Page 21 of Love Set Me Free

Other than a few curious stares at them leaving together, the walk to his car was uneventful. As they got into the car, she could tell he wanted her to be impressed by how expensive it was so bad, but she wasn’t. Money didn’t move her. She thanked her parents for that. They may not have been the richest, but they always made sure she and her siblings had everything they needed.

“Mind if I play some music?”

Paisley shook her head, which had started to hurt from his overpowering cologne.

Steven turned on some slow jams. He was no doubt trying to set the mood before he pulled out of his assigned parking spot, which just so happened to be right next to hers.

“Where to?”

“Prime & Ember,” she replied without hesitation.

Steven nodded, and Paisley felt a little irritated that he didn’t bat an eye at her request. It was the fanciest steakhouse in Ellwood, and though it was pretty easy to get a seat during the lunch hours, it was still very expensive no matter the time of day. Her goal was to put a dent in his pockets, but she should have known he wouldn’t care about the money. He had lots of it, and he also liked to flaunt it.

Thankfully, they listened to the music in silence for the duration of the drive. When they made it to the restaurant, Steven made a big show of opening her door and helping her outof the car. He even tried holding her hand as they walked to the entrance, but she shut that down by pretending she was looking for something in her purse.

“Welcome to Prime & Ember. Do you have a reservation?” the hostess asked as soon as they walked in the door.

“We don’t. We’re hoping you have a table for two,” Steven responded, but Paisley’s eyes were stuck on a table just behind the hostess stand in a quiet corner.

A small pain ricocheted through her chest as tears cradled her eyelashes. Betrayal shouldn’t be what she felt at that moment, but she did. She felt a deep betrayal, and a seed of doubt blossomed within her.

Janelle and Kydrick had always made a good looking couple, and time had done nothing but refined that notion. She watched as they sat in deep conversation over expensive looking steaks and seafood.

“You coming, Paisley?” Steven’s voice broke through the sound of her shattering heart.

“Can we go somewhere else?” she whispered. Her eyes were still trained on Janelle and Kydrick. She couldn’t help but notice how handsome he looked in his button up and slacks, and of course, Janelle was put together and looking like a million bucks.

Steven followed her gaze before placing a hand on her shoulder. “Come on. We can go somewhere else.”

He turned her around, and they walked out of the restaurant, not bothering to say anything to the hostess.

When they got into his car, Steven didn’t start it right away. Instead, he took that opportunity to give her his two cents.

“I was afraid of this happening.”

Paisley looked at him with confusion written all over her face.

“What?”

Steven sighed dramatically. “Guys like that are no good for a woman like you. He has to play catch up now, and he’s going to need some time to date around. Not to mention, he needs to get his life together.”

“What are you talking about, Steven?” she snapped. At this point, she was ready to go home and end the day early.

“I see the way you look at him. How hard you went for him all these years. You love him, don’t you?”

Paisley opened her mouth and then snapped it shut because her feelings for Kydrick were none of her boss’s business.

“It’s okay, you don’t have to admit it, but I know you do. I was always trying to save you from going down that path though. You deserve a man like me, someone who is all about you and already has his life together. That girl… That was his ex, right? Janelle. She was a character witness and also there the night he was arrested.”

“Yeah,” Paisley muttered, feeling more and more like a fool.

Steven nodded. “Thought so. It’s only natural that he see what’s up with her now that he’s out.”

“She’s married.” She said the words while looking out the window, refusing to allow Steven to see the tears in her eyes that threatened to fall.

“It didn’t look like that meant much. Look, we can do this date another time, but soon, okay? I don’t want our time to be sullied because of another man. If you want, you can take the rest of the day off.”

“Actually, I want to go back to work.” She didn’t even need to think about that response. The last thing she wanted to do was go home and be alone with her wandering thoughts. Being at work might not be much better but at least there she would have plenty to distract her.

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