Page 20 of His Curvy Obsession

CHAPTER SEVEN

. . .

Olivia sat on her couch, wrapped in a blanket, and clutching a glass of wine. At the moment, she would have preferred a pint of rocky road, but Jenny had brought over wine, not ice cream. Olivia hadn’t been out of her house in four days and her emergency supply of ice cream had been consumed the night she’d arrived home from Club Curve, her world destroyed by the discovery she’d made.

“You know you have to face him, sometime, don’t you?” Jenny said quietly.

“No, I do not. You’ve taken over the campaign and that’s that.” Jenny and Lucas were now working together, James having turned everything over the other man. The man, Jenny had discovered was partners with James. Seems the two men, plus another friend, owned a string of bars, clubs and hotels. They were all three millionaires.

Which didn’t make Olivia feel better in the least little bit.

Olivia felt the start of tears and willed them away. “He lied to me, Jenny. And I fell for it. I let myself believe he might actually be the one.”

“And he still could be.”

“What? You’re taking his side.”

“No,” Jenny shook her head gently. “I’m taking the side of love.”

“Oh, please,” Olivia snorted at her best friend. “Love is a fake emotion. It doesn’t exist.” She took a large drink of her wine. “I get burned every time I start to believe. I open my heart and get made to look like an idiot. Like the man had to pretend. He probably has women falling over themselves, just like me.”

“Now who is being a drama queen?” Jenny leaned closer. “Yes, he was a fool for pretending, but can you put yourself in his shoes, maybe? What if all the women he dated, only dated him for his money?”

Again, Olivia snorted. “Have you seen the man? And believe me, his body is even hotter naked.”

“Alright, that’s enough wine for you.” Jenny took the almost empty wine glass from Olivia unresisting hand. “Yes, he is a hottie McMuffin. But it’s still about pretense.”

“Exactly. He pretended to want me.”

“Hah! You told me about the orgasms he gave you. That wasn’t pretense.” Jenny sighed. “We’re getting off track here. Yes, he pretended to be something he wasn’t. He pretended to be a struggling bartender. He did not, however, pretend about his lust for you. Trust me, men cannot fake that. You said yourself he couldn’t keep his hands off your curves. His feelings for you Olivia. He was not like your last deadbeat boyfriend who only wanted a casual hookup, but didn’t have the balls to tell you that. It’s okay to be cautious. Trust takes time to rebuild, especially after being hurt before. But don’t let your past define your future. Give him the benefit of the doubt. Talk to him.”

Olivia didn’t answer. She knew Jenny was right on some level. Was his lie so great? Hell, he was rich! And he apparently wanted her in his life. Shouldn’t she be jumping for joy instead of crying in her wine?

But she wanted so much more from him. For them.

Could she trust him? Her heart said hell no, but it was also whispering that she might need to give him a chance to explain. Olivia snorted. Her heart could go take a flying leap.

“Why do I keep falling for lairs and cheaters, Jenny?” She leaned into her friend’s comforting embrace, letting herself cry. Yet again.

Lucas and James sat on the deck of their boat, gently rocked by the waves. Lucas had finally convinced James to take a day away from the club. The sun bathed the deck of the boat in bright sunshine as if trying to warm James’s frozen soul. He remembered the last time he’d been on the boat—the night with Olivia.

“Listen, stop moping around and go after her,” Lucas insisted firmly. “Tell her the truth about why you withheld the truth at first and how you really feel.”

James leaned back on the railing, closing his eyes. He’d been going around in circles for days, trying to figure out the best way to get Olivia back. He’d made a colossal mistake. He knew she would never have been interested in his money. “I never should’ve lied to her. I was a fool.”

“You were scared,” Lucas said. “But that’s in the past now. What matters is making it right.”

James nodded. “You’re right. Olivia doesn’t care about my money. I always knew that. But what if she never wants to see me again? What if she won’t give me a chance to explain?”

“You’ve given her space. And, a little birdy told me, she would be in her apartment tonight.”

“Really?” James smiled for the first time in a while. “So, Jenny is on my side?”

“No, man,” Lucas laughed. “If you hurt Olivia, she’ll cut your heart out. But she knows Olivia loves you.”

“I wish I could be so certain of that.”

Lucas clapped him on the back with a grin. “I guess it’s time you turn on the old Throne charm, then.”