Page 57 of New Girl in Town
“—and he’s the son of a multi-billionaire. He’s an heir tothat. He grew up as someone else, and he never once thought to tell me. I don’t know him at all.”
Melinda held up a finger. “Can we go back to the place where you said you loved him?”
“Forget that,” I told her, sitting up straight and waving a hand. “That’s over. That’s cancelled.”
“Um, how about no?”
“Mel…”
“You’re in love with him. Don’t tell me it’s over. We both know it isn’t. Besides have you thought that maybe he was worried about how you might act toward him if you knew? You were already acting skittish because of his age.”
“I wasn’t skittish, and besides, I’m not a horse, so how can I be skittish?”
“You have a better word for how you were acting about the fact that he’s ten years younger than you and was getting tucked into bed while you made out with boys at prom?”
I winced. “Do you have to put it like that?”
Melinda gave me a wry grin. “Yup.”
I glared at her, though my eyes held no heat and we both knew it. “I hate you,” I added for good measure, making her laugh.
“Liar.”
I blew out a heavy sigh and fell back against the couch. The news program had ended, and a commercial for some detergent or another was on. I dropped my eyes to my feet. “What the hell am I going to do?”
“What do you mean?”
“Grant lied to me. We aren’t talking about a little lie—this is big, okay?”
“Okay, please explain that. What did he lie about?”
“He didn’t tell me who he really was. I feel like I don’t know him.”
“So...lying by omission?” She crossed her arms over her chest, and I hated it because I knew she had already taken Grant’s side.
“Look, I get you want me to be okay with this because you like the idea of Grant and me together, but the truth is that I feel stupid, Mel. I can’t—” I swallowed hard and blinked against the tears filling my eyes. “I can’t be lied to again by a man. Dylan kept me in the dark about so much, and we were married. Mel, you say it’s just a little lie, that he’s still him, but I can’t go through that again. I can’t be lied to when it’s so scary starting over. Do you know what I mean?”
Her eyes softened and I noticed her shoulders fall. I looked away and continued speaking. “Now I get whyBenwas in love with him.Benknew exactly who Grant was. I was the idiot on the date who didn’t know who I was going to bed with.”
Melinda reached out and put a hand on my shoulder. “I was just as caught off-guard, if it helps?”
I shrugged. “A little.” A second passed and I growled, yanking the pillow beside me against my chest. “I can’t believe I went on a double date andmy dateknew who Grant was!My date.”
“That you skipped out on to have closet sex.”
“It was oral, okay?”
Melinda snorted and shook her head. “Forgive me for flubbing the details on your hanky panky.” She sighed and got up, grabbing her laptop.
“What are you doing?” I asked, watching her when I saw the determined way she typed.
“I’m finding out where St. John came from. There’s gotta be a reason he chose it.”
I shrugged. “I don’t care why—”
“It’s his mother’s maiden name.” Mel went on, ignoring me. I stepped forward, unable to hide my interest though I forced myself to keep from running toward her like I wanted to see exactly what she saw on her screen.
“That’s...nice?” I asked when she grinned at me.
