19. Carmen
19
Carmen
I’m rushing through my apartment, desperately trying to find my heels, when there’s a sharp knock on my front door. My perfectly styled curls tumble in front of my face as I bend down by the couch, checking underneath. Nothing . I lift up with a groan and head toward the distraction I don’t need right now.
It’s probably one of my neighbors, coming to complain about the noise I’ve been making, but they’ve picked the wrong time. I’ve been plenty polite since moving in, but tonight, I have no problem snapping at them if I need to.
My breath hitches when I pull the front door open and I almost lose my footing.
That’s definitely not a neighbor.
I clear my throat and force a smile. “Donny, I didn’t expect to see you tonight.”
He stands there, his eyes sweeping over me, lingering for a moment before he frowns. “Hot date, fiancée ?”
I’m used to him calling me Sunshine, but that word rolls off his tongue nicely and sends shivers down my spine. “I’m running late,” I grumble before heading back into the apartment and leaving my door open for him to come through.
The last thing I’m going to admit to Donny is that I had to rush out of my own home with him lying peacefully in my bed because I couldn’t bring myself to ponder why he was still there. I could’ve easily sent him home last night, after we exhausted ourselves, but I chose instead to curl into his chest and fall into a peaceful sleep myself.
It’s dangerous, how easy it is to be with him like that.
I have to think about the things he said to me, how the words he spewed before pleasuring me sent butterflies racing through my stomach. I can’t deal with all these feelings while he’s still here. That is why I called the girls, begging them to meet me at an all-night diner around the block so they could give me some advice.
They are all probably sitting at a table right now, impatiently waiting for my arrival, and all I can focus on is the fact that I can’t find my damn heels.
What do I even need heels to go to the diner?
“What’s the rush?” Donny asks, leaning against the doorway, watching me closely.
“They’re waiting for me and I’m late,” I say before looking at my phone and groaning, “by ten minutes.”
“Who’s waiting for you?” His tone is calm, but I can feel his curiosity.
“The girls,” I mutter as I hurry past him and down the hall, his heavy footsteps following my trail. “I asked them to meet me for a late snack.”
I feel Donny’s presence behind me as I rummage through my closet for the right shoes, his steady silence both grounding and unnerving. Flats it is. I snag a pair from the corner and slip them on, hoping to make a quick exit.
I’m about to bolt for the door when I feel his hand on my wrist, pulling me back. My heart stumbles in my chest as I meet his gaze, the intensity in his eyes locking me in place. He leans down and presses his lips to mine, soft at first, but it quickly deepens, becoming something I’m not ready for but can’t resist. His arm wraps around my waist, pulling me flush against him, and my body betrays me, melting into him. I moan softly before I place a hand on his chest to push away.
I hate how much my body reacts to something so simple. Get it together.
We stare at each other for a moment, but my phone pinging has me shaking from the haze I find myself in when it comes to him. This can’t keep happening. I need the girls’ advice. They always know what to say, how to help me figure things out. “I, uh, I’ve got to go,” I say once I see Mia’s text on the screen asking where I’m at.
Donny steps back slightly, his brow furrowing, but he doesn’t move to leave. Instead, he just watches me like he’s thinking through something.
He finally breaks the silence. “You mind if I stay here for a bit? Wait up for you?” His voice is soft, careful.
My heart races. Why does he have to say things like that? Like he’s here for more than what’s just on the surface. His eyes search mine, and for a moment, I almost tell him yes—that I want him to stay, that I want him here when I get back. But the rational part of me, the part that’s been trying to keep this strictly business, tells me I need space, tells me I’m about to walk into a mess I can’t handle.
I bite my lip. “You sure? You don’t have to wait for me.”
“I know,” he says, stepping closer again, his fingers brushing the side of my arm lightly. “But I want to. We need to talk, Sunshine.
My pulse quickens at his words. This is what I’ve been avoiding—an actual conversation. Because if we talk, if we really lay everything on the table, then I’ll have to face my feelings.
I take a breath, my mind swirling. “Okay. I won’t be long. We can talk when I get back.”
He gives me a half-smile, one that’s almost hopeful.
“Go,” he says, his voice quiet but steady. “I’ll be here when you get back.” The fact that I’m not shoving him out the door right now says everything. I should be kicking him out, locking the door, and putting distance between us. Instead, all I can think about is how much I want to stay, to fall back into his arms.
What’s wrong with me?
As I step into the elevator, I send a quick text to Mia and let her know that I’m on my way, then apologize profusely for being late when I’m the one who asked them to meet me.
***
The warmth of the diner hits me as soon as I step inside. Mia is the first one to lift from her place at a table tucked in a corner, right next to a large window that looks out onto the busy street. She smiles while waving me over to the other two women.
Julia looks like she could fall asleep with the way she’s resting her head on her hand and the dark circles evident under her eyes. When I come to a stop at the side of the table, I frown at the woman in question and say, “You could’ve stayed home and gotten some rest.”
She pushes up into a sitting position, looking more alive than a few seconds ago, and shakes her head. “No way. When a girl texts an SOS, nothing stops us from getting into action.”
Mia waves me toward the bench seat in front of Julia and Mallory, smiling sheepishly as I slide into it. As a former professional bodyguard who now runs her own security agency, she doesn’t have to explain her habits to me or anyone. I’ve known her long enough to understand why we’re sitting away from each point of exit, with Mia perched at the edge of the bench seat, her eyes constantly scanning the area. It’s not paranoia—it’s years of training and experience keeping us safe, even during a casual outing.
Mallory leans forward, tapping her fresh manicure on the table, and arches a brow. “Alright, girl, tell us what’s up.”
I don’t even get nervous about spilling the truth to them. There’s only a few people around us and none of them look as though they are worried about our conversation — probably just late night party goers who wanted something to fill their stomachs.
“I think I’m falling for him,” I whisper.
The words feel strange as they leave my mouth, but also liberating. Because the truth is... I think I’ve been falling for Donny long before I realized it.
Mallory smirks, then looks at Julia with a hand out in front of her and she chuckles. “You owe me twenty bucks, babe.”
Julia rolls her eyes, but shoves a bill from her purse into Mallory’s hand without complaint. I eye the two of them and frown. “You were betting on my love life?”
My newly formed girl friend group all stare at me and Mallory shrugs. “I could see it from a mile away. These two thought I was projecting our lives onto you.”
“Guys,” I grumble, “this is serious.”
“You’re right,” Mia says, jumping into the conversation once she’s sure we’re safe in here. “Why do you look like you’re going to be sick?”
“Maybe because this was only supposed to be fake, and I was never supposed to fall in love with a client!”
The person sitting closest to us darts their gaze up, meeting mine with furrowed brows, and I duck my head as my cheeks heat. Mia’s hand comes onto my shoulder and she gives it a gentle squeeze. “Trust me, I understand the struggle.”
If there’s anyone who does, it would be her and I’m glad to have her at my side right now. “What the hell do I do?”
She shrugs and gives me a small smile. “Embrace it. Tell him. If you want to run away from it, I’ll be on your side with that too.” Mia glances at the other two, looking at them with a softness I’ve missed in a friend. “We are all on your side, no matter which side that is.”
Knowing where they stand lets a small amount of pressure fall from my shoulders, and I sigh in relief. This only proves that my moment of panic and asking them to come out here was the right thing to do, even if admitting my feelings makes my skin itch.
“I should tell him… right?”
Mallory nods immediately, while Julia remains silent, thoughtful. But Mia speaks up, her voice steady. “You should. I see the way he looks at you. Trust me, he feels the same.”
“How could he?” I mutter. “I’m just a lousy manager who got swept into something I can’t control.”
As soon as the words are out of my mouth, I clamp it shut and frown. If I hadn’t agreed to this charade, I never would’ve been able to know what it feels like when someone cares.
My eyes travel down to my wrist, the one that still houses the charm bracelet he got for me, and I reach out with my other hand to fiddle with each charm dangling from it.Each one means something, but only me and Donny know that.
“Hey,” Julia says softly, reaching a hand across the table. I pull my hand away from the bracelet and place it in hers, meeting her steady gaze. “You know what you need to do. Just listen to your heart. That’s what we all did, and look where it got us.”
Mallory shrugs, flashing me a small grin. “And if your heart tells you to run, then run. But maybe... running toward him is the better option?”
Mia nods, her eyes filled with warmth. “You’ve been overthinking this, Carmen. You don’t run from love, you fight for it. You know how you feel. Go tell him.”
I bite my lip, feeling a rush of nerves and anticipation. “What if he doesn’t feel the same?” I finally say, my voice barely above a whisper.
Julia squeezes my hand gently. “You’ll never know unless you take that chance. But trust me—Donny feels it too. You just need to show him you’re all in.”
Mallory leans in, a smirk playing on her lips. “And if he doesn’t realize how lucky he is, we’ll come knock some sense into him.”
A laugh escapes me, and I feel a weight lift off my chest. “You guys are crazy, but thank you.”
Mia stands up, pushing her chair back. “You got this, girl. And if you need backup, you know where we’ll be.”
I smile, knowing exactly what I need to do. I nudge Mia out of the booth before I lose my nerve. “Okay, no more talking. I’m going. Wish me luck.”
“Luck?” Julia raises an eyebrow. “You don’t need luck. You’ve got this.”
I grab my bag, heart pounding, and take one last look at them before heading for the door. Julia, Mallory, and Mia are all smiling at me, full of support and love.
“This is it,” I say to myself, determination rising inside me.
Everything is about to change, and I’m ready. Whatever happens, I hope it means making things real with Donny.
As I step out onto the sidewalk, I raise my hand to hail a cab. One screeches to a stop in front of me, and I take a deep breath.
No time to waste. I’ve got a man to see—if he’ll have me.