Page 65 of My Book Boyfriend
“I’m going to go inside,” Maddie says. “Say hello to Patrick.” She slips through the door to the bar.
“The absolute last possible thing?” I turn to him.
“That didn’t come out right,” he says. “I mean, if I didn’t want to date you, I wouldn’t be trying to save this garden. And pissing off my grandfather and looking like some soft touch. And worrying that I’m risking the CEO position.”
“Then why did you tell me not to hold back?”
“Because you shouldn’t hold back on my account. And because then I can argue to my grandfather that saving the garden undercuts the strong community opposition and works in our favor. The stronger your opposition, the more it helps me to save the garden.”
That makes sense.
I narrow my eyes.
“I’m being totally honest here,” he says. “I really like you. And I’ve tried to be as up front as possible—that I may not be able to save the garden.” His green eyes are huge in his face, pleading with me to believe him.
I look away. Shit. I still believe him.
“I believe you.” I take a big breath. “I believe you.” I clutch my stomach. “This isn’t good. This is going so fast, and I’m afraid I’m going to get hurt.”
He hugs me. “I’m sorry I said that. It was an idiotic thing to say. I wasn’t thinking. It’s what I usually say because usually, it is business. I tried to course-correct by saying you were a private person, but I should have clarified that dating you was not business. I can text her right now.”
“You havePage Sixon speed dial?” I laugh. Not that it’s funny, but I’m so relieved that I wasn’t being totally played. And his world is so different from mine.
“No. I have my PR person on speed dial, and I would call her and she would tellPageSix.” He looks down at me. “Thank you for believing me.”
“I still can’t help but think we should take a break,” I say. “Because I don’t want you to regret anything. You should fight as hard as you can to make CEO, and I’ll fight as hard as I can for the garden. We shouldn’t be conflicted. And then when the decision is made, we can date in earnest.”
“What if you don’t want to date me?”
“Then that’s better too. I need to know how I feel once the garden decision is made. I don’t want to get my heart broken. I want to be all in on this relationship. No doubts.”
He’s shaking his head no.
“When are you making the decision?” I ask.
“This week.”
“All right. We can hold off on dating for a week. That’s practically nothing.”
“I wanted more of a chance to persuade you that we suit,” he says ruefully. He grips my hand. “I get a second date, though, even if I don’t save the garden? I’m going to try to save it.”
“I’m telling you. You don’t need to. Do what you have to do to be CEO.” I pull my hand away.
“But I don’t want to lose you.” He shoves his hands into his pockets, his coat still cradled in his arm. He ran out after me without putting it on. “Can I take you home?”
“I think I prefer to go home alone. I need to check in on Maddie.”
“Okay.” He turns away, his back resolute.
“Okay,” I say.I’m not okay.I walk into the bar and don’t look back. Oasis Garden has to be my first priority for this week.
Another band is now on stage playing pop music. Couples dance all around me. Laughter breaks out behind me. Maddie seems to have disappeared. And wading through the crowd of swaying, happy people is not an appealing option. I stand there, on the edge of the dance floor, alone. Maybe I made the wrong decision. Maybe I should have enjoyed this time, come what may.
That’s not me.
Because he can date me even if the garden is destroyed. It’s just business to him.
I thought he’d protest more. Maybe he isn’t that interested in me. He’s Rupert Evans, and I’m just a lowly librarian.
