pulse sped up as I played the video clip. Paul was sitting on a piano bench in a studio that I recognized.California.A pretty redhead reporter was seated on a chair next to him with a microphone in hand.
“So, tell us the truth, Paul. Are you off the dating market? We’ve seen you with a girlfriend recently—”
“No. Nadia’s not my girlfriend,” he said. “She’s a friend.”
“Does that mean you’re still on the market?”
Paul gave one of his devastating smiles. “Well, I’m not dating anyone. Yet.”
The reporter beamed at the camera. “You heard it here first, ladies. He’s still available.”
My heart shattered. Again.How many more times would it take for me to understand this?I was absolutely nothing but short-term and meant little to him. Paul said I wasn’t any morethan a friend without any hesitation. He told the world he was still looking for someone.He’s looking for someone better.
“Nadia, we’re here,” Laurence announced.
I’d expected he’d stayed on the Upper West Side but was surprised when Laurence drove to an underground parking lot at a warehouse in Tribeca. The elevator ride up to the apartment was much shorter than the Hudson. It led off to a corridor and into an empty, open-plan living space.
The renovated factory loft had huge encasement windows and a curved spiral staircase that reminded me of the Guggenheim. There was a couch and no other furnishings. Even the piano was wrapped for transport.
Why would he bring me here if it’s empty?
Inside, I heard voices ahead of us.
“Paul, come on. You’ve gutted your home, and you’re traveling again. Don’t you find that odd?”
“I’m making changes and relaxing.”
“On a new yacht?”
“My choice.”
An elegant older blonde with a blunt bobbed hairstyle and a black power suit and scarf stood in front of Paul, who was dressed in vacation garb. He had on a tan linen suit and a pastel shirt with a suitcase next to his feet. His expression was pinched like he wanted to be anywhere but here. When he saw me, he held out his hand for me to take, which I reluctantly did in front of the woman flicking her eyes over me.
“You must be Nadia. I’m Paul’s mom, Dani.” She held out her hand, and I clasped it, my eyes shifting between her and Paul.
“Did you enjoy Paris?” she asked in a polite tone.
“Yes, thank you, Mrs. Crane. Dani.”
Dani’s mouth twisted into a scowl. “Can I speak with you frankly, Nadia—”
“Leave her alone, Mom—”
“The man you’re with is not Paul Crane. He’s grieving and going through an early midlife crisis. I’m asking you to leave and let him work through his grief alone. Aubrey would be devastated—”
“Now that’s a line you’re not allowed to cross,” Paul snapped at her. “You never knew Aubrey, Mom. You only met the person she tried to be to please you. You see, Nadia, I couldn’t convince Aubrey that she didn’t owe us anything. She listened to my mom’s advice about everything: how to behave, how to love, how to fucking exist. So she’s unhappy she has no more power.”
“Living inarrangementswith this womanlike your dad did? I can’t believe you’d do something sodisgusting. Please stop this now—”
