Series: The Laws of Opposite Attract Series by Vi Keeland
Total pages in book: 107
Estimated words: 105253 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 526(@200wpm)___ 421(@250wpm)___ 351(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 105253 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 526(@200wpm)___ 421(@250wpm)___ 351(@300wpm)
“No. Unfortunately, I’m no closer to knowing what the hell to tell CPS on Monday.”
“Well, the offer still stands about Boston. I’m not gonna bug you about it, but I’m ready to go when you are.”
“I appreciate you wanting to help, Owen.” Then she changed the subject. “How was your board meeting?”
“Like it always is, mostly an excuse to drink together and bust each other’s chops—eighty-percent bullshitting and twenty-percent going over building business.” I paused. “Actually…” I cleared my throat. “I should let you know that I chose to tell the guys about the night we met. Up until tonight, only Holden knew.”
She looked at me blankly. “Oh…”
Unable to read her, I continued. “Brayden clearly had his eye on you, so I thought he should know what happened between us. But mainly, it’s difficult for me to hide things from these guys. They’re like my brothers, and they can pretty much always tell when something’s up with me. I didn’t mention it to brag. I need you to know that. When I handed the check to Colby, he asked about your situation, and that led to a discussion of why you and I seemed...closer than strangers.” I tried to gauge her reaction. “I didn’t want to lie.”
“I get it.” She nodded. “I tell Mia everything, too. I wouldn’t expect you to not open up to your closest friends.” She shrugged. “We’re both adults. There’s nothing to be ashamed of.”
“Well, thank you for understanding.”
She nodded but didn’t say anything further.
“I should probably get out of your way. I just wanted to check in and say hello.”
To my surprise, her expression dampened. She tucked a piece of her hair behind her ear. “I was going to put on a movie and unwind. Would you want to watch it with me?”
Bingo. My heart rate quickened. “That sounds nice, yeah.”
“I still have the rest of the pie you brought me in the fridge. You can help me finish it off?”
That made me think about how much I wanted to finish her off right now. Pie would have to do. I nodded. “That sounds great.”
“I’ll get the pie and two forks.” She winked.
After a moment, I followed Devyn over to the couch in her living room. She set the pie on the coffee table and fiddled with the remote to try to find the streaming channel. She kept landing on either cable TV or another setup screen.
“I take it you don’t watch TV all that much?” I teased.
“How did you ever tell?” She laughed.
“Wild guess.” I reached for the remote. “Let me?” I navigated over to the right menu and pulled up Netflix before handing the remote back. “That setup is just like mine, so I know it like the back of my hand; although, I can’t remember the last time I sat through a movie. Most of the time, I’m so tired after work that I end up falling asleep.”
“Yeah, sadly I can’t remember the last time I finished a movie either. I don’t know if it’s my attention span lately due to all the distractions, or just pure exhaustion.” She offered me back the remote. “You pick.”
“Well, I won’t take it personally if you fall asleep.” I chuckled, scrolling through the options. “Anything you’re in the mood for?”
“Just nothing too heavy or with too much violence.”
I moved the cursor along the most-popular list. There was a romantic thriller sitting at number three that looked like something we could both get into.
I stopped on it. “What about this one?”
She leaned in to get a better look. Her face reddened. “Uh, any one but that one, please.”
“Okay…” I arched a brow. “You’re not into romantic thrillers or…”
When she didn’t say anything, I looked back at the image of the actor in the thumbnail—good-looking guy with dark blond hair and striking blue eyes.
Ahhh… “It’s him, isn’t it?”
She nodded.
Robert Valentino.
Now I had a face and a name for the “secret actor” I’d been detesting.
And I also had a name for the unwelcome feeling in my chest: jealousy.
CHAPTER 9
Devyn
“What’s this?” I asked.
Heath shrugged. “I don’t know. I just found it on the floor by the front door.”
I took the manila envelope with my name written across the front and tossed it on the kitchen counter. If someone didn’t want to hand it to me in person, it might not be good news. It could wait until the kids left for school. They didn’t need anything more to worry about. Heath had asked me a dozen times if I’d heard from Vera since CPS showed up, and Hannah had been quieter than usual. Clearly, they were both worried about what might happen when social services returned.
Once I was alone, I tore into the envelope. Inside, a thick packet of papers had been stapled together with a sticky note on top.