Total pages in book: 92
Estimated words: 87513 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 438(@200wpm)___ 350(@250wpm)___ 292(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 87513 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 438(@200wpm)___ 350(@250wpm)___ 292(@300wpm)
What if he got tired of her?
She’d always figured out the frogs she’d kissed before she fell for them completely. She’d never had her heart broken. But with Troy, it was a very real possibility. And once her heart was broken, it would probably be another thirty years before she could ever trust it to anyone again. Just like her mother.
After last night, she would never survive watching Troy walk away when he tired of her.
Which meant she would have to walk away first.
She was freaking out, Troy was sure of it.
He should have stayed. He should have blown off the Hong Kong deal again and stayed to make her see how good they were together.
And yet, when he’d kissed her good-bye, she’d melted into him.
Maybe the best thing was to leave her alone for a little while. To let her remember how amazing last night had been. To let her think about how much better they could be. To let her remember his last kiss.
And she’d finally realize how perfect they were for each other.
Because pushing her for everything he wanted might actually push her away.
He knew women, and he knew Michaela needed a little time. He’d call her after the meeting. If she still wasn’t ready, he’d give her another twenty-four hours.
Then he’d make her his all over again. And this time, it would be forever.
Michaela wasn’t shocked when Troy called her right after his meeting ended.
“Hey,” he said. “How about having some fun for the rest of the day?”
She hadn’t stopped thinking about him since he’d left, and her conclusion was the same. She could never fit in his world. He was a billionaire whose parents had jetted all over the world for ski vacations. He was an Olympic gold medalist. And she was a girl from Modesto whose father had left and whose mother had become a seamstress to support them.
She and Troy could never work.
“No, my mom is coming home today.”
“Are you going to talk to her about Walter?”
His tone gave no hint as to his thoughts. So she told him the truth. “I don’t know. Maybe what you said last night was right, that she has to make her own decisions and I shouldn’t stick my nose into them.”
He laughed softly. “I didn’t say it like that.”
That, however, was the gist of it. She’d given thought to her mother and Walter as well. Was that relationship any different than her own non-relationship with Troy?
Oh God, she hoped her mother hadn’t slept with Walter last night. She had to push that thought completely out of her mind. “How was your meeting? Did you finalize the deal?”
“It was great, thanks. Not finalized, but we’ve definitely got the ball rolling.”
“I’m happy for you.”
“Thanks.” After a pause, he asked, “Are you sure you don’t want to go for a hike or something? Before Flo gets home?”
“No, I can’t.”
Finally, he conceded. “All right. I’ll call you tomorrow.”
Then he was gone. Leaving her all alone with her fears, not only for herself but for her mother.
Late in the afternoon, Flo bounced in like she was walking on air.
Michaela hugged her. “Did you have a good time?”
The stars in her mother’s eyes were as bright as New York’s Times Square, and her voice came out breathy as she said, “We had the most marvelous dinner and then the show.” She clasped her hands, sighed, then beamed at Michaela. “It was amazing.”
Now this was a billionaire’s date. A fancy dinner, an incredible show, and a luxurious penthouse suite. It sounded like a big fat seduction, and her mother was falling for it.
But did Michaela have a right to say anything? She didn’t know. She settled for saying, “I’ve just brewed some tea. Let’s sit out on the patio.”
But even once they were sipping tea, she didn’t know how to bring up her worries in a nonjudgmental way.
Instead, Flo did. “It was such a wonderful night, Michaela.” Stars still shone in her eyes. “He’s such a gentleman. After the show, we sat up for hours in the suite’s living room just talking. He’s a fascinating man.” Her mom sighed dreamily, then abruptly said, “And no, he didn’t come to my bedroom.”
Michaela immediately snapped, “I wasn’t going to ask.” Although she’d been trying to think of a way to do that very thing.
“All he did was kiss me sweetly on the cheek.”
Remembering the kiss Walter had given her mother before he’d helped her into the limo, Michaela couldn’t help it. “Which ones?”
Flo burst out with the most beautiful laugh. Then she pointed to the left side of her face. “This one. And I haven’t washed it since.”
Michaela couldn’t help laughing with her, and suddenly the opening seemed so easy, almost as though it were a joke. “Do I need to ask him what his intentions are?”