Page 39 of Rhett Redeemed

I laugh and make a turn to the nearest drive-through window. “What would you like?”

“Cheeseburger and fries would be a treat right now,” she says, pulling out money from her wallet.

I ignore her attempts to pay and order what she requested, plus a soda and extra food for me, and then head back to her house. She unlocks the door and we both go inside. She turns the lights on and I set up the food on the table.

“Why did I do shots tonight? That was a terrible idea,” she grumbles, taking a sip of her soda and sitting down at the table. “And why did you have to be there tonight?”

I asked myself the same question. “Maybe fate has other ideas for us.”

She lifts those brown eyes up to me and takes a bite of her burger. “Fate is a bitch.”

My lip twitches. She’s not wrong.

“I like you, Con—”

“I think we should just be friends,” she blurts out.

“Friends?” I reply, not liking the way the word tastes on my tongue. But that’s how I painted this to Clo, so I guess I was kind of thinking the same way. But to hear her actually say it, yeah, it fucking sucks.

“Yes, friends. It’s clear this isn’t going to work out, but we keep running into each other. So I feel like it’s the best option.”

Friends is the last thing I want to be with her, but I can’t ask her to put me before Cara. Cara may have given me her blessing, but that is between sisters. And I only want Con to be with me if she wants to be with me, not because of Cara.

“Do you think we could be friends?” I ask.

“Yes, I do,” she replies, nodding.

“Okay, friends it is then.”

Is it what I want?

No.

But I’ll take what I can get...for now.

We eat, and then Con has a shower while I clean up the mess and get her some painkillers and water, and then I tuck her in. She puts on a full tracksuit, and I take the hint. She means it—she wants to be friends, and friends only.

She smiles at me and says good-night.

Fuck.

She’s beautiful.

I don’t know what it is about her, but there’s just something magnetic.

She’s a handful, but I like that. I don’t care how much attitude she gives me, I find it amusing, and it keeps things interesting and never boring.

“Good night,” I say to her as I leave.

“Thank you for getting me home.”

I lock the front door and lean back on it, looking out at my car.

There’s nothing I want more right now than to climb into that bed and hold her in my arms all night, but instead I get into my car and drive back to the clubhouse.

I’d like to commend myself on my willpower, but the truth is if she gave me the word I’d be in there with her.

But her loyalty to Cara has won out, and I have to respect that.

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