I wait for relief to wash over me. But it doesn’t come.
Instead, there’s only a hint of irritation and the lingering whisper of his thumb resting near my spine.
The rest of the meet-and-greet goes smoothly. Bennett manages not to say anything dumb or damning, and we make it out of the lounge unscathed.
“How’d I do?” he asks the moment we’re out of earshot.
I shrug. “Fine.”
“Fine?” His mouth turns down, a deep V between his brows. “Fine? I made those people’s day!”
“Wow — really full of yourself, aren’t you?” I pull my phone out as I walk, scrolling through my many missed messages. “You did your job. Kudos. You want a gold star?”
Bennett stops in the hall, folding his arms across his broad chest.
“Would it kill you to admit I did something right?”
Irritated, I spin around and lock eyes with him. “Maybe. Because while you were in there grinning and making new friends, I was getting more and more behind in my real job. This —” I throw my arm out, gesturing at the arena, at him — “isn’t my deal. Never has been. I didn’t ask for trouble. You just barreled your way in.”
“Whoa, there, Sunshine. None of this was my idea. You think I like being handled by the owner’s daughter like a damn toddler?”
He has a point.
But I’m in no mood to concede anything right now.
“Maybe? I think you love the attention. Thrive on it, positive or negative.” I fiddle with my necklace, aggravation zipping through me.
He takes a step closer to me, and now we’re only inches apart, the light scruff on his face visible.
“Untrue.” His ocean-blue eyes flicker, jaw tense.
My breath catches in my throat, my mind whirling. I refuse to step back and Bennett stands his ground, too. He stares at me for a long minute, our shallow breathing the only sound in the empty hallway.
I tip my chin up, locking eyes with him. “Then stop performing like you need an audience.”
He steps back, hands at his sides and jaw ticking. “Congrats. You’re the only person I know who turns a Good Job into a Do Better.”
With that, he walks away without a second glance. I take a step after him, then freeze, swallowing hard over the lump in my throat.
I’m pissed off at him — but also myself.
CHAPTER 5
BENNETT
Tori keeps her distance for the next few days, our only interactions through text.
Bennett: Bennett here, reporting for duty
Ice Queen: Very funny.
Bennett: I dabble in stand-up
Ice Queen: Please, please tell me you’re kidding. We can’t afford THAT video leaking
I shoot her a GIF of a stand-up comedian getting tomatoes thrown at him and she actually ‘hahas’ it.
Shocking.
