Page 82 of Slumming It
"And that's a problem?"
She took another sip of vodka, this one slower and more deliberate like she was stalling for time. When she finished, she replied, "I don't know. Maybe." But then she straightened. "Here's the thing. I don't want to be rude, but honestly? It didn't feel like a full apology."
No shit."Because it wasn't."
"So you see my dilemma, right?"
I did.And callmea sucker, but I was impressed by her integrity. The problem was, she had far too much of it, which would make her an easy mark for assholes with fewer scruples than myself.
Yeah, I was an asshole, but I was no cheapskate. And a deal was a deal. I'd paid the two grand and considered it money well spent. "Wanna know what I think?"
"What?"
"A half-assed sorry isn't worth a refund."
She still looked uncertain. "It isn't?"
"Hell no. Keep it and call it good."
"All of it? Are you sure?" She studied my face. "You're not gonna feel like I cheated you, are you?"
Her honesty was refreshing, and it was time for some honesty in return. "If I took it back, I'd be cheatingyou.And do you wanna know why?"
"Why?"
"Because my apology sucked ass."
This made her laugh in that magical way of hers, the way that warmed my soul and made me want to hear it again. Her eyes crinkled with humor as she said, "Well, it wasn't theabsoluteworst." She glanced again toward the upper level. "I think Nikki's apology winsthatprize." With a little eyeroll, she repeated the gist of it. "I'm sorry for whatMorgandid?" Emily snickered. "Worst apology ever."
I shrugged. "Eh, I've heard worse." This was no lie. During that recent argument with Cassandra, she'd said she was sorry to inform me that I was the coldest bastard on Earth.
Iwasn't sorry.
In life and in business, the coldness had served me well, and I didn't plan on thawing any time soon.
Emily said, "Well, it was the worst apologyI'veever heard. And what about Morgan? She didn't apologize at all. Was that why you tricked them?"
"Tricked them how?"
"By pretending that you were going to sit with them?" Emily paused to take a tiny sip of her drink. "Unless youweren'tpretending."
I liked watching her mind work. Her eyes were bright, and her face was an open book – a beautiful open book devoid of games and schemes. With a girl like her, thawing would be far too easy, which is why I needed to stick with the plan.
When I said nothing in reply, she continued to speculate. "Maybe if they had apologized for real, youwouldhave sat with them."
I shook my head. "Not a chance."
"Why not?"
As I stared into her eyes, I spoke the first thing that came into my head. "Because they were rude to someone I care about."
At my words, her breath caught, and I immediately realized my mistake. I'd spoken without thinking – a rare occurrence and one of many red flags.
This girl – Emily Ann Quinn – was getting under my skin in a way that wasn't part of the plan.
And the worst thing was, I found myself liking it.
Chapter 31
