Page 78 of Your Last First Kiss

“Jesus, Dillon. You’re doing this without a commitment? What happens if things don’t work out?”

“Then I will spend the rest of my days looking out a lighthouse window with a pair of binoculars.”

“Did you get punched harder than they said? You’re not making any sense.” Ryder definitely sounds concerned now, and if I were in his shoes, I would too. But he’ll understand someday.

“It makes perfect sense, actually.” Looking over my left shoulder, I put the blinker on and change lanes in this godforsaken city before continuing. “And since Ashton is such a busybody, you can call him for instructions on your promotion. It’ll give him something to do.”

“Hey, I’m not going to turn down more money. I was already doing your job anyway.”

“Screw you.”

“Hey, Dill?”

“Yeah?” I ask as the stop-and-go traffic finally starts to clear.

“I’m happy for you. I haven’t seen you care about anything this much the entire time I’ve known you.”

I let out a harsh breath and tell him the truth. “I haven’t. This is where I’m supposed to be, Ryder. I know it.”

“Well, then give them hell out there in the boonies! I’ll catch up with you when you come into the city.”

“Thanks, Ryder.”

“Anytime.”

I toss the phone onto the seat and a few turns later, I take a right into the valet of Lochlan’s hotel. He’s my first stop. I need to let him know that one of my guys will take over our Wednesday meetings for a while.

If not forever, the tiny goblin in my chest shouts, causing palpitations I can’t control.

It should be too soon for thoughts like that.

Thoughts of forever and fairytales.

But fuck me because that’s all I see.

And I really love what I’m seeing.

It’s late when I pull in, so the normal guard isn’t on duty, but everyone in this building knows me. And I’m guessing the giant black eye I’m sporting is why everyone is giving me a wide berth to enter.

No one says a word as I take the elevator to Lochlan’s private floor, where he lives with his family.

When the elevator dings, I march with a singular purpose to his front door just as it opens.

“Dillon?” he asks, obviously surprised to see me. He glances down at my clothes, then back up to the shiner, drops the garbage bag he was holding just outside the door, and then opens it wide to allow me through. “What the hell happened to you?”

“Are we friends?” I ask instead of answering.

“After three years, a few weddings, some parties, and…” He sighs heavily. “Yes, Dillon. We’re friends,” he says.

I’ve never in my life met someone so opposed to friends.

“Good, because I need you to trust me when I tell you that Ryder is taking over for me at Envision, and he’s as good as I am, if not better.”

“Take a seat,” he says, gesturing toward the sofa in his open-concept penthouse apartment with views of Gramercy Park.

He walks around the kitchen island and bends down out of sight. When he stands, he has an icepack in one hand and two beers in the other.

Huh. I never pegged Lochlan as a beer guy. He must read my expression because he almost,almostcracks a smile.