Page 12 of Wasted On You

“Well, that’s good.” Millie Sue sat back, her gaze sharp. “What’s going on inside that head of yours?”

“Sunday night I told you that I was going to win her back.”

His two friends looked at him like he was crazy.

“Bud, she’s engaged to be married in just over a month.” Cal wore a pained expression.

“To Kip Lafferty,” Millie Sue added. “TheKip Lafferty in case you didn’t get that memo.”

“I couldn’t care if she was engaged to the damn King of England.”

Millie’s face softened. “I get that you’re hurt. That you had this incredible night with Ivy and then…” She glanced at her husband, Cal. “Well, I don’t exactly know what happened between you two. I don’t know where it went wrong, but something clearly did and now she’s over it. She’s met someone who’s really nice and I don’t want you screwing things up with her and Kip.” She shook her head. “You’re better than that.”

Cal nearly choked on his beer and looked at his wife, an incredulous expression on his face.

“We’re talking about Mike Paul here. The guy has zero scruples when it comes to women.”

Mike Paul didn’t have time to ponder if he’d just been complimented or dissed. He’d also had enough. “Look, guys. I’m not asking your permission or your thoughts on the matter. The fact is, Ivy and I are meant to be together and all I have to do is make her realize it.” He grinned. “I love her and I’m pretty sure she loves me too. Why else would she be acting this crazy?”

“Wow,” Millie Sue muttered. “Your ego is bigger than the state of Montana.”

“I’ve never heard you say that word before.” Cal sat back and shook his head.

“What word?” Mike Paul asked gruffly.

“The L word.”

“I’m serious.” Mike Paul finished his beer and signaled for another. “I’ve already made it past the first stage of my plan, so things are looking good.”

“You have a plan?” Cal asked.

“Yeah and phase one has been executed.”

“And what was that exactly?” Millie Sue asked.

“Up until about thirty minutes ago Ivy wasn’t talking to me.”

“And?” Cal said.

“Now she is.” Mike Paul sat back and grinned. “And as we’ve previously discussed she didn’t kick me in the balls. That’s a win in my books.”

Cal was quiet for a few moments, picking at the label on his beer. “We’ve been friends forever and I don’t want to get caught up in whatever is going on between you two, but I have to put this out there. If you hurt her, you and I are going to have a problem.”

“I respect that.” Mike Paul slowly nodded, his expression equally serious. “I’d never hurt her. Not on purpose.”

“That’s what I’m afraid of,” Millie Sue said quietly. “It’s not the gun or the bullet. It’s the shrapnel that’s left behind. That stuff stays with you forever.”

Annoyed at the turn in conversation when he’d been on a high, Mike Paul frowned at the couple. “You guys found your way back to each other and there were some bumps and painful moments.” He looked at Millie Sue. “Aren’t you the one who told me that you couldn’t have love without pain? Hell, you even put that in a song.”

“I did but?—”

“We’ve been through the pain part. The next step is all good. I’m going to win the girl. I’m going to prove to Ivy that I’m the only man she needs. And I’m going to get it done before Christmas.”

Mike Paul was already thinking about the next stage of his plan, and he’d bulldoze over anyone who got in his way. Even his best friends.

Chapter4

By Thursday eveningIvy was bored. Kip had left the day before for New York. He had meetings with his agent Tucker Simon and his business manager Fiona Major—none of which had anything to do with Ivy. And though he’d done his best to convince her to come along, she’d held firm. She wasn’t the girl who enjoyed shopping and she sure as hell wasn’t the girl who liked to dodge paparazzi—since their engagement had broken they’d become a target. She’d rather flip them her middle finger and be done with it.

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