Page 10 of Drunk on You

Once he’s gone, instead of napping, I call my dad, wanting to get the ball rolling.

“Hello?” he says, not recognizing the number.

“Hey, Dad,” I say back.

“Anastasia! Are you in town? That area code is local.” The excitement in his tone causes a lump of emotion to clog my airway.

“Yeah,” I choke out. “I am. Remember that guy I told you I was seeing?”

To help set the scene so it doesn’t look as fake as it is, I’ve mentioned seeing a guy when we talked the past few times. I wasn’t sure if this would actually happen, but I figured, worst-case scenario, I’d tell him we broke up. But since I’m here, I can move forward with my plan.

“I do,” he says slowly.

“Well, I didn’t want to say anything because I wasn’t sure how serious we were, but he lives in Texas. In Rosemary actually.”

“And you’re visiting him?” Dad asks, no judgment in his tone.

“Actually, we’re engaged … and I moved here.”

“Oh, sweetie, I’m so happy for you. What about your job in London?”

“I quit.”

“Wow, he must mean a lot to you. What did you say his name is again?”

“Ian Thomas.”

Dad thinks for a second, then says, “Doesn’t ring any bells. So, any chance of seeing my daughter since she’s in the same zip code and possibly meeting the man who’s stolen her heart?”

“I’d like that,” I say. “I’m not sure when, but this week, maybe you and I can do lunch.”

“I would love that. Thank you.”

We talk for a few more minutes and then hang up. As I set my phone down, instead of feeling the usual pain toward my dad, today, guilt settles inside my belly like a dead weight. I don’t know if it’s because I’m lying to him about falling in love or because I’ve been gone so long and he sounded genuinely happy to know I’m back while I have ulterior motives that he isn’t aware of, but something deep inside me tells me that I need to proceed with caution before I make decisions I can’t take back.

All of this started with my dad’s choices that destroyed his family. The last thing I want is to, as he said, make the same mistakes he made.

chapter four

JUL(IAN)

“Well, you’re alive, so I’m assuming she’s not a serial killer?” Ryder asks through the line.

It’s been about an hour since I left Stacey in her room, and I can’t get her off my mind. I came down to my home office to try to get some work done since dinner isn’t for a few hours, but the only thing I can think about is her—brown hair with caramel highlights, the brightest hazel eyes I’ve ever seen, curves for goddamn days. Fuck, and those plump red lips that I can’t help but imagine wrapped around my cock. Cliché maybe, but I’m still a red-blooded male with fantasies, and my newest one is of her marking me with those red fucking lips.

“If she is, I’m so distracted by how gorgeous she is that she’d probably get away with murdering me,” I murmur, making Ryder chuckle.

“So, what’s the plan?”

“Dinner tonight, taking the boat out tomorrow. Maybe we’ll go to brunch at the country club on Sunday.”

“Wow, look at you. You’re like the welcoming committee.”

“Shut up,” I groan. “This is so weird. I’ve lived on my own for the past twenty years, and suddenly, I’m sharing my home with a gorgeous stranger, who’s supposed to be my fiancée. I’m in over my head here.”

“Breathe,” Ryder says. “She knows the score and will be compensated well for it. Just take it one day at a time. Get to know her, and once you guys are comfortable around each other, introduce her to Samuel to get the ball rolling. Once he sees you’re in a committed relationship, he’ll have no choice but to take you into consideration for the CEO position. You were already his best candidate before he went soft.”

“True,” I agree, taking a deep breath.

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