“Do you write under a pen name?”
“No. I use my name—Derek Hamilton.”
Carl’s face lit up because he recognized my name, just not my face. “Holy shit, I know exactly who you are. I always hear your name on the news and stuff.”
“So, what’s going with your new rocket?” Brett asked. “Launching that soon?”
“It’s almost finished,” I said. “We’ll do a test launch once we’re ready and the weather conditions are good. If everything checks out, we’ll hand everything over to NASA so they can utilize it.”
“Wow, that’s awesome,” Carl said. “So, you’re a billionaire? How much money do you have in your wallet right now? Do you own, like, a place in the Hamptons and have your own private jet—”
“Carl, come on,” Kevin interrupted without lifting his gaze. “Don’t ask him that.”
I hated to be asked about money. It always made me uncomfortable, how obsessed people became about my wealth, when they would never ask anyone else about money. Kevin seemed to know how I felt about it because he knew exactly how my father felt about it—from spending so much time with us over the years. But I refused to appreciate the interference because I didn’t need an asshole to defend me. If he really wanted to be there for me, he could have just not slept with my fiancée.
The subject changed, and we talked about something else.
Ryan called Carl over for something, and then Brett stepped outside to take a phone call.
So, I was stuck with Kevin.
The two of us just sitting there, pretending the other didn’t exist.
I pulled out my phone and scrolled through it, behaving like he wasn’t sitting on the other couch, going through my email and things that required my attention. I’d rather spend my time doing that than acknowledging his existence.
“I’m excited for your new book on Tuesday.”
My eyes stilled on the screen, and my annoyance immediately piqued.
“I’ve read the first three a couple times. They’re really good.”
I stayed silent in the hope that he would shut up.
“I’m not just saying that—”
“Do I look like I care?” I shouldn’t give in to the bait, but I was really sick of hearing his goddamn voice. It sounded exactly the way I remembered, the way he sounded on the boat when we fished together over the summer. I let him into my world completely, and he decided to honor that time together by shoving his dick into my fiancée’s cunt. I lifted my gaze and looked at him.
He stared across the room.
“Look at my face.”
He sighed before he turned to me.
I pointed at my expression. “You’re a smart guy, Kevin. I’m sure you’ll be able to figure this out. Does it look like I care?”
He turned away.
“Answer me, asshole.” I kept my voice low so no one would hear our exchange.
He clenched his jaw before he spoke. “No.”
“Good job.” I relaxed back into the chair and returned to scrolling through my phone.
Kevin didn’t make the mistake of trying to talk to me again.
I was supposed to have dinner with Emerson and Lizzie, but I was too pissed to be in the mood for that. I texted her. I need to reschedule. I’ll see you on Monday. I shouldn’t let Kevin affect me this deeply, let him ruin my entire day, but that was difficult when I continued to play back the shitshow in my head.
She texted me back. No.
I stared at the message, not understanding the response.
You’re coming over here like we planned.
I’m really not in the mood.
I don’t care because you will be when you walk in the door. Don’t let a bad experience affect a good experience. I’m sorry that it’s so difficult for you every time you have to see him, but we’re your happy place. We’re your home. So, get your ass up and come over here. Otherwise, we’ll come to you.
I read her message a couple times, and when I heard her authoritative voice in my head, it made me smile. It was bossy and domineering…sexy. I liked that she pushed me when I didn’t want to be pushed, when she said she right thing to take me out of my head. I’m coming.
You bet your ass, you are. You’re gonna have dinner with us, watch a movie, and then make love to me before bed and again first thing in the morning. Because I love you with all my heart, and you love me with all your heart, and we should be together—not apart.
I sat at the table and