Page 8 of Just a Distraction

I’ve reached my car, but I’m too fired up to stop pacing.

“Thanks for letting me act that out with you. It was fun.” Milo’s demeanor is easy, but his brows gather like two dark caterpillars on his forehead, inching towards one another. And okay, they’re not thick enough to look exactly like caterpillars.

They’re perfect, as far as male eyebrows go.

When I don’t say anything more, he cocks his head to one side. “Are you okay, Rose? I wasn’t going to sit there doing nothing, knowing he’s been giving you a hard time.”

“I’m okay,” I say. “It felt weird that you defended me.” I square my shoulders, the buzz from our ruse still pumping through me. “But it was kind of nice, too. People don’t stand up for me like that.”

“Can I ask you something?” He waits until I nod. “Why do you even still work there?” His arms go wide, but his voice is a whisper. “You’re obviously a strong and intelligent woman. You don’t have to take that kind of behavior from a boss.”

“I know, but like I said, it’s complicated,” I say, taking in the sorry state of my chipped nails in the dimly lit parking lot. “It isn’t permanent. I have a degree in biology, Milo.” I meet his gaze. “I’m going back to school to become a nurse. But as of right now, I have no other choice but to bide my time at Casa del Cibo.”

“A nurse huh? Wow.”

“Uh huh.” My stance. My voice. Everything about what’s going down here reminds me how my mom used to get with her ex-husbands, all three of them. She’s a five-foot-nothingfirecracker, dramatic and stubborn. And she can flirt anyone under the table. And as much as I don’t want to be flirtatious with this nice, gorgeous, if not misinformed gentleman, I can’t seem to control my inner Tamela Hawkins. “I’m going to get there, too, it’s just going to take longer than I thought because not all of us can be pretty boy, trust fund babies . . .”

“Whoa.” Milo holds up a hand. “A pretty boy trust fund . . .?” He laughs and shakes his head. “You know nothing about me.”

I take a deep breath and smile. “Sorry, it just sort of came out.” My feet hurt, my breasts are still a little sore, and I may have just gotten myself fired. “You’re right. I know nothing about you.”

“Sounds like you’ve had a rough go lately?” Milo’s voice is kind, and he shifts his weight in his stance.

“You could say that.” I sigh, crossing my arms over my chest again. “And I’ve gotten to the point that I almost don’t even care if I get fired.” I toss a look behind me. “He sent me home early. I think it was a power move, or he just didn’t want to be reminded of the way I stood up to him or something. But I needed that money.”

“I’m sorry if I took it too far. It turned out to be more like an intervention and less likePunked. Is there anything I can do to make it up to you?” His eyes soften as he gazes at me. His apology seems sincere.

“It’s all good. It was my idea to begin with.” I pause, allowing myself a moment to like that I’ve caught his attention. “I sort of liked that you stood up for me.” I dig in my purse to find my keys.

I don’t want to go home. I haven’t had a babysitter outside of working hours for so long. I want to live it up!

But exactly how I would do that is beyond me. I’m tired, and I think my fun meter has been broken along the way.

Annoyance at my life flares up and I clutch the keys into my palm, grinding them against my skin. This may be the last night I get to myself in a while.

“You said your family all had plans, but what’s a guy like you doing out by yourself on a Friday night? What about your friends?”

And girlfriend?

In a different life, I would definitely ask him if he has a girlfriend.

“I’m in a bind and wanted to be alone to think,” he says, sighing. He kneads his forehead. “Gotta figure things out in my life. I’m trying to make a big decision.”

“Sounds ominous.”

He makes a clicking sound with his mouth. “It feels sort of like I’m onJeopardy!and it’s the final question and the music is about to stop.” His lips bunch up. “So it is ominous.”

“What are you trying to decide? The meaning of life?”

He gives a polite smile. “I finished a joint program in May. I got my bachelor’s and master’s in business. I’m trying to figure out what’s next.”

I knew he was smart. I lean against my car and even though there’s a wide berth between us, I still feel it—a strong magnetism.

To be fair, I’m woefully out of practice. I haven’t dated since Blaine.

The thing is, Blaine wasn’t the jerk he is now. I thought I’d somehow managed to find the one man on the planet capable of being responsible, supportive, and loving. I thought I was so lucky, snagging the kind of relationship my mom and sisters hadn’t been able to have.

Turns out he wasn’t special or unique. He became the exact replica of my sisters’ baby daddies and my mom’s three husbands.

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