“Hi, beautiful,” Harrison mutters in a deep rasp, smirking when he catches me checking him out.
“Hi, H,” I whisper through a smile, holding his gaze.
“Oh god. Get a room,” Becks mocks.
Harrison’s eyes narrow with annoyance, which isn’t new. He hasn’t mentioned ityet, but I know Becks is beginning to grate on his last nerve. She’s been at the penthouse almost twenty-four-seven since Matteo left a couple of weeks ago.
A month ago, Becks admitted she fell in love with Matteo, though she felt something was off.
Two weeks later, he moved to London, and as of this week, he stopped replying to any of her messages. I’m usually a good judge of character, and I was shocked at how quickly this escalated. Even Harrison was surprised but said he wasn’t getting involved.
My bestie is a proud woman and won’t admit she’s hurting, so I invite her over every day after work. I’m always “cooking her favorite dinner” or needing a girl’s day away from Harrison.
We both know what I’m doing, but if I know Becks like I know I do, this way makes her feel less vulnerable.
“What are you four doing in here?” he asks, glancing around the room. Myself, Adriana and Becks are lying on Claudina’sbedroom floor as she puts on a show for us with her American Girl dolls.
“Oh, hi, Daddy. It’s girl time. Sorry, you can’t stay.”
I bite my lip to hold back my laughter, even though I know Harrison will not find it funny whatsoever.
Who knew my mildly grumpy, six-foot-four man would get jealous of Claud and my relationship? I get it, though. His little girl, who he had all to himself, now four out of five times, chooses me over him.
He glares at all of us, then walks away.
“He’s grumpy now.” Claud giggles.
“Claudina,” I lamely scold.
“She tells the truth,” Becks chimes in, and I elbow her to shut up, then stand so I can get ready for the day. Today’s the day I’m finally meeting Rosa and Javier at Sunday dinner.
Rosa’s older sister became quite ill while they were in Spain. She was nervous this might be the last time she would see her, so they extended their trip for over a month.
“Claud, I’m going into the bedroom to get dressed for dinner. Can you please wash up and change out of your leotard and into the clothes I left you on your bed.”
“Okay. Adriana, can you please do those fancy braids for me?”
“Of course, sweetheart.” Then she turns to us. “Then, I’m going on a date.” She hunches up her shoulders excitedly.
“No way. With who?” Becks asks, still lying on the floor with us all standing around her.
She fiddles with her phone and pulls up the Hinge dating app. “This is him.”
“Oh my god. Shut. Up!” Becks cries.
Adriana’s face falls. “What’s wrong?”
“Don’t listen to her.” I kick Becks’s leg in warning. “We knew him from the neighborhood growing up, is all.”
“What a small world. Would he remember who you guys are? Maybe I can use you as an icebreaker.”
I shake my head, giving Becks a look to zip her mouth shut. Adriana is going on a date with the nerdy guy who went to school with Becks and crushed over me all of high school.
If Adriana finds out, she’ll never go on the date. She wants a boyfriend so badly but is so incredibly picky that she turns down dates left and right because they’re not Mr. Right.
“It was years ago. I think you should go into your date talking about you only.”
“Good idea.” She takes Claud’s hand and leads her into her en suite bathroom. “Tuesday night for the next dance lesson?” she asks right before she’s out of sight.
