Just a few weeks at best.
Oh sure, I'dfirstmet him back in July, but aside from this past month or so, I'd had very little contact with him. Plus, there was my job search to consider.
During the past few months, I'd had so many promising interviews, but not a single offer. And even though Cole denied playing any role in it, allIhad was his word against my sister's.
Harper wasn't merely my sister. She was my best friend. And she'd been looking out for me my whole life.
But Cole? Not so much.
As the realization hit home, I felt like sinking to my knees under the weight of it.
Into my silence, Harper said, "So tell me. When you asked him about it, what did he say?"
I gave a hard swallow and then another. "Nope."
"So you're not gonna tell me?"
I shook my head. "No. I mean, yes. Iamtelling you. That's what he said."
She eyed me like I'd totally lost my mind. "So let me get this straight. You asked him about it, and all he said was…" She lifted her hands and made little air quotes. "Nope?"
"Uh, yeah."
"And you let him get away with that?"
Feeling defensive now, I said, "He distracted me."
"So you decided to do what? Have sex with him?"
"No. Not at first." I shifted uneasily. "At first, I was gonna…well, mess up his hair."
She was still giving me that look. "So,didyou?"
How embarrassing was this?"Not really." By now, I could barely meet her eyes. "I never got around to it."
And yet, Ihadgotten around to other things. I might've called them naked things except for the fact that neither one of us had actually removed our clothes.
Was I really that desperate?My head was buzzing as I tried to collect my thoughts.
Through the noise, I heard Gwen say my name. When I turned to look, she gave me a sympathetic smile. "Can I make you a hot chocolate?"
I shook my head. Unfortunately, there were some problems in life that not even hot chocolate could solve. And this was most certainly one of those things. With another hard swallow, I said, "I've gotta go."
Harper asked, "To where?"
My mouth tightened as I glanced in the general direction of Cole's house. "Youknowwhere."
Harper said, "I'm coming with you."
I shook my head. "Nope."
One way or another, I was going to handle this on my own. And unlike my first attempt back in his office, Iwasn'tgoing to be distracted.Not this time.
Chapter 38
Cole
When I opened the front door, Lexie was standing in the shadows, looking nervous and unhappy.
