Page 66 of Fake Wife
“I know. I know I hurt you.” He leans forward, whispering quickly, like he realizes he’s running out of time. “Please. Just two minutes so I can explain. It’s honestly not what you thought.”
At my look he shakes his head. “Okay, it is, at least some of it, but I swear to you it’s not all of what you think.” He bends closer and his eyes are inches from mine. I can only imagine what this will look like if it makes the gossip rags, but another glance shows no one cares about us.
Thank goodness for book nerds who don’t pay attention.
“Please, Teagan. I hate that I hurt you. At least let me explain so we can part on better terms than last time.” He cringes at the pain lashing across my face.
He’s right. I’ll give him two minutes in private where he can explain, slash me with pain all over again, and then he’ll be a memory. I need to put Drake behind me anyway, along with the memory of his dick drilling into a blonde with boobs much larger than mine.
“Fine,” I huff. I brush his hand away and stack the rest of my books.
“Can I help you carry them?”
“No,” I all but snarl, and hold the books close to my chest. “Where do you want to talk?”
“Somewhere quiet.”
He glances around the busy coffee room and I roll my eyes. It’s a bookstore, everywhere is quiet, almost as quiet as the library in most sections. Whatever.
“Follow me,” I say, and I take him back to the used book section. There are a few small tables where people can flip through the books, and when I was here earlier it wasn’t busy.
It isn’t busier now, either, so I set down my heavy stack of books and sit at the table.
“Talk.”
I don’t want him to think I want to be with him. I don’t. Plus, Corbin has said he’s on his way here. New goal: get rid of Drake before there’s another argument and Corbin turns stone cold.
I’ve quite enjoyed him being nice to me.
I fight a blush at the memory of this morning, taking him and going so wild in a way I don’t think I’ve ever lit up for the man in front of me, and force it away.
“Listen, Teagan.” Drake’s using his nice voice. It’s warm and soft and used to make me feel safe. I fight cringing at it now. “Missy’s father, Earl Staffordshire, is my boss at Portland General. He knew I was dating someone, but he doesn’t care. He’s asked me to take care of Missy.”
I scoff at that. “Yeah, you did that well, didn’t you.”
“It wasn’t supposed to be sex. I was supposed to date her, be a good guy, take her to a few galas and be her friend. That’s what her dad asked me to do.”
“And she ended up in our bed because…” I let my voice drift into a question.
“Because she’s crazy!” he hisses, leaning forward, and there’s that wild look in his eyes again. “I swear it. I didn’t want to sleep with her, but she showed up and started grabbing me, wouldn’t take no for an answer. Said if I didn’t fuck her she’d tell her dad I did anyway.”
For a moment, a very brief one, sadness begins to settle in my gut. Then I remember what I saw and that blows to smoke.
“Thank you for explaining,” I say, leaning back. I don’t need to hear this. I don’t want to hear this.
Regardless of whether or not Corbin will ever be real and lasting, I’ve still made a commitment.
It’s time to put Drake in my rearview mirror.
“He’s my boss,” Drake says, his voice bordering on panic levels. “He’s my boss and he asked me to take her out on a few dates. She was in a bad relationship and he wanted her to meet a decent guy. That’s it, I promise. It was never supposed to turn into that and you were never supposed to know about the rest.”
“Wonderful.” My phone buzzes in my purse, and I know it’s Corbin. I have to go. “Thank you, like I said, for explaining, but this doesn’t change anything, Drake. I’m with Corbin now, and I’m happy. You lied and you cheated and I don’t even care about your excuse for the rest of it, but you hid something from me.”
“Honey—”
“No,” I snap, and force myself to quiet down. “You cheated. You lied. You hid things from me and we were supposed to get married, Drake. I can’t and I won’t forgive you.”
“But you’ll date Corbin Lane? Come on, Teagan. For as much as you drooled over his photos you know he’s no better.”
