Page 11 of The One You Want

“I’m Gray Pearson.”

“Thank god,” she blurted, then gasped, realizing her blunder. “Sorry.”

“No need to apologize if it means you’re happy I’m not Maggie’s fiancé.”

The blush heated her cheeks nearly as much as Gray’s rich, warm voice fired her blood. Caught and embarrassed by her reaction to him, she tried to salvage things. “I’m Rose Howell.”

“Maggie’s best friend. The programmer. You work for one of my competitors.”

She tilted her head, confused how he knew her.

Gray smiled. “I’ve met Maggie a couple of times. She’s always talking about you.”

“You have me at a disadvantage. I haven’t heard anything about you. And here I thought Maggie was my best friend, but she’s been holding out. Unless you’re—”

“—an idiot for not taking Maggie up on setting up a double date with you, me, and her and Marc.”

Rose couldn’t help the blush. “Looks like things worked out tonight.”

Gray waved a waitress over.

Rose finally remembered she was here to meet Marc and turned just as the tall, blond man released Maggie from a searing kiss. He turned to face her and Gray.

The second she saw his face it felt like the air got sucked out of the room. She was suddenly lost in a memory she’d buried deep and hoped to never let resurface again, because though she’d made many dating mistakes, Marc was the worst one.

“Are you okay?” Gray asked at the same time Marc gave her a bright smile and said, “You must be Rose,” like he didn’t remember her.

And maybe he didn’t. The asshole.

He’d taught her a valuable lesson a year ago: one-night stands are not good life choices. Fun in the moment, maybe. But when you wake up next to a stranger, you can’t exactly be surprised he lied about being single. He tried to play it off, but she’d woken up the morning after and saw the text message from his girlfriend light up his phone.

ANDREA:Home tonight! Miss you! Love you!

She cursed him out for being a lying cheater and making her the other woman.

He didn’t seem to have a problem with that and told her he’d had a great time. Then the asshole reminded her that she’dnot only happily participated but taken seconds and thirds and ended up one orgasm up from him.

“Rose?” Maggie stared at her, concerned.

“Um. I’m fine. Sorry.” She took Marc’s outstretched hand because it was expected. “And you’re Marc,” she said lamely. She studied him for any sign of recognition, but didn’t see any.

Marc pumped her hand once, then released her, hooked his arm around Maggie’s waist, drew her close to his side, and smiled brightly at Rose. “I’m the lucky one who gets to marry this beautiful woman in eight days.”

What happened to Andrea?

Andrea loved him.

Did Andrea find out he’d been cheating on her?

Did Marc do it habitually?

Rose didn’t know. She wanted to say she didn’t care, but... She didn’t want to see Maggie hurt like that.

She wished she could figure out if he truly didn’t remember her, or if he was trying to hide that he did, so she’d know what to do. Because the right thing to do was tell her best friend that she and Marc already knew each other. Intimately.

But was it the right thing? Maggie looked so happy, and Marc gazed at Maggie adoringly. Who was Rose to taint that in any way over something that happened before they met? Something that didn’t amount to anything but a lesson learned and a night Rose wanted to forget as much as Marc clearly already had.

“I need a drink.”