My best friends—Brielle and Willow—and I had an opportunity to pitch our idea for a bed-and-breakfast we wanted to open to some businessmen friends of Willow’s new husband. If they liked what they heard, they would invest, and finally, our dream of getting out of Whispering Haven and making something of ourselves would come true.
We were so excited to go into the room, but as soon as we stepped inside, I saw him.
Jack Heathcliff.
He looked as cocky and full of himself as ever. And even more aggravating was the fact that he was now even handsomer, with a couple more tattoos added to the visible parts of his skin.
“Ladies, I’d like you to meet Santiago Diaz, Levi Probst, Flynn Alexander, Nate Howard, and …” Sebastian, Willow’s new husband, introduced his friends to us.
When Jack turned around, I almost had a heart attack. He was wearing a blue pin-striped suit that made him look powerful, and I hated him for having that control over me again, eight years after our first interaction.
I gasped, and Willow whispered, “He’s cute, right?” Like I’d be impressed. I couldn’t believe she didn’t recognize him.
“Jack Heathcliff,” I said, disdain dripping from my mouth like beads of saliva on a hot day.
Jack’s eyes narrowed, and he sauntered over to us casually, like he couldn’t believe his luck. “Katherine …”
“No, no,” I groaned loudly.
He stared at me, then Brielle, and then finally at Sebastian, who looked utterly confused.
“What’s going on here? Is this a … joke?” I was beside myself with fury. I took a deep breath and turned to my friends. “Remember my ex? The jackass who broke up with me because his family didn’t approve?” I pointed at Jack. “Well … that’s the big brother who called me a skank and ruined my relationship. Mr. Jack Heathcliff. How’s Zac, by the way?” I didn’t bother adding the fact that I’d been about to end the relationship myself.
“Well, well, well. Katherine, Katherine, Katherine. We meet again.” He looked me up and down with a smug expression on his face. “Still walking those Victoria’s Secret runways?” he asked.
My memory went back to that night and that lie. What had I been thinking? I’d been such a dumb seventeen-year-old.
“I’m not doing this,” I muttered as I headed toward the door. “There’s no way in hell I’m doing a business presentation to that prick.”
And that was that.
“So, what was Jack talking about when he said you were a Victoria’s Secret model?” Brielle asks with an inquisitive look on her face.
My stomach sinks in embarrassment. I hoped to get through the rest of my life without having to tell this story to anyone.
“Is there something I don’t know?” There’s a lilt in her voice that sounds like she wants to laugh.
I just glare at her. Because there are many somethings she doesn’t know, and I’d like to keep it that way.
“I want to know as well,” Willow adds as she puts her wispy blonde hair up in a bun. She grabs her notepad and settles back on the emerald-green velvet couch that we recently bought for the new apartment we’re all sharing in Manhattan. Even though Willow is barely here. She likes to say she has her own place though as her wedding happened quickly and the entire relationship was complicated. They were madly in love now though.
We’ve finally made it out of Whispering Haven, even if it’s only temporarily.
“I do not want to talk about Jack Heathcliff …” Anger surges through me as I say his name. “He is the epitome of tall, okay-looking, and jerk.”
“You forgot to addbillionairein there.” Brielle giggles. “Tall, gorgeous billionaire and jerk.”
“I didn’t say he was gorgeous.” I pretend to gag as my mind flickers an image of Jack in front of me. I feel myself flush as I picture his mesmerizing celeste-blue eyes, his dark and silkyhair, his muscular six-two body—damn, even my brain knows that I’m lying when I say he’s okay-looking.
“But he totally is,” Willow adds as she looks up at me, her blue eyes teasing. “If I wasn’t totally in love with Sebastian, I totally would have tried to shoot my shot at Jack.”
“You can have him and all his rude ways.” I pretend to puke.
I cannot believe my bad luck. I hadn’t seen or heard of Jack Heathcliff in over eight years, and yet now he was back in my life, by way of being best friends with Willow’s new boyfriend/husband—long story.
“Could you tell I nearly fainted when I saw him yesterday?”
“You weren’t keeping it much of a secret.” Brielle laughs as she and Willow exchange glances.
