Total pages in book: 80
Estimated words: 75015 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 375(@200wpm)___ 300(@250wpm)___ 250(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 75015 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 375(@200wpm)___ 300(@250wpm)___ 250(@300wpm)
“Not really,” I returned. “Eve does stuff like this all the time. It’s not new, Zo.”
She let out an exasperated sigh. “I feel like there’s something going on between you and Eve that’s much deeper than her kissing some stranger, and you aren’t telling me.”
I set my purse down on the table, fighting the guilt swirling in my stomach. Why was I feeling guilty? I wasn’t the one who committed the betrayal. Zoey had no idea what her sister had done with Cole, and Eve should’ve been glad I never told her.
“I just . . . I don’t know who else to turn to right now.” Zoey’s voice was thicker, on the verge of tears.
There it was. The reason my guilt continued to manifest. I did still care about Eve. As much as I didn’t want to accept it, Cristine was right. Eve still felt important to me in some way. She’d been my best friend for sixteen years. We’d experienced so much. I couldn’t just write her off like she was nothing. My heart wasn’t cold enough to do that.
Not only that, but Zoey was like my little sister too. No matter what my status was with Eve, I would never neglect or abandon Zoey. She was one of the few people who kept my heart warm. She reminded me a lot of Diana, my baby sister, who often acted like the older sibling.
“Well, if I hear anything, I’ll let you know, okay?” I said. “Try not to worry yourself too much. I’m sure she’s fine.” Even I wasn’t sure about that, but Zoey took the bait.
“I’ll try not to,” she murmured. “I guess I’ll go study now. Can I call you tomorrow if I still don’t hear from her?”
“Of course, Zo. Call me anytime.”
“ ’Kay. Thanks, Rose. I love you. Goodnight.”
“I love you too. Goodnight.”
When she hung up, I went to the kitchen, perusing the fridge for something to eat. I grabbed the leftover chicken salad and searched the pantry for crackers. As I did, there was a knock at my front door. I paused on opening the crackers, glancing at the sidelight windows. I could see the arm of someone’s suit, the familiar shadow lingering behind them. With a burst of irritation, I walked to the door, unlocked it, and snatched it open to face Cole Howard, my cheating-ass husband.
CHAPTER SEVEN
Cole stood on the other side of my door, dressed in a blue button-down beneath a beige suit. I tried not to let my eyes travel over him. I hated that he looked so good all the time, even when I irrevocably despised him.
Those beautifully annoying brown eyes.
That flawless brown skin.
His perfectly lined-up hair.
That smooth damn goatee.
I ignored it all and folded my arms as I asked, “What are you doing here?”
“I’ve been calling you for days,” he said.
“And?”
He gave me a dry laugh. “I thought you’d have been mature enough to answer me at least once.”
I narrowed my eyes. “What do you want?”
“I’m worried about you,” he said.
“Maybe you should be more worried about keeping your dick in your pants.” I flashed him a faux smile.
“Rose.” He threw his hands in the air. “Come on, I’m trying here. We can still give this another shot.”
I pinched the bridge of my nose, one arm still folded over my chest. “Look, I’m seriously not in the mood for this tonight. Stop coming to my apartment and expecting me to be open to the idea of you being here. I never will be. Why do you think I moved out of the house in the first place?”
The whole point of getting this apartment was so I wouldn’t have to see his face again. But he’d found out where I moved to when he saw the security deposit in my bank account. At the time, he still had access to my accounts. He wanted to know where I was, so he called my complex and figured out which apartment I was in. That was my fault. I should’ve changed all of my passwords and changed ownership of my accounts first thing. Instead, I spent days and nights crying in bed.
“It’s just . . . well, I miss you, Rose.”
“Goodbye, Cole.” I stepped back and started to close the door.
He wedged a foot in the crack to stop it.
I lifted my gaze to his with a frown.
“Have you heard from Eve?”
My brows stitched together so fast I didn’t have a chance to control my reaction. “What?” He couldn’t be serious right now.
“Eve? I—I was just wondering if you’d heard from her. She agreed to meet me last night.”
“Meet you last night for what?”
“There’s something I wanted to talk to her about. Just wanted to, uh, apologize for . . . everything. But the main reason was so I could ask her if she knew any ways I could win you back. She knows you the best, so I just figured—”