Page 15 of The Love Audit
“What does he sleep in? Was there a print?”
“Rings? Send me a picture,” she demanded. Then, without missing a beat, she followed up with “I’ve heard of standing on business, but a man doesn’t buy a ring like that for a woman he’s pretending to like.”
By the time I finished the story, I felt both exhausted and weirdly validated. My intention when calling Cassie had been to discuss the materials I’d sent her, but honestly, I needed someone to talk to about Derek. She was loudly declaring everything I’dbeen thinking since we’d arrived at Miller’s Cove but had been too scared to admit.
Derek had made it crystal clear that he intended to win this competition for the job. He didn’t trust me, and I didn’t trust him either. If he was flirting, it was purely strategic, a ploy to throw me off my game. I hated that I knew this. And I hated even more how much I liked it.
“Girl, are you even listening to me?” Cassie’s voice yanked me out of my spiraling thoughts.
“Yes,” I lied quickly, though I had no idea what she’d just said.
“Mm-hmm,” she replied, her tone dripping with skepticism. “Listen, all I’m saying is this: you need to figure out what’s going on with Mr. Tall, Dark, and Sexy before he has you writing love sonnets in your demographic reports.”
“Goodbye, Cassie.” I couldn’t help but laugh. She always knew how to get under my skin in the best way.
“Goodbye, Mrs. Carter,” she teased before hanging up.
I slipped my phone into my pocket and glanced down at Tora, who had finally finished his investigation of the bench leg and was now staring up at me with his big, soulful eyes.
“Come on, boy.” I gave his leash a gentle tug. “Let’s head back. I think I’ve had enough unsolicited advice for one day.”
DVF wrap dress or Catherine Malandrino skirt?
Sleeves or no sleeves?
No makeup makeup or a full beat?
I sat on my bed wrapped in a towel, agonizing over what to wear to this dinner—a dinner I knew absolutely nothing about, with people I’d never met. Usually, this kind of thing didn’t faze me. It was practically my job to walk into unfamiliar situations and navigate them with ease. I could enter a crowded room, charm the pants off strangers, and leave with enough business cards to wallpaper a small bathroom. But tonight was different.
Tonight, one particular person was the source of my stress.
Derek.
If I was being honest, I’d been avoiding him since my conversation with Cassie. If his plan was to throw me off my game by giving me this ring, then it was working. I’d spent the last twenty-four hours replaying every interaction, every word, every glance, searching for clues to Derek’s true feelings. Spoiler alert: I found nothing.
I needed to get a grip. I was here to do a job. My career depended on me doing that job better than the man I was sharing a tiny apartment with. Letting myself get distracted was not an option.
I finally settled on a short-sleeve, tea-length dress in a shade that just so happened to make my emerald ring glow. Coincidence? Sure. I slicked my hair back into a sleek ponytail and opted for a minimal makeup look. After sliding into my most comfortable heels, I took a deep breath, squared my shoulders, and stepped into the living room.
“Well, it’s about time.” Derek was in the middle of a tug-of-war with Tora over what might have once been a stuffed rabbit. The poor thing looked like it had been through several wars. “I wasabout to send in a search…” His words trailed off as he turned to look at me. “… party.”
His pale brown eyes traveled from the top of my head to the tips of my heels, slow and deliberate. The way he looked at me made my belly tighten in a way I was not prepared to deal with. I raised an eyebrow at him, and he cleared his throat, quickly standing and brushing imaginary lint off his pants.
“Let me put some food out for Tora, and we can go.” He headed toward the kitchen.
“Won’t he need to go for a W-A-L-K after he eats?” I spelled out the word to avoid getting Tora’s hopes up. He had a Pavlovian reaction to the mere mention of it.
“Nah,” Derek replied, shaking his head. “I’ll just leave enough for a late-night snack, and he’s got some pads in case we’re out too late.”
“Do you anticipate a late night?” I asked, trying to mask my curiosity. I still had no idea who we were meeting or what this dinner would entail.
“I honestly don’t know what to expect, but I like to be prepared for anything.” The way he said “anything” sent a flutter through my belly. I took a deep breath to steady myself.
“The rings look good,” he said casually, his eyes flicking to my hand. “They really complement that dress.”
“Why, thank you,” I replied, lifting my hand to admire the rings under the light. “They’re a perfect fit and seem to match everything I packed.”
“Funny how that works out.”
