Page 2 of The Secret Heir Next Door

I watch him climb into the back of a luxurious black sedan. My hands are shaking with a mix of anger and embarrassment.

“Unbelievable,” I mutter, bending down to start picking up the pieces of my laptop. “Just what I needed today.”

That computer had a good run.I’m probably due for a new one anyway. Because clearly, I can afford that…Ok, enough with the sarcasm Serena, it’s not good juju.

I gather everything and unlock the front door of my store, trying to shake off the encounter. There’s a lot to do, and I can’t let one jerk ruin my entire day. I set my things down on the desk and take a deep breath. I replay the moment in my mind, his angry blue eyes and harsh words lingering more than I’d like.

Who the hell was that man, and how dare he have the audacity to be shitty with me?

My phone rings again, and Lila’s face flashes across the screen.

“Do you ever answer your phone?” she asks before I can even say hello.

“I was busy when you called.”

“I’ve called four times this morning.”

“Why? You’re never up at this time.”

“Facts. But, I had to tell you that I saw Davis out last night.”

“He’s my ex, Lila. Unless you ran him over with your car, I don’t really care where you saw him.”

“Serena,” she groans in a long, drawn-out whine.

“Seriously, I don’t care. He’s my ex for a reason.”

“Fine. Fine. Fine. Can I at least tell you about my night?”

“Tell me about your night as long as you don’t drop anything about my ex in the story.”

She giggles and blows out a breath. “You know me too well.”

“We’ve only been friends for our entire lives. I know all your tricks.”

“Well, I met an amazing guy last night. He’s like…perfect.”

“They’re always perfect.” I sighed.

“Don’t be negative. Just because you don’t believe in love anymore doesn’t mean that I can’t.”

I frown and rub my forehead. “You’re right, I’m sorry.”

“He’s really sweet.He asked for my number. We left the bar and sat in the parking lot and talked for hours. Then…he’s been texting me all day.”

“That’s amazing, Lila. I’m happy for you.”

“He’s a doctor, too.”

“Damn, girl,” I giggle.

“I went big this time,” she laughs. “I bumped into him in the bar, and he spilled beer all down the front of me. We started talking when he bought me a drink because he felt so bad.”

“Speaking of that, you’ll never guess the run-in I just had.”

“What happened?”

“When you called earlier, my hands were full, but I looked down and got blindsided by this jerk. He bulldozed me practically, and my coffee and breakfast went all over him. All he kept talking about was how expensive his suit was.”

---