“Onething you’re gonna learn about me, kid, is that nobody takes me very seriously,and—”
“Itake you seriously,” Greyson interrupted, shaking his head and pinching hisbrows.
Ifought myself to smile. “Thanks. I appreciate that, but your aunt Tabby, she,uh …” I shook my head, reconsidering my words, to spare her his wrath. So, Isettled on, “I think she and I are just too different, and I needed to fuck upto realize that.”
“Howdid you fuck up?” He leaned his elbows against the table, watching me intently.
Sighingheavily, I threw my head back. “Jesus, kid …” I shook my head, staring at theceiling and gripping the back of my neck. “I’m really trying hard to soundneutral here, okay? I don’t know exactlywhatI did. I know I said someshit to that Roman guy and I’m pretty sure I fucked up the sale of Jane’shouse.” The idea that I could singlehandedly screw her out of that deal causedmy stomach to curdle, and I uttered, “That fucking son of a bitch …”
“Ihated that guy, anyway,” Greyson shrugged like it wasn’t a big deal.
“Yeah,me too,” I agreed, raising my fist and he pounded his knuckles against mine.
“MaybeJane’s husband made it happen,” he suggested, beginning to eat again.
“Yeah,”I nodded. “Maybe.”
Itseemed cruel that Tom would use me as the vessel to get rid of Roman,especially if that meant Tabby would refuse my request to at the very leastgive this a shot. Still, I couldn’t help but find a bit of solace in knowingthat the scum-bucket was out of the picture, and I found it in me to eat.
35
tabby
The whole thingwas a mess. My life, my job—everything.
WhenI got into work, Alex suggested that I give Roman a call. “Maybe he reacted outof anger,” he had offered with more sympathy than I felt I deserved. “Maybe hejust needs some time to cool off.”
Andnow, three days later, I felt he’d had enough time. I would give it one moreshot and if it didn’t work out, I’d throw in the towel and hand the house overto Alex.
Intruth, I was thinking about doing that anyway, even if I did get Roman back asa client. Emotionally, I wasn’t sure I had it in me to continue with this houseany further. I loved Mrs. Worthington, and I loved that house, but it wasstarting to feel like a bad omen. Just look at everything that had come to passsince I took it on. That couldn’t be a coincidence. Or maybe it is, and life isjust cruel.
Ihadn’t thought much about Sam in weeks. A little trickle of a thought here andthere, but I’d been busy. I’d almost been too sidetracked to notice how fuckinghorribly I missed her, and God, I wished I could talk to her now. She had moreexperience with men than anybody I knew, and while I might’ve frowned upon hermethods, her advice was unparalleled. She would’ve known what to do, about bothRoman and Sebastian.
ButI didn’t have her. All I had was my phone and my wits, so I picked them up andutilized them both.
“Roman,”I said in the calmest voice I could muster the moment he answered the phone.
“Tabitha,”he responded coolly. “I thought I instructed you to lose my cell phone number.”
“Yes,you did,” I nodded toward my desk, “but it takes a lot more than that to get meto back down.”
“Isee that, and I admire your persistence.”
“Good,”I replied, leaning back in my chair, knowing I had at least hooked him into theconversation. “Now, I understand that you might want to proceed only on aprofessional basis, which I am completely open to. I—”
“CanI ask you a question, Tabitha? And please. Be honest with me.”
Iswallowed around my words and nodded to nobody. “Yes, of course.”
“Wereyou already sleeping with him when you and I went on our date?”
Theharshness in his words slapped me across the face. My lips fell open,struggling for an answer, but all I could settle on was a simple, “Yes.”
“Hm.”I knew him well enough to know he was nodding, maybe pursing his lips. “I neverwould’ve taken you to be the type of woman to settle for trash, but it wouldn’tbe the first time I was attracted to a woman who was … how should I put it? Easy?”
“Excuseme?”
“Hell,if I knew how easy it would’ve been, I should’ve just pursued you the first daywe met.”
