paid me to go along with it. I shouldn’t have gotten sucked up in the emotional twister and carried far, far away from the Kansas of my boring little life.
“Tough call, honestly,” Brina says, curled up on the other end of the couch. “You heard him tell his brother he didn’t love you or anyone else, right? Did you talk to him about it?”
“Well...I may have locked them on the balcony, packed my stuff, and left with a lot of screaming when he touched me.” I look away with a quick shrug.
“So you!” Brina laughs again. “Uh, you trapped them on the balcony?”
“I figured I’d get out of the building with less drama if they were stuck. Didn’t work. He must have had a key on him. He managed to get back into the penthouse and raced down the hall in time to catch me before I got to the elevator.”
“What was his explanation?”
I curl my knees over my stomach and hug them, so I’m in a ball, deep in sad thought.
“He was honest. He made it crystal freaking clear he was done and insisted I keep his money. At least there’s that.”
“Seriously—get paid. But I’m confused, if he didn’t explain the crap he said earlier, then what was he honest about?”
“He just...he said he didn’t want things to end so messy and I should come back so we could finish the contract. I told him to go to hell and he said he’d pay me anyway.”
“Take. The. Money.” She claps her hands between words. “If you’re off the studio idea, go to Maui, find a hot pool boy, and send Wart lots of photos.”
“Wart,” I snort. “Like he needs more nicknames announcing how big of a dick he is? And you know me, I don’t go back on my word. I already told him I didn’t need his money and left.”
“Listen, Paige.” She fishes a water bottle out of her bag and takes a sip. “I’m a romance writer’s daughter. I always thought I was good at reading these things, but maybe I’ve been around Mom too long and see happy endings where there are just dead ends.”
“Like this one,” I say, rubbing another lump in my throat. It just doesn’t stop.
“It’s funny. At the charity thing that night, I had your bossman pegged for enchanted. Totally smitten with you. But apparently, I was wrong.” She sighs. “At least it’s over now. You never have to see his nasty heart-breaky face again.”
Oh, God, she’s...she’s right, isn’t she?
Never.
I burst into tears.
“Oh, Paige, I’m sorry! What did I say?” Brina flails her hands like something’s on fire—and that fiery mess is me.
“Nothing.” I wipe my eyes, but the tears won’t stop.
The thought of never seeing Ward again hollows me out. Mostly because it’s not even true.
I’ll see him every night when I close my eyes.
I’ll know I fell for his trap.
And yes, I’ll be distraught over every insufferable lie, every war of kisses, and every sexy memory.
What does that say about me?
Brina moves to the couch arm beside me, grabs me, and gives me a savage hug. “He’s not worth the tears. Mark my words, one day you’ll meet someone who makes you forget all about this jackass, and when you do, you’ll be glad things ended so you could find him.”
I look up, staring at her through red halos for eyes.
“What if I don’t believe in soulmates anymore?”
“Don’t do that! You can’t let him take that away from you.” She clucks her tongue. “God! I hope I end up at a flipping gala with Wardhole again and a whole bakery case. He’ll leave sterile if he doesn’t drown in pie-goo first.”
“Maggot might be upset if you murder him. I think they rub shoulders, don’t they?”
“Mag will shut up and post my bail. No woman deserves a man who values money over her.”
Right. Ward definitely did, even if the Winthrope deal was about dreams as much as it was dollar signs. Still, it should have been a wake-up call.
This was always a game, and I got played dirty.
I played with teal-blue fire, I flew too close to Orion, and I lost everything except these awful puns.
Shoot me.
26
Coming Clean (Ward)
Nick drives the rented Jeep through the Everglades, heading for Key Largo, blasting the most obnoxious heavy metal in the universe.
Yep. It’s a goddamned breakup song.
“I’m still confused about one thing, bro. Why would a girl who hates your guts want to help us?”
Good question. The material Paige sent from that security firm