Just One Scandal (The Kingston Family #2) -Carly Phillips Page 0,46
out of the way, he focused on the present and proceeded to wake Chloe by going down on her, something he thoroughly enjoyed doing.
To her.
And followed that up with a slower sex session than last night. Now she lay beside him in his bed. They planned to get up soon, but he was content right where he was. She’d pulled her phone from her purse and was scrolling through while he did the same, making sure no work emergencies had cropped up.
She groaned and he turned his head toward her. “What’s wrong?”
A frown etched her face. “This.” She shifted the screen of her cell toward him, revealing a photo of her ex-fiancé smiling beside a brown-haired woman with her arms around him, pressing a kiss to his cheek.
“And this.” She took the phone back, swiped, and showed him a different picture of them standing hand in hand, looking into each other’s eyes. “Rude,” she muttered.
“Agreed.” Owen’s new woman looked like she could use a good meal, and Chloe’s ex had no shame. He’d just been a no-show at his own wedding, stood up a woman he’d supposedly cared about, and was now out and about like he’d done nothing wrong. “Why don’t you unfollow him and save yourself the aggravation?”
She lifted her shoulder in a dainty shrug. “I asked myself that the other day. Call it morbid curiosity. Like when you pass a crash and can’t help looking?”
He chuckled, taking her phone and doing the unfollow for her. “There. He’s gone where he should be. Out of sight, out of mind,” he said, handing back her cell. He didn’t want her to have to look at that asshole ever again.
She treated him to a smile. “Thank you. Considering I have to spend a day at my mom’s, writing notes to people who came and brought gifts, and to those who sent engagement presents, so we can send them all back, seeing Owen carefree just pisses me off.” Her mother had even offered to handle getting the ring back to Owen and for that Chloe was grateful.
“And I don’t blame you, but you need to focus on the fact that you’re moving forward and doing things you wouldn’t have tried if you were still with him. Then you can remind yourself you dodged a bullet.”
Because the vibrant woman inside her had nothing in common with the boring tax attorney who wouldn’t have supported her dreams. “Thanks to him, you’re becoming who you were meant to be.” And she was accomplishing it in record time.
She leaned over and pressed a kiss on his cheek.
“What was that for?” he asked, taken off guard.
“For being sweet. And supportive.”
The last thing he thought of himself as was sweet. Supportive? He supposed. Still, he wasn’t sure how to reply, but his phone rang, saving him from getting into an emotional discussion.
He picked his cell up from where it lay on the bed and saw his mother was calling. He swiped and answered. “Hi, Mom.”
“Hi, honey.”
“Is everything okay?”
Beside him, Chloe slid out of bed, walked to the dresser, and began to pull on his shirt.
“Hang on, Mom.” He glanced at Chloe. “Where are you going?”
She met his gaze. “I’m going to give you some privacy and go get showered and dressed for the day.”
He nodded and returned to his call. “Sorry. What’s going on? Is Dad okay?”
“Your father’s fine. Stop worrying. Is that the woman Tripp told me is staying with you?” his mom asked.
Beck leaned back against the pillow and winced. His brothers were like gossipy women sometimes. “Yes. I’m helping her out during a rough time.”
“That’s so sweet. I was calling to make sure you were coming for dinner tonight. Your brothers are going to a Yankees game and won’t make it.”
“Yeah. They asked me for tickets.” They knew he had connections with people in the front office. They’d invited him but he wasn’t in the mood to sit at a game. “Of course I’ll be there.” He wouldn’t miss spending as much time with his parents as he could.
“Wonderful. Bring your girl friend.” She separated the words, but he shook his head at the implication anyway.
He swallowed a groan. “Mom, I don’t think–”
“Oh, come on. If she’s going through a rough patch, I’m sure she would enjoy getting out of your loft, nice as it is. And having company means you won’t be all gloom and doom. I’m determined to remain hopeful about your father, and I insist you do as well.”