Everett Holden had sworn to live the rest of his life a single man, but his plans are disrupted when he finds himself sharing an apartment with his best friend's ex - the one woman he detests with every fiber of his being yet simultaneously desires...
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I KNEW IT wouldn't be long before word got to my father about my decision to attend the charity gala, and when I spot him at our usual booth in the back of the restaurant, I fight the urge to roll my eyes.
He's smiling from ear to ear, and my body is stiff when he pulls me in for a hug. "Hey, Everett. It's good to see you."
With a dip of my chin, I slide into the booth opposite him and fold my hands in front of me on the table. "Did you already order drinks?"
He shakes his head, attempting to get the attention of the waitress.
I'm waiting for him to bring it up. It's the elephant in the room, but he remains silent and waits for me to speak first, which annoys me more than anything. Doesn't he care?
"I'm not attending because of you," I say to get rid of the smile on his face. It only remains, making my irritation stronger.
"I didn't think you were. You've never wanted to come before, so I could only assume there was another outside factor that swayed your decision." Emery is what he's insinuating. That's why his grin only grows wider. "But it makes me happy to know you're coming, regardless if it's because of me or someone else."
I shrug, rolling the straw in front of me between my fingers. "It's not a big deal. Don't make it a thing."
He throws his hands up. "I didn't say a word. However, can I ask about the savings account you recently opened? Are you needing money for something?"
It's not a surprise he caught that. He tracks all my accounts to ensure there's enough money in them. "No, I'm fine. The savings account is for Emery. She's insistent on paying me to stay in the guestroom, but I don't need the money. I figured I'd just put it in a savings account without her knowing."
He raises a brow. "Will she be mad when she finds out?"
The waitress interrupts us for our drinks, and while we wait for her to return, I can't help but imagine the uproar it will be when Emery does discover I've been saving for her this whole time. She's never been one to accept my kind gestures without putting up a fight first, and when I picture that defiant stance of hers, with her little pouty lip and arms crossed over her chest...
I laugh, and you would have thought I just keeled over and died from the reaction on my father's face. It looks like he's seen a ghost. "She'll definitely be mad," I say, "but she'll get over it when she finally has enough money to move out."
"And is that what you want? For her to move out?" He's walking on a thin line asking about her, and he knows it, judging by how he holds his breath. I've never spoken to him about girls, and I don't plan on starting now.
"It's what she wants," I reply. "That's all there is to it."
The waitress returns with our drinks, and I take a long sip of Sprite as he clears his throat and says, "Well, I hope you know what you're doing, Everett. Don't be an idiot and let her go."
