Total pages in book: 97
Estimated words: 96046 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 480(@200wpm)___ 384(@250wpm)___ 320(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 96046 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 480(@200wpm)___ 384(@250wpm)___ 320(@300wpm)
Ouch.
Those words were hard to swallow. Mostly because she might’ve been right. Patsy was definitely pushing my buttons right now, bringing to the surface all the insecurities I had about my developing feelings for Dorian. This made me feel like my hopes were foolish. Perhaps any kind of future with Dorian was nothing more than a pipe dream.
“There’s nothing going on with Dorian and me,” I finally said.
“If you say so. I just want you to be careful. I don’t know him well enough to understand what he’s like. But I’m looking out for you.”
It brought me some relief to know she didn’t have any real basis for distrusting Dorian. But it made sense based on her experience with his father.
“I appreciate you sharing that with me, Patsy. I’m honestly still shocked. Does anyone else know?”
“I confessed everything to Benjamin some time ago. He picked up on the change in me after everything went sour. I needed to tell someone.”
“Was he as surprised as I am?”
“Benjamin has been around here a lot longer than I have and has seen a lot of things, apparently. He said nothing surprised him when it came to Remington.”
Interesting. “I don’t understand how you were still able to work here, especially once he married my aunt. I don’t think I’d be able to do that.”
“A few reasons,” she explained. “First, I really needed the job. I have a mortgage to pay. Second, I didn’t want to let him win, which he would have if I’d cowered and run away. But I’m ashamed to admit, there was a part of me that still had feelings for him, even if they couldn’t go anywhere after he married Christina. I wasn’t ready to let the idea of him go.”
Dread rose in my stomach. “And nothing happened between you and him once he was married to Christina?”
She reached her hand across the table. “I wouldn’t have done that, Primrose. I hope you know that.”
I let out the breath I’d been holding. “Well, I’m relieved to know he didn’t try anything.”
“He didn’t try anything with me. But he wasn’t faithful.”
Nausea quickly returned, my stomach like a rollercoaster. “You know that for a fact?”
“Benjamin knew.” She frowned. “Marrying Christina didn’t change him.”
“Wow. Okay. I suspected that maybe he’d cheated on my aunt after what Dorian told me about when Remington was married to his mom. But this confirms it.”
Patsy sighed. “Every woman thinks she’s gonna be the one to change a man. But you can’t change who someone is. You’re either a cheater or you’re not.” She shook her head. “And I didn’t mean to imply that Dorian is automatically a cheater because of his dad. I’m just concerned for you. That’s all.”
If I were honest about my feelings and how fast I was falling for an unattainable man, I would’ve been concerned for me, too.
CHAPTER 9
* * *
A few days passed before I ran into Dorian again. It was especially unusual to see him home on a Saturday afternoon—with a guest.
When I entered the kitchen, I froze upon finding him standing with another man.
“Oh, hello.” I waved.
“Hi there.” The guy’s face spread into a smile.
“Primrose, this is my buddy Chandler.” Dorian looked over at him. “We grew up together.”
“Oh wow. Nice to meet you.” I smiled, offering my hand.
He took it and grinned. “The pleasure is all mine.”
Running a hand over my hair, I turned to Dorian. “What are you guys up to?”
“We were just gonna hang out by the pool,” Chandler answered.
My eyes widened. “Dorian is taking a day off to hang out by the pool?”
“I know, right?” Chandler laughed. “It’s only because I’ve been calling him every day, torturing him to get together until he finally gave in. It’s not easy getting this guy to give up a day of work.”
“Well, enjoy your time together. I’m just gonna grab a drink and take it up to my room.”
“Nonsense,” Chandler said. “You should hang out with us.”
No way was I going to join them unless Dorian invited me. I shook my head. “I wouldn’t want to interrupt your guys’ day.”
“It’s not a guys’ day, actually. My wife, Candace, will be here soon,” Chandler explained. “She’s coming straight from an appointment, so we took separate cars. I think she’d appreciate some female company.”
“Oh, I see.”
It surprised me to learn Dorian had married friends. He seemed to be the quintessential bachelor. I’d assumed most of his friends were the same.
“You should join us,” Dorian finally said.
In that case, sure. “Okay.” I nodded. “I’ll go get changed.”
I had stuff to get done today, but I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to meet Dorian’s friends, even if just to satisfy my curiosity.
My stomach felt a bit unsettled as I headed upstairs, and I could identify a variety of possible reasons. Getting into a bathing suit in front of Dorian was at the top of the list. Not to mention meeting his friend’s wife. Would we get along? Lord knows every other woman Dorian had brought around me had turned out to be a disaster. What if she was judgmental? I thought about my conversation with Patsy, how she was so sure men like Dorian went for a certain type of woman—one that wasn’t anything like me. Chandler seemed nice enough, but he might’ve had the same taste.