Page 138 of Soul Mates: Hercules Valentine and I

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Part Three

Chapter Forty-Seven

A Happy Accident

Paisley Grove

3 Months Later

Hoboken’s skyscrapers loom over the Hudson River. I chose to run the Greenway path this morning. Finally, I’ve hit my stride. I didn’t take long to focus on my breaths and steps and not on my projects or my friends. I don’t think about Hercules Valentine that much anymore either. Rumor has it he’s moved on.

The other day, Lake messaged me an article fromTop Rag Mag, which reported on the engagement between Hercules Valentine and Rain Mueller. Since the publication is of the gossipy sort, it hadn’t failed to mention that the blushing bride-to-be is his fifth cousin, a generation closer in blood relation than his last fiancée, Contessa V. Briar.

But I read the article so many times that I can’t stop remembering the portions I retained.

#canweusevalentinesandratchetinthesamesentence? Our sources say the Valentines are adamant about inbreeding. Perhaps that’s why the two eldest brothers, Achilles and Orion, haven’t been swiped up yet. Sources say they, too, might be seeking cousins to wed if it weren’t for one brother’s incessant appetite for the ladies of the night and the other who’s bedded nearly half the beautiful women of New York City and beyond—allegedly on both accounts. Hercules Valentine, we heard, is the family’s bright and shiny star. He’s the boy wonder that keeps them in the money, but literally sticking it in and producing heirs—not heiresses. Throw those baby girls out with the bath water. Like, sweetheart, what century are we living in, right?

“And believe me when I say this is not a marriage of love. But who knows? He’s hot. She’s hot. They’ll at least steam up the sheets together,” one of our sources said.

Sources also mentioned that a marriage to a distant cousin satisfies the Valentine trust and will land them a large enough payment to help their ailing company, VTI.

I’m amazed anyone reads that thing at all. They’re always “alleging,” and making “perhaps” and “maybe” guesses. And who are these “sources”? I’m surprised they haven’t been sued from here to kingdom come. At least they’re smart enough to never mess with Max Grove. One sideways article about my brother, and he would be the one to squash them to smithereens.

I swipe sweat off my eyebrows and try to push the details of that article from the forefront of my memory. Recalling it has made my legs lose some steam. So I pump them faster and swing my arms harder.

Do not think of Hercules.I can’t help but wonder if Lake knows more about Hercules’s engagement to Rain Mueller than the gossipyTop Rag Mag. I’m sure Mason tells her everything he knows about his best friend, who is also my ex-lover and soul mate. However, Lake and I made a pact to not talk about Hercules or my deception anymore. We’re moving forward and making new memories.

So far, I’ve been doing an excellent job of staying away from Hercules. That’s why I rarely run in Central Park. It’s been three months since that fateful night.

I’m free, though.

I don’t have a job. I will never work for Max again. I spend most of my hours in front of the computer, creating my passions—like I used to do in high school. But I won’t be doing that today. It’s Saturday, and I’m supposed to meet Lake at a secret location at noon. She said she’ll text me the address at eleven o’clock.

“Are we really making a game out of this?” I asked, frustrated because I planned on doing absolutely nothing today but sunbathing and catching up on my reading.

“Yep,” she boldly declared then told me I would hear from her later.

I’ve been wondering what the secrecy’s all about. I’ve even pondered if it had something to do with Hercules.

But three months later, and he’s engaged?

I don’t think he wants to say no. Hercules never read like a pushover to me. I’ve seen pictures of Rain Mueller. He wants her.