And the funny thing is, I preferred being with her.
And the second I turned twenty-one, the second I got access to my money—well,hismoney—I gave it all to her. Every single dime of it. I knew I would be getting a job at Everett Enterprises. I knew my salary would be astronomical. I’d be just fine.
But so would she.
She quit both her job at the post office and her waitressing job.
She bought a nice house upstate.
She put her feet up.
She took a breath.
It was the happiest moment of my life. Being able to repay her for everything. For all the pain he caused her.
Is this a friend-friend or something else?she texts again. I smile.
I’m not sure yet,I answer honestly.
Well, be good to her.
Always,I send back.
I hear giggling in the back, and my head pops up. Through a crack between the dressing room curtains, I see Teresa slipping a blazer over Wren’s bare shoulders, and it sends a chill down my spine.
Fuck me.She spins around to look at the mirror, but our eyes catch for the briefest moment. I clear my throat and sit up straighter, totally caught. Another moment passes, and they are walking out from the dressing area to me.
“Well,” Teresa says, “I think she’s ready!”
But I barely hear her. All I see is the long-legged brunette in front of me, dressed to the nines in a navy blazer, a matching skirt that hugs her hips the way I want to, and a tight white silk tank underneath it. She has on stiletto heels that accentuate the muscles in her calves, and while she looks amazing in the outfit, all I want to do is tear it all off of her.
She looks sheepishly up at me, tucking a stray piece of her hair behind her ear as I stand up.
“Well,” I finally breathe, “if that doesn’t get you hired, I don’t know what will.”
She smiles faintly as Teresa claps her hands together.
“Oh! I forgot. I have a handbag that will go great with this. I’ll be right back,” she says, turning around and heading toward the back of the store. I take a step toward her, and I see her suck in a breath as her eyes find mine again.
“You look amazing,” I tell her, and I see her cheeks flush.
“Brooks, I…this place feels a little expensive. And I don’t want?—”
“Wren, I wouldn’t have brought you here if I expected you to pay for any of this. And before you say anything else, can you please try to remember that you are doing this to help us? That we can never repay you for what you’re about to do?” She swallows and nods slowly, and I take a tiny step closer. I want tobe in her orbit. “Wren, when you are with me, I need you to not worry about money. And it’s not because I’m trying to throw it in your face. But my family is the richest in the country. I might be a piece of shit, but I’m not the type of piece of shit that expects anyone in my company to pull out their wallet when I can buy a damn country. Okay?” I ask.
She draws in another breath then bites her bottom lip.
“Okay,” she says. “I guess that’s fair.”
Just then, Teresa shows back up with a navy handbag, and I see Wren smile as she takes it.
“This is beautiful,” she says. She looks up at Teresa with big genuine eyes, and Teresa kisses her cheek.
“Thanks, T,” I say, reaching for her. As she wraps her arms around my neck, I feel her bring her lips to my ear.
“Keep this one,” she says, then she pulls away with a wink.
As we hurryback into the car and head back toward her apartment, I look up at her.
