Chapter 10
“Is that him?”
I was instantly startled at the sudden voice overhead.
I instantly shut my laptop, and at the shock on Anna’s face, I knew that I had done something very unnecessary and very shameful.
Sighing, I shut my eyes knowing the mockery that was coming, but instead, all I heard was silence. Until I reopened my eyes and saw that she was quietly eating her diced cubes of watermelon, all while trying to control her smile.
“I was working. I was editing his photos.”
“Right, you mean the shots you”ve been working on for the past six hours and have already sent off and have no business looking at again?”
My gaze darkened at her.
“Why do you act like this?”
She laughed then and continued eating.
“It”s a relief to be able to laugh at you because I’ve hated being the only dumb one for so long.”
“I”m not dumb,” I told her. “I have no business with him.”
“Why?” she asked, and her question somewhat startled me.
“Why should I?”
“You”re not attracted to him? I mean, you”ve been staring at him, and you did call me in a panic earlier.”
“It wasn’t in a panic, and I haven’t been star-” I stopped then because who was I kidding. I hadn’t been able to stop thinking about him from the second we parted from the vineyard. To an extent, it almost felt as though I was losing my mind because the more I stared at him, the more aroused I felt, and it had been forever since I had felt this way about someone. I was excited about it and truly couldn’t understand why I was so hesitant. Man, was there really any risk here besides me having a good time?
Just then Anna set her bowl and fork down and started to open up my laptop once again.
“Don”t fight it,” she said. “Just let me see.”
Sighing, I allowed her, and once again his face came into view.
She was silent for a few moments but eventually even she gave her comment.
“Damn, I thought you were kidding,” she said, and I smiled.
“He’s attractive. Look at those thighs... look at his shoulders... Oomph, that hair. He will never go bald!”
This made me smile now and made me equally as relieved since it was confirmed that I wasn’t crazy. He was actually all that.
“Did you kiss him?” she asked, and my heart literally sank because I had to admit to myself, for now, that was a damn shame.
“You messed up there,” she said. “You should have. How often are two people equally attracted to each other in this way?”
“He just wanted to test out if it was a fluke or something,” I said. “Or at least that’s what it sounded like.”
“And the problem is?” she asked.
“That makes me like him even more because it shows that he”s straightforward and doesn’t see you as some damsel. He”s assertive, knows what he wants, and asks for it. There will be no troubles with this one, so please tell me why you”re hesitating?”
I sighed.
“I”m not anymore, but it might be too late, so I guess... the next time we meet or if he approaches me again?”
“He”s not going to approach you again,” she said, and I didn”t even need to ask to know that she was right.
He probably already has another girl on his arm right now.
“Do you know about their family? Do you know what they do? Why are they so wealthy?” she asked, and I realized that I hadn’t even checked.
“He told me to send him my phone number,” I said as I pulled out his business card and searched their surname on Google.
“Have you?” she asked as we waited for the search results.
“Not yet,” I replied, and I could feel her shake her head above me.
Soon enough, the results came out, and then my brows raised.
“They”re new money millionaires,” she said, and I nodded, amazed.
“Wait, so… health and fitness. Explains his ridiculous body. His father started several gyms... he came in during college and turned their business model into a licensing division... made almost 200 million.”
Holy crap!
“Oh!” she said.
“He’s more than capable. I was already irritated with him, thinking he was a nepo baby that was, of course, controlling everyone around him for no reason.”
“There”s more,” she said. “Now he”s into business acquisition… Well, not full acquisition, partnership. They help companies grow and take a percentage. Hmm...” she said.
“Oh wow. He”s impressive. And you said no to him again because?”
I wanted to bang my head against the table.
“I didn”t say no to him,” I replied. “I just …”
“You just what?” she asked.
“I just haven’t responded yet.
“Because?”
I didn’t respond to her. Instead, tired of defending myself, I slammed the laptop closed and rose to my feet.
“Time for bed,” I announced. “And time as well for you to stop hounding me.”
She smiled and went back to her couch to resume her lounging. I, on the other hand, took my phone with me and, although I tried to ignore it as I brushed my teeth and took a shower getting ready for bed, I eventually couldn’t hold myself back as I sat down on the toilet. So, I pulled up the email he had sent me, and instantly I sent a reply.
This time, however, and a bit nervous at the fact that Anna had mentioned that he wouldn’t contact me, again I decided to extend an olive branch which he was free to respond to, but at least it would convey the fact that I hadn”t rejected him because I wasn’t interested but because it had been all too much to process too soon. But of course, I said this with as much class as I could muster.
”Hello,” I wrote. “Mr. Moran. This is Evelyn. Here’s my phone number as requested.”
I started to send the message but then I recalled the stress that Aurora was going through because of his domineering nature. He was basically forcing her to endure the wedding that he wanted, so why was I even giving such a narcissist the time of day? Previously, I had thought it to be a unilateral old money unavoidable decision, but now that I knew that he was more or less at the helm of everything and should know better, the light I had previously painted around him began to dim.
And so, I reconsidered sending the message. Eventually, though, and with the conclusion that it was best not to be rude, I sent him my phone number and tried my very best to ignore my phone. There was no additional note, no suggestive or flirtatious comment like I had earlier planned on including to resurrect his invitation earlier. It had been cold and informative, and that was all I had to give to him until I knew him enough to decide whether to push him even further away or to dip my toe into whatever this was that was between us.
I headed straight to the bedroom, caught up on some emails and settled in for the night. However, just before I shut my eyes and drifted off to sleep, I received another message from him that nearly made my jaw drop down to the floor.