An unconvinced scoff vibrates in his throat. “Is it?”
“Look. You didn’t foil my plan to baby-trap you. I’m allowed to be annoyed about some things without sharing them with you.”
“Why don’t you want to talk to me about it?” He sounds genuinely hurt.
Is he for real? Mr. brooding and monosyllabic.
“Because you don’t need this intel about me to have sex.” My head is starting to throb, and I press my thumbs to my temples, hoping to soothe the pressure.
He’s contemplating, and I think he’ll drop it, but instead he decides to send me spiraling. “You make me curious. I want to know more.”
“You were supposed to be fun and casual,” I remind him. “Don’t go back on your word.”
The phone chimes and Quinn’s face flashes on the screen.
“It’s time,” she squeals before I even get a hello in.
“I love it when you’re mysterious and excited, but can you elaborate?”
“You, me, Mike, and some chicken wings. Wednesday after work?”
My mood instantly lifts. Quinn’s been testing the waters, and I haven’t seen Mike since that night at the pub when she gave him her number. “Yeah, I’d love to go out with you guys.”
Carter glances at me sideways but doesn’t say anything. His brows scrunch together, but I’m still too sour about what happened this morning to waste my time trying to decipher him.
“Wear the dress you know I love. Prepare to dazzle him and then hit him with the hard questions. I’m counting on you to vet him.”
“Yes, yes. I’ll wear the pretty dress. I don’t know about the rest,” I tell her and take in a very confused and frowning Carter. “I have a terrible track record.”
Chapter Twenty-Eight
CARTER
I’m in the kitchen getting breakfast ready when my tablet rings.
“What on earth are you doing? Cooking?” Alicia’s voice stops me in my tracks. I didn’t even bother to check who it was. Only my family video calls me.
She’s flawless, as usual, her shiny black hair falling in perfect waves around her sharp features. The tomes in the antique library of her family home behind her deserve an eye roll. I know for a fact she never uses the room for anything other than photo ops and sex.
“Very astute observation.”
The cutting tone doesn’t deter her. She’s not one to give up easily.
“Where have you disappeared to?” She narrows her blue eyes at the screen, pursing her glossy lips. “Are you…on a holiday? Come back, I’ll take care of you,” she says seductively.
“Don’t—”
“Who’s she?!” Alicia shrieks and my hand flies to the red button on the screen, realising Eliza just walked into the frame.
She freezes.
“Do you have someone?” Eliza’s crestfallen and I rush to reassure her, but she takes a step back. I’m not Jared, damn it.
“She’s in the past. I thought it was my mom and I answered.”
Eliza shakes her head, pulling away. “She said she’ll take care of you.”
“Something she certainly can’t do. I know that for sure. She didn’t know much about what happened when I had the heart attack. From the way my sister reacted, she must have thought I was dying so she just cut her losses.”
