Page 22 of Last Chance Seduction
“I know, I know.And they’ll give me great references and experience for my gap year.”
“Look at you, able to take a gap year.”
“Yes, because I’m privileged.”He rolled his eyes as he said it, but the man wasn’t wrong.I came from Montgomery money, which was blue-collar money.Hence the loans.Justin came from fancy money.He didn’t have student loans, and honestly, I was surprised he hadn’t gotten the job with the Anderson law firm.But maybe it just hadn’t been a good fit.For all I knew, the interview hadn’t gone well.
“Well, hello, who’s that?”Justin said, pulling me from my thoughts.I looked over where he was staring, his heart in his eyes, and I grinned.
“Hey, Mercy!We’re over here.”
“I thought you were dating Gia?”Justin whispered.
“I’m not dating Gia.She’s just a friend.So is Mercy.”
Gia and I had been schoolmates, and I get the feeling she had a thing for me, but I couldn’t help but keep my gaze on Mercy.
She was just so damn beautiful.She had put more highlights in her hair since I had last seen her, so now it shined bright blonde underneath the sunlight.Her twin, Emily, followed behind her, her hair a bright cherry red.
“Dibs,” Justin called, and all thoughts of me finally getting the nerve to ask Mercy out after crushing on her since we had been years younger fled.
“What?”
“Dibs.You can take the redhead.I want the blonde.”He winked and my stomach fell.
“Justin, they’re both my friends.”
“That means I have an in.Why don’t you introduce me?”
Then Mercy smiled at Justin, that grin so bright that it nearly knocked me to my knees, and I did the only thing that a good friend would do.
“Mercy, Emily, this is Justin.Justin, these are the twins.”
“I’m so glad that I have an identity outside of being a twin,” Mercy said with a laugh, and I took a step back and watched Justin up his game.
But that was fine, just fine.
It wasn’t as if I had ever had a chance with Mercy.If something was ever going to happen, it would have before this.
My phone buzzed, and I watched Gia’s photo flash on the screen.
Well then, maybe it was time for me to take a step in that direction and stop wanting what I couldn’t have.And at the sound of Mercy’s laugh, I answered the phone and realized it was time to grow up and give up that certain dream.
Two years ago.
“I can’t believe that he just walked out on her during the wedding,” Gia said as we sat across from each other in the park, gray storm clouds on the way.
“He didn’t answer my call when I tried to reach out to him to see what the hell he was doing, but I don’t think I even want to talk to him at this point.”
“He was always an egotistical jerk, you know.”
“I don’t know ifalwaysis a good word for that,” I corrected.
“No, he was a jerk.Anyway, I’m thankful that you’re here.Because I think it’s time we talk.”
I blinked at her, the temperature chilling as the wind began to pick up.“What is it that you wanted to talk about?”I asked, grateful that my voice was staying slightly steady.
“Lex, you know I’ve had a lot of fun with you.I mean, we’ve traveled, we’ve made great friends, and I really like you.”
I swallowed hard and stuck my hands in my pockets.“But?”
