Page 49 of Flirting with the Scrooge

I nod. When he doesn’t say any more, I ask, “Why didn’t you tell me?”

He blows out an exasperated sigh. His arms drop to his sides. “Do you got a minute?”

I nod again. Wordlessly, he steps to the side and out of the doorway to give me enough room to pass by.

TWENTY-THREE

IT WAS REAL

Connor

I guess the gig is up. I’m surprised I went undetected as long as I did, but it was inevitable that I would eventually get outed, especially with how many public appearances I’ve made. As I sit down on the couch, I run my hands down my face. She crosses her leg over her knee away from me and wraps her arms around her stomach, closing herself off. I can’t say I blame her. Seconds tick by as we stare at each other.

“So, this is what I know. Your name is Connor Tyler. You’re from California. So who’s Connor James?”

I owe her the truth. I know this. She deserves the truth, so it’s time to lay all my cards on the table since I know she’s always been honest with me. With my elbows on my knees, I glance up at her. “My full name is Connor James Tyler. I’m in the band Onyx Stone. I grew up in Harbor Highlands. When the band hit it big, I used Connor James as my professional name to help keep my life somewhat private. I didn’t buy this house. It belongs to Grams. My grandma.”

She nibbles on her thumbnail as she blinks rapidly, connecting the dots. Her hand drops to her lap. “Wait. Mrs. Hendrickson would mention her grandson, CJ, who went off to make it big in Hollywood. You’re the grandson?”

I nod. “Yes. I needed to get away so when I heard she was moving into an assisted living facility, I volunteered to come here and pack everything up, fix it up a little, and then put it on the market.”

She mouths “wow” before her hand covers her lips as she digests everything.

I hold my breath waiting for her response. Is she mad? Shocked? Want to strangle me? She isn’t giving anything away, so I continue, “It was never meant to play out like this. Especially, you showing up at my door. The first time we met, I thought you were a fan, expecting something from me. But you weren’t, and it caught me off guard.” I drag my hands down my jeans before meeting her gaze. “You were real with me. Your feelings toward me were real. Even though you hated me, it was real. I craved something real. Just being around you made me feel like a person again, and not someone’s pawn for their own agenda.”

Her foot drops to the floor as she sits up in the chair. “So, let me get this right, you show up in town, are a complete asshole to me because it felt real. Then you had sex with me because why not?” She pauses as the air crackles between us. “You told me I was beautiful and perfect. Was that even real?” Her voice is low like she’s afraid to hear the answer. Then she shakes her head. “Never mind. It doesn’t matter. You did all this while you knew you weren’t staying. Did I get that right?”

“Well… I mean…”

“Simple answer. Yes or no?” She glares at me.

“Technically, yes.” I blow out a breath. “But it’s not like that.”

She leans forward. “Then what is it like? Please help me understand. We shared two amazing nights together, where we both said things. Things that I thought meant something. Like this could actually go somewhere. Instead, you’re telling me that was never your intention. Were you telling me those things just to get me to sleep with you? You were just using me for sex to pass the time before you left?”

I reach for her hand so I can touch her, feel a connection with her, but she yanks her hand from my grasp. “No, that’s not it. I meant those things. All of them.” I sigh. “But also, I’m not staying. I was never planning on staying. I’m sorry I didn’t tell you, but I didn’t lie to you.”

“It was a lie by omission.”

“Running into you was never part of the plan. In fact, it made the plan even more complicated.” I scrub my hands down my face.

“Well, I’m sorry to be a hindrance to your plan. It won’t happen again.”

“It’s not like that. I don’t know what you were expecting. For us to sleep together and suddenly we’re what? Getting married?” I huff out a deep breath. “I never told you I was staying.” I go on the defensive because I don’t know what else to do.

“No, you’re right. Silly me. I should have assumed you just wanted to fuck me and then leave,” she seethes. “Clearly, we weren’t on the same page. We weren’t even in the same book.” She jumps to her feet. “It’s not even important. None of this is important because you’re leaving.” She shakes her head. “You’re worse than Adam.”

I rise to my feet and stand in front of her, taking offense to the comparison. “I’m worse than the guy you were in a relationship with who fired you and dumped you for a younger woman? Yeah, okay. That makes a lot of sense.”

“Yes! Because he never showed me how amazing something could be! I never felt I had to be perfect for you to accept me. For once, I felt like I could be me.” She huffs out a humorless laugh. “Now look where that got me.” Spinning around, she stomps toward the door and throws it open.

“Tatum! Wait!” I rush after her, but the door slams in my face as my fingertips brush across the door handle. I watch through the window as she runs down the stairs and jogs across the street, never once glancing back, and disappears inside her house.

Fuck. This wasn’t supposed to happen. None of this was supposed to happen.

TWENTY-FOUR

CANDY MAFIA

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