Page 6 of Find Me

“It’s nothing.” I laugh, taking a sip of my drink, the liquid burning my throat on the way down. “God, that is strong,” I say, with a wince.

“Tell me, babe.” He laughs, his hand brushing softly against my exposed skin.

“It’s nothing, really,” I start, “it’s just refreshing to be around men who treat servers with respect, that’s all.”

“You know, speaking of the whole server thing, Evi, you should really find another job,” he says lightly, taking another sip of his drink. He sees the look I give him and tries to recover quickly. “I’m not saying there’s anything wrong with waitressing. I’m just saying that you’re better than that, not to mention I can’t imagine it pays very well.”

I brush him off, desperately trying to change the topic as my shoulders sink and a feeling of inferiority starts to creep in.

He takes a deep breath, “I’m messing this up, aren’t I?” he asks, his eyes searching mine. “I just mean that you had the world at your fingertips, and between your education and your family name, you could have done anything you wanted. I just think your talent is wasted at some run-down diner, that’s all. You don’t want me to be the only one in this relationship working at a prestigious legal firm, do you?” He laughs, and the smile I flash him in return doesn’t meet my eyes.

“We can’t all be hot shots, Rhett,” I say as I bring the cold drink to my lips, trying to cool the temper rising within me. Besides the fact that he was raised in the South, Rhett’s childhood was very similar to mine. Unlike me, nothing could convince him to risk getting cut off from his family’s money, not when his trust fund is a result of a billion-dollar oil and gas fortune. So, at the same time I was dropping out of school, Rhett was moving up here, following a job offer to a prestigious law firm, and biding his time until his parents handed over the keys to the family business. And then we met.

He kisses me, the taste of bourbon fresh on his lips. “Don’t worry, babe, I’ll be the hot shot for now, but think it over, will you? And until then, if you ever want to role-play in your waitressing outfit, you just let me know.” He winks.

I scoff, focusing on the drink in my hand. I open my mouth to tell him exactly what I think of all that and how I actually have an interview lined up, but just as I’m about to speak, Sam plops down in the seat across from us.

Fresh off the dance floor, her skin glimmers with sweat and her hair is tousled, but she still looks incredible.

“You must be the infamous Rhett.” She accuses playfully, and only I see the calculation behind her eyes as she assesses the guy I’ve been spending all my time with. For a moment, I feel guilty that I’ve been dating Rhett for several weeks and have never introduced him to Sam.

“Yes, ma’am,” he drawls, laying on the charm thickly and flashing a bright smile her way, “it’s nice to meet you finally.”

“Sam, meet Rhett, Rhett, meet Sam,” I say by way of introduction.

“I’ve heard a lot about you,” she says, her eyes never leaving him.

He smiles playfully, taking a long sip from his drink before answering, “All good things I hope?”

“That’s for me to know, and you to never find out.” She laughs. “Come on, Evi, time for another dance!”

Rhett puts his arm around me, pulling me in closely. “Actually, we were just about to get going, but maybe next time.” He smiles as Sam throws me a look.

“This was supposed to be girls’ night, Evi. Come on, stay for a little longer, then we can head back to yours and watch a movie or whatever!” she begs.

My eyes shift from Sam to Rhett, and I struggle to choose between the two of them. I haven’t quite learned how to balance my friendship with Sam and my relationship with Rhett, and it feels like I am walking a very thin line, always at risk of disappointing someone.

“Next time.” Rhett’s words bring me back to reality. “It was great meeting you, Sam, and I’m sure I’ll see a lot more of you.” He stands up, his hand never leaving mine, and draws me into him.

I look between the two of them, a sudden pang of guilt in my chest.

“I’m sorry, Sam,” I say. “Did you want to come back with us? We can plan another girls’ night out soon!”

Sam shoots me a look, daggers behind her eyes.

“Don’t worry about it, Evi,” she says curtly. “I’ll stay here, but you two have fun.” She turns on her heel and walks away, her anger palpable.

I curse under my breath.

Rhett starts to guide me in the opposite direction of Sam, his broad frame cutting a line through the crowd as we walk toward the exit. “She’ll get over it,” he says dismissively. “But trust me, after what I’m about to do to you when we get home, you’ll be happy you left the club.”

I meet his gaze, his blue eyes sparkle suggestively, and I know exactly what he has planned for the rest of the evening.

CHAPTER 3

‡

I wake up to my alarm blaring, and as I stumble out of bed to find my phone, I remember exactly why I don’t like going out on weeknights. My head pounds, whether from the drinks I had or the lack of sleep thanks to Rhett, I don’t know. I rub my eyes, trying to chase away the exhaustion that threatens to bring me straight back into bed, where Rhett is currently lying, the sheets barely leaving anything to the imagination.

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