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I chuckle. “The irony.”
Easton drives across the city, and thirty minutes later, he’s slowing in front of my apartment. I glance up at Carlee’s room, noticing the colorful shadows from the TV dancing against the wall. She’s still awake.
He parks and kills the engine.
I turn to him. “When I left Texas, I told myself I’d take more risks and try to live instead of coasting through life and wasting time. For years, when I was teaching high school kids, I wasn’t living. There was no adventure. I was a shell of a person who’d talked herself into believing fairy tales were possible with a man who was never capable of loving me. I don’t believe in fate or any of that, but something is going on beyond me or you. This feelsright, doesn’t it?”
Easton is patient; he listens and doesn’t interrupt me as I find my words. “Yes, I can’t deny that either.”
I glance up at Carlee’s room again and see the curtain move. I shake my head, knowing she’s probably spying. Hell, I’d do the same thing.
“You have to promise me something.”
“Anything.” His voice is gravelly and low, and as he studies me, my body buzzes under his gaze.
“Promise that we’ll get to know one other sooner rather than later. I don’t want to be strangers.”
The street light illuminates his sculpted face and I watch his mouth turn upward.
“I’d like that.”
16
EASTON
Birthday countdown: 36 days
Since meeting her: 10 days
Company takeover: 43 days
Afuck ton of messages wake me from a dead sleep. Most of my friends ask about Alexis, wanting more info about her. The selfish part of me wants to keepeverythingto myself.
I open my brother’s messages and read the last one he sent.
Weston
Last up, Lexi meeting our parents!
I push the thought away because I’m not ready for that yet.
I stand and stretch, looking out at the taillights from the cars traveling in the distance. The sun hasn’t risen, but the city is awake.
It’s barely past five. The start of a new day—a new life, I think as I grab my watch off the nightstand and slide it on my wrist.
I go downstairs to make a shot of espresso.
Yesterday was the last day of my living here alone until Lexi and I go our separate ways. Even though I enjoy being by myself, I won’t take her company for granted. It’s fucking lonely at the top.
As the beans grind and the espresso pours, I watch the sun rise over the horizon. The rays reflect against surrounding buildings, and the sky transforms from dark to light blue with wisps of clouds.
My phone buzzing on the counter pulls me away from my thoughts and I glance down to see a new text from my brother.
It’s screenshots of articles with photos of Lexi and me entering the party and waiting at the valet. We’re close, too close, and I remember the moment clearly. I wanted to kiss her. I still fucking want to.
Easton Calloway’s New Obsession.
Will Easton Calloway’s new fling get a ring?