“You don’t?”
“No. This account has been nothing but trouble from the start.”
“Why didn’t you tell me what was going on in Vegas?”
“Because I didn’t want to put you in that position. I wasn’t sure if you’d feel pressured to flirt with him to get the account. Not that I thought James would ask you to but still, the pressure would have been there.”
I hesitate. That’s not entirely the truth but the answer to this question is complicated. And revealing. But then I think of everything we’ve gone through to get to this moment. Most of the trouble could have been avoided if I’d been honest and hadn’t let my fear of rejection steer the way. Mya is nothing like Tessa. She’s never done anything to make me believe she cares about power or position. In fact, the only thing she’s ever actually asked me for is… me.
“That was part of it but also he’s handsome, rich and well-connected. All I could think was that I’d lose you before I even had the chance to tell you how I felt.”
“You were jealous.” Her voice trembles slightly.
She’s not going to let me off the hook even now. That’s my ballbuster. “Yes, I was jealous.”
“You didn’t need to be.” Mya leans over and kisses my cheek. “I didn’t want him. The only man I wanted was the one I was fake engaged to.”
Suddenly it hits me that we’re still sitting in this restaurant in public when we could be at home. Alone.
“Come on. Let’s get out of here.”
It’s time I prove to Mya that there’s nothing fake about my feelings for her. If I want to win her heart, it’s time to put it all on the line. These are the highest stakes I’ve ever encountered and I’m willing to do whatever it takes to get there.
And I’m not above begging if I have to.
24
You’d think after such an intense emotion dump that we’d be super talkative on the way home. But Milo and I are both quiet as we drive back to his place. He keeps looking over at me, as if he’s afraid that I’ll disappear.
Not that I can blame him. I’ve already pinched myself a time or two.
When we get to his apartment, I drop my bag near the door while he walks around turning on lights. Now that we’re alone together, I’m starting to get a little nervous. He said he loves me and that he w
ants us to be together but practically speaking, I’m not entirely sure what that means. Are we going to tell everyone that we’re not really engaged but just a couple? Are we starting over from scratch and going to go on dates?
The thought makes me smile. I can’t imagine going to a restaurant to meet Milo for a date like he’s just some guy I saw on Tinder.
“I should probably call Ariana. She’ll worry if I don’t come home.”
Milo nods. “We definitely don’t want her to worry. She’d show up at the restaurant demanding answers or start an online petition to find out where Mr. Lavin hid your body.”
I’m laughing but that’s not inaccurate. Ari is a bit of a conspiracy theorist and if I disappeared for any length of time, she’s the type to jump to conclusions.
She answers on the first ring. “Uh oh, if you’re calling me that probably means your business deal went bad. Why are you calling me?”
“Everything is fine. Better than fine. Milo showed up and we talked. It turns out that conversation I overheard wasn’t about business at all. He was just telling Mr. Lavin that I was already taken.”
Ari whistles. “O-kay then. So Happy Hour Hottie was staking his claim. I knew I liked him. I’m really glad he didn’t let me down.”
“Because it’s all about you, huh?”
She snorts. “You’re damn straight. No one else had to put up with your grungy ass on the couch eating all the ice cream. So if you’re calling me that must mean you’re with Milo now.”
“Yeah. I didn’t want you to worry when I didn’t come home.”
“Now I’m just worried for a different reason.”
“What do you mean?”