Page 16 of We're Just Friends
"Mhmm…”
I rolled my eyes. "Please? You think I'm interested after all this time?"
"Nope, just giving you a hard time."
I chuckled as I looked back down at my phone. "Did you hear about that party at Jake's penthouse last month? I read about it online and couldn’t close my mouth for, like, an hour.”
I did a Google search, pulled up an article, and handed Annie my phone. “Jake Truman Passes Out At Dive Bar, Goes Home With Owner’s Wife. Wow. Girl, thank God you never told him about your crush. Can you imagine what your life would be like now?”
I took my phone back and stared at the thumbnail of him at a bar, drunkenly hanging onto a blonde as they walked out of it together. “Bunny Sinclair. Her husband definitely owns that bar, but I’m not sure if he actually went home with her. She probably just helped him get into his car.”
Annie followed me back to my office. Grabbing my phone back, she read part of the article out loud. “Bunny Sinclair, who co-owns The Drunken Pineapple with Arthur Sinclair, got into Jake Truman’s town car. They were seen canoodling inside of the bar and, according to several eyewitnesses, his hands were on her legs before his car door shut.”
I shrugged and pretended to rifle through some documents on my desk. “Nothing surprises me with men anymore,” I said, trying to ignore the sinking feeling in my stomach. I wasn’t sure if I could actually get together as friends without my old feelings resurfacing. Not with those mesmerizing blue eyes and that smile.
Annie shook her head. “He’s changed so much since high school. It must be all of that money. That’s what getting rich so quick does to a person, or so I hear. My bank account could use a few extra zeroes.”
I laughed a little bit as she pulled out her own cellphone.
“He’s staying with his brother,” I said.
Annie scoffed, staring at her phone. “Did you hear about the mansion his brother bought? The guest house is twice the size of my own place. I wonder if he’d like a roommate.”
We both laughed. Neither of us were surprised that Jake and his brother had become so wealthy, but little did Annie know, I was trying my best to push my feelings for him aside.
“When are you two getting together?” she asked.
“Whenever he calls me, I guess. He called me while I was working the opening last night. He’s supposed to be in town for a while, so no rush.”
As Annie walked over to the coffee maker to get a cup, I gritted my teeth and patted my cheek, trying to pull it together. One phone call and I had forgotten all about the fact that I needed to stay far away from Jake. After all, my life was finally on the right track. With my divorce closing in, I could focus all of my attention on Caley and my career.
As much as it pained me to tell myself, a relationship with Jake Truman was out of the question.
6
Jake
Isat down in the office of the guest house, swiveling in the chair, looking out the window and over the hill at the town. It was such a different view than I was used to in San Diego, where it was beautiful but busy.
As I listened to my employees talk over the speaker of the phone, my stomach grumbled. It was almost lunchtime and I was starving. “Everything sounds great so far. You guys are doing a tremendous job. In fact, why don’t you all leave an hour early today.”
All of my employees thanked me profusely and were more than happy to end the call. I chuckled as I pressed the speaker button, hanging up. That always made them move a bit faster. Standing up, I could feel the warmth of the sunshine through the window. And I made my way outside, breathing in the fresh air and hopping into my rented Aston Martin.
I was off to meet my brother, Richard at the company he worked at with our father.
The drive over to his office felt more peaceful than the traffic of San Diego. River Valley was such a calming place to be. Everyone smiled and waved as you passed. Everyone said hello when you walked by them on the street. Kids still road their bikes and played at the parks. It felt like the world around River Valley had morphed into the present day, while the town stayed the same wholesome place to be. I suddenly regretted renting something as luxurious as a British sports car, which definitely stood out in the sea of sedans and mini vans.
I pulled up to my father's office, and there was my brother, standing outside with Dad. I wanted my father to know how much I appreciated him. How I cared, regardless of our constant back and forth. I parked the car and got out, walking toward my father with open arms. “Dad!”
He squeezed me back extra hard, but quickly pulled away, keeping his emotions under wraps as he always did. Alex Truman had always been a man’s man, keeping his feelings disguised as aloofness. Richard and I had heard him crying behind closed doors on a few occasions, though.
“How was your trip?” He let go of our embrace, and stepped back, looking me up and down.
“It was good,” I said. “Are you joining us for lunch?”
“I have to go out and meet a client. You guys have fun, but not too much, your brother has work to get done.”
He walked off grumbling to himself and Richard and I exchanged glances. I shook my head and waved him over to the car. He whistled. "Well, I guess this is one way to go when renting a car."
