Page 61 of Hard to Resist

“No...”

“I swear. Do I have to do everything for you two?” She huffs, swinging her phone from where it dangles on her wrist, so it lands perfectly in her palm. “What was her name? Veronica?”

“Verity.”

She messes around with something on her screen for a few seconds before turning her phone toward me. “This look like her?”

There’s a circle image of my girl smiling, with a coffee mug raised to her lips.

“That’s her. How’d you do that?”

“I looked up Delute Designs and checked who they were following. She was the only person with a V username.” She clicks out of the image and points to the bio written next to it. “Looks like she does work there. She has the company tagged next to a little briefcase emoji.”

Fuck. I had a feeling that was the case ever since Jace mentioned she was here—I just didn’t want to believe it. What are the odds my new girlfriend works at my ex’s company?

Whatarethe odds?

Is there a chance Verity knew who I was but hadn’t said anything? Celine hates me enough that I wouldn’t be surprised ifshe has one of those “do not serve” posters in her office with my face on it.

“Bridgey! I thought that was you.” A redhead cuts into our conversation. “What’re you doing over here? Come, the guys are playing pool and Quinton is losing horribly.”

“Oh, sorry, I’m—”

“Go, play with your friends,” Rafe dismisses. “We need to leave.”

She gives him a glare before switching on and threading a glittering smile across her face. “Of course, totally.” She takes her friend’s hand and melds back into the crowd—but not before turning back and sticking her tongue out at Rafe.

They are like oil and water, these two.

“Seriously. We should leave. While I’m not opposed to a public fighting match ruining Kelton’s event, I’d rather not deal with you running into that woman, again.”

He is right, but it feels wrong to leave without finding Verity. If she works for Celine, though, the last thing I want is for Celine to see Verity and me together.

Fuck, this is a mess.

The two of us work our way back through the crowd, trying not to get stopped by too many people as we attempt to break back into the foyer. It occurs to me, as we are in the elevator heading back down, that I probably should’ve said goodbye to Jace, but I also don’t really care.

What I care about is what the hell I am going to do about this situation.

“Cull.” Rafe stops short in the lobby, crossing his arms over his chest.

“Yeah?”

“There isn’t a chance Verity got close to you for Celine, is there?”

His question lances through my heart.

“No, there’s no way.”

“You sure? The timing of her meeting you with the contract ending…”

Rafe always sees the worst in people; he believes that there is always something they want from you. It’s what feeds his social avoidance.

I understand where he’s coming from. The real estate world is full of snakes poised to strike whenever you are weak. Even I’ve done one or two shady things before, stealing clients and listings; that’s just how the world works.

But a woman I met at a bar who seemed clearly distraught over a shit date? There’s no way that was planned.

The issue is, while I believe Verity is too good for that, I also know that Celine isn’t. The years had twisted her heart until she became a woman so different from the one I had fallen in love with at fifteen.

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