Page 56 of Phillip

“Nothing,” she muttered. “Just that I hate her.”

“You say that a lot.”

Her angry eyes tore open, and Phillip could see the hurt that glared, though he wasn’t sure how much of it he had caused. It didn’t matter. This wasn’t the time or place to dig into that.

“Never mind.” Phillip turned away. He wouldn’t be caught dead working on anything in which her mother was involved, and Ashley knew that.

“Wait,” Ashley called and pulled on his arm.

He shook her away before noticing more than one set of eyes watching with gossipy interest. He wasn’t going to be part of the King Harbor tongue-wagging squad tonight, so he turned them down a hall clad in roaring twenties décor. “Let’s go this way.”

Ashley kept up with his quick pace, and he tucked them away into a quiet art deco alcove. “You have to explain more than what you’ve said.”

She looked everywhere but at him.

“Ashley,” he demanded through clenched teeth.

“All right.” Tears colored her voice but didn’t brim in her eyes. “What do you want to know?”

“Hell, anything.” His temper burned in his chest. Phillip ran his hands into his hair. “What else haven’t you told me?”

She swallowed hard. “I haven’t told you that Sean Paget is my ex.”

CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE

“Your ex?” The tendons in Phillip’s neck strained as he repeated what she’d said.

Regret made her nauseous. She should’ve mentioned Sean before the meeting with his father. She’d tried, half-heartedly, but gave up like a big chicken because she didn’t want to add more confusion into the mix with Phillip. Clearly, wussing out was a mistake.

Phillip’s lips thinned, turning whitish as though he were pinching his mouth shut to avoid an explosion. Then he snapped, “I have to go.”

“I didn’t know what they were doing,” she tried as he stormed away. “I should’ve said something before we met with Robert.”

“You think?” he cracked without slowing.

He was too far ahead of her. Chasing him was fruitless. It was last-resort time. “Wait,” she bellowed, causing several people to turn and stare. He turned, well aware of what she was doing. “You can’t just leave me here.”

“Fine,” he relented through sealed teeth and pivoted toward the front of the lobby. “Catch up.”

She had to race to do so. They burst outside, both their tempers flaring. His Porsche had only been moved to the side, and Phillip didn’t wait for the valet manning the station to retrieve the vehicle. The two men shared an unspoken conversation, and the valet tossed Phillip his key fob. He caught it in one hand, not even slowing for the catch or to say thank you. “I’ll get you back tomorrow.”

“You always do.” The valet nodded to her as she rushed to keep up. “And have a good night, miss.”Customer service over everything.That must have been the Bickmore’s motto.

The Porsche’s engine roared as she nervously joined Phillip inside the car and shut her door. Immediately, the tires squealed before she’d even situated herself.

“Buckle up.” Phillip cut a sharp turn from the Bickmore’s drive.

Ashley tugged on her seat belt. “Donotdrive like a moron because you’re pissed at me.”

“I’m not.”

“This is what you always do. Do you know that?” she screamed.

His fingers flexed on the steering wheel as a tightness pulled across his face.

“Do you know that?” she yelled again.

He braked hard and pulled over. The seat belt cut into her shoulder.

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