her slice of bread with a pout before going to the pantry again. “That’s what the bread was for.” She pulled down a box of crackers. She stuffed two in her mouth and spoke around the crumbs. “I feel much better now, thanks, MOM. Now, will you please tell me who, what, and where?”
“I would like to keep this private.”
Margie rolled her eyes. “You’re no fun. I just want to make sure he treated you all right.”
“He was a perfect gentleman.”
“So, when you seeing him again?”
“I’m not.”
Her best friend’s jaw dropped so low, she could see the half-chewed cracker in her mouth. It was gross, but a true testament to how shocking Chantal’s words had been. “But—but you said he was nice.”
“Yes, but he didn’t want me. He wanted Chacha, the glamorous woman who gets invited to fancy parties. Not—” Chantal pointed down at herself.
Margie took a cracker from the box and threw it at her. “Boo. You suck. You’re gorgeous and fun. So, you’re a little shy. I’m a little addicted to sex. We all have our things, but eventually, we all meet the person that fits our things. You know?”
“As noneloquent as that was, yes. I know what you mean. I just don’t think Rush was it for me.” She added a shrug, trying to ease the sting of the words. “What about you? What happened to Kristoff and Oleg?”
Margie rolled her eyes. “I was hoping for a Margie sandwich between those two delectable men, but something else happened. I met a guy. Like—” She shook her head, a smile sliding onto her lips. “Like I mean, I met a guy. It could actually be something. He’s sweet and funny, and he hasn’t stopped texting me since I left his room this morning.”
“Oh, wow. That’s great. Dish it out!”
Margie twirled a strand of her hair around her fingers. “His name is Marlon, and he is this dapper gentleman. He is a dreamer, like me, you know? We understood each other in a very specific way. I’ve never felt anything like that.”
Chantal swallowed hard. She knew exactly what Margie was describing. Hopefully, it actually would work out for her best friend, because one thing was for damn sure.
She would never see Rush again.
Chapter Nine
Rush
Something was heating his face in an uncomfortable way. Rush threw his hand over his eyes, feeling his warmed forehead. As he moved, the scent of Chacha filled his nostrils, making his mouth water. He turned in the bed to throw an arm over her waist.
But she wasn’t there.
Rush jumped out of bed, naked as the day he was born. “Chacha?” he asked the empty room, already knowing she was nowhere to be found. He made his way to the small table by the door, hoping she had, at the very least, left him a note.
Nothing.
Chacha hadn’t left him her number or her real name. She had snuck out of their room like a thief in the night. How had he not heard her moving around? Damn it, what was wolf hearing good for if it didn’t stop his mate from creeping out of the hotel room?
Rush quickly slipped on a pair of jeans and a tee. He needed out of the hotel room. Every single molecule of the air smelled like Chacha, and it was driving him to madness.
You let her get away, his wolf accused. How could you let her get away from us? I told you we should have mated her last night.
That would have been a horrible idea. Rush couldn’t go around biting mysterious women, even if said woman was his mate. When he did take that step, he wanted Chacha under him, begging him to make her his forever. He wanted to know her real name as he came deep inside her, bonding them for life.
Yeah? Well, how the fuck can we do that now, his wolf growled ferociously.
Rush ignore the animal as he headed to the next room over. He pounded against the door until Marlon opened the door in a fresh suit, looking as dapper as he always did.
“Good morning, big brother. You look like hell. Didn’t you have a good night with that tasty looking woman you brought up to your room?”
“She left. I need to find her.”
Marlon laughed, throwing his head back dramatically. “Oh, this is fantastic.”
“Not hardly. She is my mate, and now she is gone. All I have is a strange nickname.”
His brother’s smile died immediately. “You’re telling me that after all this time, you