Total pages in book: 90
Estimated words: 85950 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 430(@200wpm)___ 344(@250wpm)___ 287(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 85950 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 430(@200wpm)___ 344(@250wpm)___ 287(@300wpm)
Secondly, why in the world would they need privacy in his office? Chandler would have access to any reports written about her, so there’s no point in trying to have such a private conversation.
When my eyes dart in Cash’s direction, my heart threatens to break into a million tiny pieces. He’s not looking at me. He’s looking at her, a soft smile on his face.
“Adalynn brought cupcakes,” Chandler says, throwing his thumb back over his shoulder to indicate me.
Cash’s eyes are still slow to leave the woman sitting across from me.
My mind races with memories. Is she an old flame? Have they been dating? Did he come over last night to tell me that he can no longer donate his sperm to my cause because he’s finally found someone he wants to date? Did I ruin it with my tears and desperation?
I hold my head a little higher, a smile I’ve perfected over the years in place. From the corner of my eye, I catch the falter in Cash’s smile when he looks in my direction.
“They’re just some leftovers,” I explain. “I can see you’re busy.”
“Adalynn,” Cash says as I turn away. “Come meet Eastyn Hart. She’s going to be our new office manager.”
My heart races with the urgency to run from here and never darken this door as long as I live, but common courtesy has me facing them once again and walking toward the woman, with my hand out.
“Adalynn Tate,” I tell her, hating that my hand is even remotely sweaty as she shakes it.
“Mr. Tucker was telling me about his best friend who makes amazing cupcakes,” she says. Her words are like a sharp needle to the bubble holding every fantasy I’ve ever had of the man.
“What else has he said about me?” I ask in a teasing way with a hint of laughter in my voice.
It’s the only thing keeping me from crying.
I read way too much into the time we’ve spent together. I’ve let wants and fantasies make me delusional. Cash has said nothing to me to make me think that things should be different between the two of us. Hot, enthusiastic sex doesn’t equate to plans to build a life together.
“Not much else,” she says, her smile still firmly in place.
It appears victorious to me, as if we were in some sort of competition, and I lost before the starting bell even rang.
“I have no doubt the two of you will be close friends,” Cash says, as if he needed to hit the end of the nails that have already been driven into my heart. “I have no doubt Eastyn will be down at the bakery numerous times a week.”
Cash always made a point to visit me throughout the day if he had time, but that’s just one more thing that has changed in recent weeks. He only shows up when he wants a piece of my body. As much as I liked feeling like an addiction he couldn’t control, it makes me feel smarmy right now.
“Well,” I say, that practiced smile still firmly locked in place. “I better get going. I’m helping Sage prep for her book and dinner event.”
It’s a complete lie. I haven’t spoken with Sage about those plans since I suggested she reach out to Riley Wilson.
“It was lovely to meet you,” Eastyn says, and I hate that she sounds genuine. She may not be from Lindell, but I can tell from the light twang in her voice that she comes from a southern town.
I let my eyes assess her just a little longer. She’s pretty and seems several years younger than I am.
Her clothes are well made, designer, if I had to guess. The watch on her wrist looks expensive, not something someone who needed a barely above minimum wage job would wear.
“Have a good day,” I tell them all.
“You’re really going to hire her?” Chandler asks, as if he didn’t know that was Cash’s decision until the woman was introduced to me.
It’s another line in the sand, one that feels like the resurrection of a concrete wall between the two of us because Cash is too busy introducing them and explaining her job duties to chase after me.
I manage to keep my head held high as I climb into my car, but it nearly guts me to see Cash offer her the only vanilla with chocolate frosting in the entire box. He’d peel Chandler’s skin off his entire body before letting that man eat his favorite cupcake.
He doesn’t bother looking in my direction as he smiles at the woman when she takes her first bite of the treat meant for him. I look over my shoulder to back out of the parking spot before he manages to drop his eyes to her mouth.
My heart is fully broken by the time I’m in my driveway.