Page 116 of Wingwoman
“Nope. He just said it wasn’t his place to reveal and he’d let you tell us yourself,” Max said.
Dammit. It really was thoughtful. Why did he have to be so freaking sweet?
“So…?” Max prodded.
“Brent,” I admitted with a sigh.
“Brent?” Max repeated.
“Oh no,” Carrow groaned. “Please don’t tell me this is some awful elaborate scheme to get that cheating asshole back.”
“Not exactly,” I said. “I don’t want him back. Ever. But I want him to grovel. I want him to beg me and realize what he’s missing. And then I want to look him in his stupid perfect eyes and tell himno.”
Max gasped. Carrow smiled.
And I lifted the bubbly glass of champagne that Bonnie had poured for us ten minutes prior. “Brent values fame above everything else. It will kill him to see me on Josh’s arm.”
“How diabolical of you.” Carrow clinked her glass to mine. “I love it.”
“But won’t Josh get hurt?” Max asked, concern tilting her expression. “He really likes you.”
“He’s aware of why I’m doing this,” I said, ignoring the pang of regret pinching at my breastbone. “And he’s said multiple times that what we have isn’t meant to last. So even if we do like each other, we both know the expiration date here.”
Max set her champagne glass down, obviously over the celebration already. “That’s so sad.”
Carrow’s eyes narrowed. “I call bullshit.”
Max rolled her eyes and waved a hand at Carrow. “I wouldn’t exactly say it like that, but I am curious as to why it would have to end if what you two have is a good thing?”
That same question had been haunting me too. But Josh seemed adamant this wasn’t a lasting sort of love. Intense and fleeting. And because of that, I needed to keep myself detached. I needed the wall around my heart to remain solidly in place. “I don’t know,” I said. “But it’s better this way. Brent and I didn’t break up that long ago.”
Carrow snorted. “Yeah, andhealready has a ring on someone else’s finger.”
Max glared at Carrow. “Not helping.”
“You two are fucking, aren’t you?” Carrow asked, blunt as ever.
“Carrow!” Max gasped.
I barely reacted though. That was Carrow for you, and it wasn’t even a surprise anymore. “Yes,” I said simply. “We are.”
“You are?” Max’s wide eyes darted to me now. “Hope! That’s prostitution!”
“Shhhh!” I hissed and looked toward the back room. Bonnie hadn’t come out yet, but that didn’t mean she wasn’t back there listening. “It is not. We like each other. We’re both consenting adults. And what I got paid for is completely separate from…that.”
Carrow took a lazy sip of champagne. “I say get it, girl. But just know this whole keeping emotions separate thing? You’ve never been good at that.”
I rolled my eyes. "I can have casual sex!" I hissed and was met with the doubtful stares of both my friends. "Ican."
"I'll believe it when I see it," Carrow muttered, her disbelief permeating the air.
"Look," I said, "I know this doesn't help my case any but I want to do something special for Josh."
Max squealed and clapped her hands. "Ohhh! I love a grand gesture!"
"Not a grand gesture," I snapped, correcting her. "More like a thank you. And also... okay, look. You can't tell anyone this, but the horse rescue he runs at the ranch is in trouble. We need something big so he doesn't lose his mother's whole legacy."
"What kind of trouble?" Carrow asked.
