Page 139 of On the Double

“Really?”

“Yeah, I mean…we’re just taking it a day at a time.”

“Then I guess you’ll be wanting this back,” he said, shoving his hand in his pocket and retrieving the ring I’d given to Harper when we were pretending to be engaged. I stepped back, not wanting to touch it.

“Why do you have that?”

“I saw it in your cup holder in your truck.” He snorted. “Dude, this ring was expensive. The least you could do is put it in a box until you’re ready to use it.”

“Use it?” I said incredulously. “What, you think I’m going to marry her?”

“Aren’t you?”

“Why the fuck would you think that?”

“You’re practically living with her. I just assumed?—”

“That I would run off and get married because she’s good in bed?”

Anger rolled off his body in waves at my blunt statement. “You’re an asshole.”

“Yeah, I already told everybody that, including her. Why would you think any differently?”

“I don’t know. Because you’ve spent way more time with her than any other woman? Because after her accident, you seemed like you pulled your head out of your ass enough to actually commit to another person?”

“I never promised her anything,” I snapped.

“No, but you should have. Fuck, Edu, when are you gonna get your shit together? She’s not gonna stick around forever, you know. One of these days, she’s gonna get tired of being your mistress and she’s gonna dump you for someone who’s actually willing to commit.”

“She’s not my mistress,” I snapped. “Nobody uses that language anymore.”

“Then what would you call her? She’s certainly not your girlfriend if you have so little respect that you would drag her along for the ride with no chance of giving her more.”

I opened my mouth to argue with him, but realized he was right. I wasn’t being fair to her. The plan had always been to end things whenI knew I was getting too attached. But I’d allowed myself more time, knowing I didn’t want to end things just yet.

But I wasn’t willing to give her that ring. There was no fucking way I was getting married. All I could offer her was a live-in situation where we fucked and enjoyed each other’s company. Maybe that was enough for her. Maybe she was fine with the way things were.

“You’re right. She’s not my girlfriend. Maybe it’s time I cleared things up.”

He shouted after me as I stomped down the steps. “Just don’t break her heart, asshole!”

35

HARPER

“Areyou going to tell him tonight?” Oliver asked as I paced the living room.

“I don’t know.”

“He showed up here last night and I had to lie to him.”

“I know!” I snapped, spinning to face him. “I know exactly how it looked.”

“You can’t keep up that lie forever. He’s going to notice how tired you are at night. And I doubt you can have the flu for weeks on end.”

I knew all this. I wasn’t an idiot. I just hadn’t figured out how to break it to him yet. I rubbed my hand over my forehead as I struggled to come up with the perfect wording.

“Why are you delaying?”

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