Page 116 of Love Not Qualified

Go back as in be in his presence twenty-four-seven, know his schedule, and get closer to him by the minute? I didn’t know if that was something I wanted. I should’ve been far away from him.

“Come back to the company and let’s work together on this.As friends.” He stressed the last words.

How did he know my mind flew right to that?

“Friends,” I repeated the word.

Friends? How was I supposed to be friends withhim? How was that supposed to happen when I was having a small conversation with him and my heart was ready to jump out of my chest? How was I supposed to be his friend when it took my entire strength to not kiss him the second he showed up at my door like a goddamn sin?

“Haelyn,” he interrupted my thoughts.

“Huh?”

“I don’t want to be your friend,” Tristan said, those beautiful eyes watching me. “Just wanted to make that clear.”

I nodded, even though my breathing was stolen. If I was bothered by the idea of being his friend, hearing that it’s the last thing he wanted was way worse.

When I worked for him I felt like I had a purpose and I was slowly finding out something I was good at. But when I worked for him I got attached and then, betrayed.

How could this be any good to us?

Why should we try?

We tried once. It worked terribly.

So why bother again?

The app labeled us as a possible match, but what if our love wasn’t qualified?

When I realized I was silent for too long, I cleared my throat and gave him a smile. “I’ll think about it.”

Tristan seemed like he was looking right through me. As if his eyes struggled to get a hold of what my mouth didn’t say. But if he knew… if he knew, we would’ve been all over each other and I wasn’t ready.

“Yeah,” he murmured, then got up and walked to the door. Before he left, he looked over his shoulder. “Thank you for telling me the truth about what you think about Ryker and I. If it wasn’t for you, he wouldn’t have still been home.”

FORTY-FOUR

TRISTAN

“Cielle is a headache,” Kiaran said, massaging his temples with the tip of his fingers. “She got a belly piercing, then ran away for two weeks.”

When Carter—Esmeray’s supposed-to-be husband—threatened the life of her sister, Kai let Kiaran take care of her. Even after the danger passed when Carter eventually went to prison, Cielle stayed in the same house with him in Costa Rica.

Esmeray and Cielle shared the same blood, but personally I didn’t see any resemblance between them. Esmeray was smart, kind and modest while Cielle was a rebellious kid, with a big mouth and a spoiled brat.

Plus, she hated our family too, not just her sisters. It didn’t make sense to me since she lived in a house with a Graves.

Esmeray’s mouth parted open. “I don’t understand her,” she breathed out. “But I’m done with that. Can we please not talk about her anymore?”

Kai put a comforting hand on her back as tensed air left her lungs. She offered him a smile but I could see she was affected. Esmeray had a big heart, even for those who didn’t deserve a place there.

Kiaran sighed. “She’s not that bad, I promise. You just have to give her a chance.”

With that, Esmeray got up on her feet at the table, looking down at my brother. I leaned back in my seat, not wanting to intervene for now.

“Ihave to give her a chance?” She laughed sarcastically. “What about when I invited her to the Raybow’s launch party? What about when I texted her non-stop and she never replied? What about when I flew to visit her and she slept at her best friend’s house for a week?” Her eyes burned red and she placed a hand on the table. “I think I’ve tried enough and I got the message she doesn’t want me in her life. So don’t tell me I should give her a chance.”

She pushed the chair behind her with her legs, then stormed away, her heels clinking on the floor and her bow moving side to side in her hair. Kai didn’t hesitate to follow her after throwing Kiaran an ugly look.

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