Wicked as Lies (Wicked & Devoted 3)

“I don’t know.” He leaned forward, bracing his elbows on his knees. “Keeping it real, man? Every time I come across a hot woman willing to give me an hour of her ‘quality’ time, I’m just…not into it. I don’t know why.”

“I do. Because she’s not Tessa.”

As much as Zy hated to admit it, Trees was right. “I’m a stupid schmuck.”

“You’re a stupid schmuck in love.”

Zy didn’t want to own up to that, mostly because every person he’d ever loved, except Trees, had followed their own self-interests and ultimately stabbed him in the back. Why had he thought Tessa would be any different?

“Maybe I’m just in a funk. Or I’ve gotten picky. Madison is cute. Nice. But hardly centerfold material.” He downed the last of his beer and slammed it on the table. “You should go out with her.”

“Don’t be a jackass.”

“I’m serious. You might really like her.”

He scoffed. “I’m not so hard up that I want your sloppy seconds.”

“Dude, it was once. And the truth is, I didn’t treat her great afterward. I didn’t call. I didn’t explain. I just went away. And I felt bad the second I reached out to her this afternoon because I knew I was leading her on.” Just like he knew she wasn’t the woman he wanted. “And she deserves a nice guy.”

The phone buzzed again.

Trees just shook his head. “Well, she’s persistent.”

“I don’t think it’s because she’s hot for me. When I called, I told her it had been a really shitty day and I could use some…comfort. She was concerned. I think she’s trying to be a friend. Answer it. You never know where it might lead.”

His buddy hesitated, staring at the phone like it was a snake and he hadn’t decided if he wanted to risk getting bitten.

“Or not. Your decision. Eventually, she’ll get the hint and go away.” Zy rubbed his chin like he was trying to solve a conundrum. “I hope she won’t be too hurt.”

Trees cursed and reached for the phone. “You’re such a motherfucker.”

Zy repressed a smile. His buddy never had been able to resist a damsel in distress. And maybe he’d done one thing right tonight, he thought as he listened to Trees tell Madison that he was a friend of the guy she’d previously hooked up with, who was showing his asshole side, but he’d love to take her to dinner to apologize.

Ten minutes later, the call ended, and Trees stood.

“You going?”

“Yeah. I’m going to meet this girl. If nothing else, we’ll bad-mouth you together until I can make her smile again.”

“There are other ways to put a smile on her face, buddy.”

“Right now, I’m just trying to cover your ass.”

Trees really was the best friend Zy had ever had and probably ever would. “Thanks, man. Have fun.”

August 3

A miserable month passed for Tessa.

No, it wasn’t all terrible. Her father had called twice to check on her, which was once more than he’d called in the previous six months. Hallie was happy and healthy. Tessa had managed to get her daughter’s nursery finalized. Since the baby had started sleeping through the night regularly and Tessa’s milk had dried up, moving Hallie to her crib had seemed like a natural progression, though she missed cuddling while her daughter fed. Work was sometimes rough, mostly because, months later, she was still finding things Aspen had screwed up, but Tessa liked the challenge. And she’d begun to make friends with Hunter and Logan’s sister, Kimber.

But that’s where the good ended.

She and Zy hadn’t spoken since that horrible day in the conference room. She supposed he’d spent his Fourth of July weekend banging Madison, whom he’d apparently hooked up with before. And the stab of jealousy that plunged straight to her heart went beyond mere pain. But what else could she expect? They were both committed to their jobs for the next three years. No matter how much she wished otherwise, that wasn’t going to change.

The following Monday, he’d come into the office looking as if he’d had a really rough bender, but he’d handed Logan his signed agreements with an acidic smile. If she’d hurt him by choosing her job first…well, he’d gotten over it fast in someone else’s bed. Tessa had no idea if he was still seeing Madison—and she didn’t want to know.

But she’d also tried to date a guy she’d met at a coffee shop. Daniel had seemed nice…until he found out she was a single mother. That had been too much reality for him, so after cutting their evening short, he’d disappeared for good. Whatever. Any man who didn’t want Hallie was a man she had no use for.

That had been two weeks ago. Now, on the quietest Sunday afternoon in memory, she half listened to the home decorating show in the background and tried to find some gumption to make dinner.