Page 63 of The Seven Month Itch
My hand covers his. I’m not sure how I’ll get through the night, but here goes nothing. “It’s okay.” I straighten in my seat and stare into his eyes. “Preston, I need to tell you something.”
“That you and your ex are no longer estranged?” His calm tone grips my senses.
Does he?
No.
How?
What?
He looks unfazed, like he hasn’t concocted a plan to chop me into pieces and sprinkle my remains in the bushes. I don’t know him well, but I hope that’s the case. A rich serial killer was only a thing inAmerican Psycho, right?
Well, there are the Menendez brothers, John Du Pont, and Robert Alan Durst, to name a few.
That’s it. No more true crime for me. I need something easy and joyful, likeHouse Hunterswith a hopeful homebuyer who massages goldfish for a living and has a $3 million budget.
My cheeks burn, and I let out a breath. “H-how do you know?”
Preston holds my gaze. “Video of you two on the dance floor. You both looked cozy.”
My back hits my chair in a thump. I don’t know if I should breathe a sigh of relief or bolt for the door.
And go where? He owns the resort.
“Were you spying on me?” My voice betrays any attempt to remain calm. Owning a hotel is not a license to monitor potential love interests. That can’t be legal.
There better not be any cameras in our rooms. Oh God. What if there are?
He smirks as if he senses my discomfort. “Relax, Justice. I’m not a stalker. I wanted to see how you were. I hated that I had to leave yesterday.” His face turns serious. “I assume things worked out the way you’d hoped?”
The dents in your comfy mattress prove they did.
I swallow hard and look him in the eye to say what’s in my heart. What’s been in my heart. “We found our way back to each other. It’s something I brushed off because of past pain. But what can I say? When you find your soul mate, it’s hard to let go.”
An expression crosses his features. He said he isn’t into commitments, but any frustration with me at this point is understandable. I never wanted to lead him on. It takes a few beats, but he nods. “I respect that.”
Sorry, what?
He waves a hand and chuckles. “Honestly, I envy your situation.”
So this is what it’s like when one of the men onMauryfind out they’re the father. My mouth is open, and my eyes are wide.He’senvious ofme? I shake my head and squint in hopes his words will make sense. They don’t, but the night is young. “I thought you said you don’t do long-term relationships?”
We sit in silence until the waiter comes to take our order. Preston nods at the menus and waits for me to make my selection. I guess we’re having dinner after all. When we’re alone again, he searches my eyes. “I’m not opposed to anything longterm, but part of the reason why I’m hesitant is I was once in love with someone who got away.”
It’s a good thing the wine has arrived, because I’m going to need it. Will this night bring any more turns? Scratch that. I don’t want to know.
“Really?”
He leans forward, like he’s about to tell me a secret, and clasps his hands together. Preston met a young woman in his late twenties. They dated for close to a year, and it was the most passionate relationship he’s ever had. But something happened that made them lose touch, and he regrets it to this day.
“I was so young, just coming into the business. I didn’t know what I had.” He shakes his head, still lost in the memory. “I would marry her today if I ever found her.”
I reach out to take his hand as he continues.
“I’ve had many women in my life, and I’ve wasted so much time trying to fill a void all of these years.”
Emma told me Preston is forty-one, thanks to an extensive online search that would put Homeland Security to shame. This man has enough money in the bank to last lifetimes and enjoys nothing less than luxury. There’s a good chance he has models on speed dial. A walking advertisement for confidence, this one is, but something tells me his willingness to be vulnerable tonight is a side of himself he doesn’t often show.
