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I longed to throw myself into his big arms; for us to be reunited. It took every ounce of willpower I had to stay where I was. “Hi, Cole. You look nice.”
He nodded but didn’t return the compliment. Instead, he asked stiffly, “Are you ready to go?”
“Uh, sure. Let me get my bag.” I couldn’t help feeling crestfallen that he hadn’t said anything about how I looked. But then again, Ihadrun out on him. Maybe he hated me so much that he didn’t think I was pretty anymore.
Another awkward silence enshrouded us as we rode the elevator to the lobby. From the first moment we’d met, Cole and I had been physical. Leaning on each other, holding hands, kissing—affection had always been easy. It had flowed freely. So it was torture to be beside him but not touch him. His Cole-ness surrounded me in the close proximity of the elevator. I inhaled his familiar scent, which made unwelcome tears spring to my eyes.
He didn’t look at me. He stared straight ahead. He kept his hands in his pockets.
I felt like I might die.
When the elevator doors opened, I turned to him. “Cole.”
He eyed me warily, the muscle in his jaw bulging. “Yes?”
“Why do you want to go to dinner, huh?” My voice was husky—I was already on the verge of tears.
His gaze skipped over me but didn’t linger. “Because I’m hungry,” he said as he strode out of the elevator.
I stood there, reeling, as if he’d slapped me. Instead of feeling sexy and hot, I was sad and cold in my little white dress. Ishivered. My two-thousand-dollar shoes sparkled for no reason, mocking me. I felt like maybe I was invisible.
Or that I was already dead, and this was hell.
But I was his hired girlfriend, and Cole had paid dearly for me.
So I followed him, feelings be damned.
COLE
Shirley had donewhat I asked. She’d picked out the sexiest dress atSaksfor Jenny. It was tiny and white, showing off her gorgeous skin and curves.
I fucking hated that dress.
I hated it, and I hated the sparkly shoes that made Jenny’s long, toned legs appear even longer and more toned. She was so pretty that I refused to look at her.
“Cole. Why do you wanna go to dinner, huh?”She’d had the audacity to sound hurt.
I’d told her the truth—we were going to dinner because I was hungry. But that wasn’t the whole truth, and I knew it. We were going to dinner because I wanted to torture her.
Misery loves company.
I’d thought about it all afternoon while I’d tried to work. No one had ever hurt me like Jenny had. I felt like I wasmourning our relationship, but she was standing beside me.
I’d let my guard down with Jenny.
I’d let myself get close to her.
And now, I was paying for it.
I’d lost our easy camaraderie and my best friend. I felt like Jenny had pulled the rug out from underneath me, and I was fucking pissed about it. And now I was taking it out on her.
Amari greeted us in the lobby. He took one look at our body language and kept it short and sweet. “Your car’s out front. The driver’s ready to go. Have…” Amari hesitated as if he didn’t know what to say. “A nice dinner,” he finished lamely.
I grunted in response. Jenny nodded.
He awkwardly held the door open for us, and we awkwardly walked through.
After we climbed into the back of the Escalade, Jenny’s coconut-y scent engulfed me. I ignored it. I ignored the fact that she was shivering beside me. I didn’t ask the driver to turn the air conditioning down; I didn’t say a fucking word.