Page 6 of Boss's Baby: A Fake Fiance Romance

“I can see that.”

A sympathetic expression formed on her face. “I mean, I can stay. If you want. I don’t want to leave you all alone…”

“No, it’s fine. You don’t need to turn down a date because I might feel out of place for a little while.”

“Thank you so much!” she exclaimed, throwing her arms around me and pulling me into a tight hug. “You’ll be fine. Find some fun people to hang with, and forget about the person you were in high school. Everyone chills out after graduation, you know.”

With that, she threw back her drink, and we said our goodbyes. Moments later I was alone and, exactly as I’d expected, feeling like I didn’t belong. It was so stupid, and I knew it. But I couldn’t shake the idea that I was, deep down, that same girl I was in high school who didn’t fit in. Was that what I was? Was my killer life in New York nothing more than some kind of cover-up?

I found the nearest wall and leaned against it, reminding me of some school dance where I’d gone ignored. As I took another drink, my eyes locked onto the glittering ring. I hated where my mind went, but it did, wondering if that was the closest I’d ever come to getting married.

This is stupid, I thought. You never worry about this stuff, ever. You’re smart and good-looking and have a great job—only a matter of time before you find someone to share your life with. I mean, if that’s even what you want. Nothing wrong with dedicating your life to a career, right? Maybe finally open your own firm someday, like you’ve always wanted.

It all sounded good but didn’t do much to undo the obnoxious thoughts that raced through me.

Finish the drink and go, I told myself. Hang out with Mom and Dad, and focus on getting back to it in the city. Accept the way you feel now as a sign that you don’t belong here anymore. Nothing wrong with that.

I felt a little better with this plan. After all, why go out of my way to get to know people who didn’t give me the time of day in high school? We were at different places in our lives, and I was more than happy with mine.

There—that was it. I was about to finish my drink and head out.

But what I saw ahead of me stopped me in my tracks.

It was a familiar face, all right. But a familiar face that was…more familiar than the rest.

It was none other than Josh Taylor, king of Gray Stone and the guy who I had—against my better judgment—had a crush on all throughout high school.

More than that, he was coming this way.

And his eyes were on me and……my ring?

Chapter 3

CASSIDY

What the hell could Josh Taylor possibly want with me? The only other time he’d talked to me back in the day was when he’d come into Two Scoops to act like an asshole with the rest of his rich kid friends. But at that moment he was sauntering up to me like we were old pals—hardly the case.

And he had that cocky grin on his face. It was a grin I’d seen time and time again, almost as if it were painted on his face. It was one of those grins that made him look like he was up to something, like he knew something you didn’t, and he couldn’t wait to tell you. Or not tell you. Every time he and his friends strolled into Two Scoops, ready to be total assholes, he had that grin on his face.

The worst part? I freaking loved it. That damn smile made his already handsome face light up in the worst, most troublemaking way. I hated that I loved it, especially when he and his friends teased me and the other girls who worked behind the counter.

Anyway, he and his grin were coming right toward me. Those gorgeous greens of his, shining emeralds even in the dark of the bar, kept glancing down at my hand and the ring on it. It was like it belonged to him and he’d been looking for it, relieved that I had it.

My heart raced. But before I had a chance to calm myself down, he was right in front of me, looking like he was ready to sell me something and pull out all the stops in the process.

“Cassidy Marten,” he spoke through the grin.

“Um, Josh Taylor.” What else was there to say?

“Can’t believe I’m seeing you here.”

“That right? I mean, it is our hometown during the holidays.”

He cocked his head to the side, as if conceding the point. “Sure. But if I ever swing by this place when I’m in town, I have never once seen you.”

I tucked my hair behind my ear and glanced away, giving myself a moment to think. I mean, he had me on that. But there was still the question of why the hell he was coming up to me like I was an old friend and not some girl he’d spent high school teasing in between major abuse of Two Scoops’s free sample policy.

---