Total pages in book: 84
Estimated words: 81176 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 406(@200wpm)___ 325(@250wpm)___ 271(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 81176 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 406(@200wpm)___ 325(@250wpm)___ 271(@300wpm)
Clare’s brows raised.
“Clare is more than a friend, Mandy.”
“If you want me to say it in front of her, then fine by me.”
Everything inside of me screamed to get Mandy the hell out of my place.
“Why don’t you give me a call and we can talk about whatever it is you need to talk about later, Mandy? Clare and I have to leave as soon as we eat.”
Clare slid off the stool, her plate in her hand. “I can give you two some privacy, I’ll just take this into the bedroom.”
Mandy glared at Clare as she walked by, the plate of eggs and toast and her cup of tea in hand. Clare turned and looked at me with a worried expression before kicking my bedroom door shut.
Turning and facing me, Mandy said, “She really doesn’t seem like your type, Wes.”
“What do you want, Mandy?” I said as I made my way back over to my plate.
“All this running into you everywhere has got me thinking.”
I set my fork down. I knew damn well Clare could hear what Mandy was saying, and I needed this to stop if it was going where I thought it was going.
“Mandy, I’m really busy today, and we’ve got to get Clare back to the hospital to see her parents. Whatever this is, can you call me this week?”
“No, I can’t wait another second. I was here last night, and I knocked, but then changed my mind when I heard a female scream out. I figured you were…busy.”
“Wait, how did you even get into the building?”
She shrugged. “I told the doorman I was here to see you. He just let me in.”
I rolled my eyes. I was going to have to talk to them about letting anyone in besides Clare and family.
“I want you back.”
My head jerked over to her. The words I thought I had so desperately wanted to hear a year ago now made me feel sick to my stomach.
“What?”
“I admit it. I made a terrible mistake letting you go, Wes. I know I said I just wanted to see what it would be like to sleep with you again, but ever since that night I can’t stop thinking about you. About us. Ron isn’t who I want. It’s you, and seeing you these last few weeks has only reminded me of what we once had.”
Dropping the fork, I folded my arms over my chest. “Or is it because you’ve seen me with Clare?”
Mandy let out a bitter laugh. “Wes, please. You cannot possibly think I would ever believe that you’d be serious with someone like that.”
“Someone like that?” I asked. “What in the hell does that mean?”
Mandy walked over to me, and I took a step away from her. “Admit it, Wes. I see it in your eyes. You want me as much as I want you. Do I have to get down on my knees and beg you? If that is the case, I’ll do it. I made a mistake in ever letting you go in the first place. Remember what it was like with us? How good we were together?”
My stomach felt sick as I shook my head. “Mandy, you made your choice and I’ve moved on.”
“No,” she whispered before she threw herself at me and kissed me. It only took me a half a second to lift my arms and push her away.
Clare cleared her voice, and I quickly took another step away from Mandy. When I finally made myself turn and see Clare, she stood there, still dressed in my clothes, but with her bag over her shoulder.
“I’m going to go.”
“Good,” Mandy said at the same time I said, “Don’t go.”
I could see the tears in Clare’s eyes.
“Clare, that wasn’t what it looked like, I swear to you.”
“It was exactly what it looked like,” Mandy said. “Do you honestly think he would pick you over me?”
Clare’s eyes bounced from Mandy to me, then back to Mandy. She slowly shook her head. “No, I never thought that.”
“Shut up, Mandy,” I said as I made my way toward her. “Clare, we need to talk.”
Her head slowly turned back to me. A smile played over her face, but I could see the sadness in her eyes. “I guess it worked, didn’t it?”
“No, Clare, let me talk to you, please.”
Moving quickly across the living room, Clare headed to the door. Mandy grabbed my arm and attempted to keep me from going after Clare.
“Let her go, Wes.”
Jerking my arm free, I followed Clare out into the hallway. “Fuck, Clare, will you please stop?”
She kept walking toward the elevator.
I was only wearing sweatpants and nothing else. My neighbors were going to think I was crazy as I started making my way to her, calling out her name again. “Clare!”
Spinning around, she wiped the tears from her face and held up her hand, stopping me in my tracks. “Stop. Please. From what I saw, you got what you wanted.”