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Brody turns to me. “Easton, I was gone for thirty minutes. What the fuck happened?”
“Ialmostfound my conscience,” I say.
Her green eyes already haunt me.
“Damn,” he says with a laugh. “Now, that would’ve been a miracle.”
I return upstairs to grab my suit jacket, wanting to erase Alexis Matthews from my mind. The sooner I can forget those pouty lips and how loose strands of dark hair fell around her face as she looked up at me, the better.
Today, I met the woman I’d eat a poisoned apple for. Thank fuck I won’teverhave to see her again.
3
LEXI
With my heart trying to escape my chest, I rush to the laundry facility to search for Carlee. As soon as I spot her, I drag her toward the storage lockers so we can have more privacy. Adrenaline bursts through me, and my knees are shaking. Me being flustered is the first indicator that things didn’t go as planned.
“What happened?” She searches my face.
I might be sick as I breathe in. I lock my fingers together and raise them over my head, hoping to calm down.
“Blow in my face,” I tell her, flapping my hands to cool off my hot cheeks. I might combust.
You know how I know Carlee is one of my besties? She doesn’t even hesitate and blows her cinnamon breath in my face. I close my eyes tight.
When I get too overwhelmed, it’s weirdly the only thing that helps.
“You were right.” I wish I could go back in time and do things differently. “I should’ve reported it to Mr. Martin. Ugh. I’m so mad at myself. And my entire body is on fire!”
“Let me guess. Your timing was shit, like always, and he caught you?”
“Yes,” I whine, remembering how I crashed into him because I wasn’t paying attention. I was too focused on the plan, the same plan that went to Hell in a handbasket as soon as our eyes locked. “He had the audacity to accuse me of stealing. I’ve never stolen anything in my life. Never had the temptation, want, or need!”
“You, a thief?” Her head falls back on her shoulders, and she laughs. “Did he yell? He seems like he’d throw tantrums. Little nepo baby.”
“He didn’t raise his voice once. He was eerily calm and somehow, that was worse.” I hesitate. “It felt like the entire world was collapsing around me when he saw his watch in my hand. I swear he damned me to Hell, Carlee. I’m so fired.”
She continues giggling and blowing on my face. “You’re being dramatic.”
“It’s not funny,” I cry out as I have an existential crisis.
Mortification takes me under. I grab my hot cheeks. I’ve never experienced embarrassment quite like this.
I won’t survive this.
I won’t survivehim.
Knowing a man like him exists …
“I’m sorry for laughing,” she says, squeezing my shoulder. “What else happened?”
“I could barely speak. And you know thatneverhappens. I said hitwice. Twice!” I mock myself. “Hi.He says hello in his deep, booming voice. Then, I stupidly saidhi—again. And now, he probably thinks I’m anidiot.”
She searches my face and smirks. “You act like you fell in love with him. I mean,fuck, I would. Plus, he’s single.”
“At first sight? Impossible.” I wave her off, imagining his naked body and tattoos, not wanting to forget how damngood he smelled after that shower. Mahogany and mint mixed together. “I’m anti-love. It’s not even an option.”
“They say you fall hard when you least expect it,” she singsongs.