Page 30 of Keeping Promises

“Got it,” I respond, my voice a pitch higher. I’m pretty sure my balls and just tried to hide up in my body away from her.

A huge smile appears on her face as if she just did a Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde swap. “Good. Then we have nothing to worry about. Do you want some breakfast?”

She spins around and heads toward the refrigerator.

I top off my coffee while she has her back to me. “Nah, I’m good. I’m going to go shower and then go back to bed.”

I pass my brother in the hallway as I head to my room. He looks a little under the weather, probably hungover, which is also rare. Bentley Harrington is always well put together.

“Morning,” he grumbles as he shuffles his feet on the floor.

I bring my coffee cup to my lips to hide my laugh when I take in his appearance—definite sex hair, not to mention the scratches on his chest. Maybe he should have put a shirt on.

After a quick rinse in the shower—okay, maybe it wasn’t a quick rinse since as soon as I stepped into the water, my hand went straight to my dick, thinking about Hadley and how good it felt to have her grinding against me last night—I climb into bed, completely spent in more ways than one.

I pass out hard for a few hours. The house is completely silent when I wake up. I grab my phone off the nightstand and press myself up against the headboard. I pull up my last text conversation with Hadley and try typing out several messages.

Me(draft):Good morning, beautiful.

I quickly delete it. One—that feels rather forward, and two—I’m not sure that it’s still morning. I try again.

Me(draft):I hope you got my note this morning.

Texting a woman should not be this complicated. Oh, if the past me could see me now. So, I settle on something simple.

Me:Hey.

No response. Not even the little dots appearing as if she were typing. Shit, maybe I should have waited. I throw on a pair of gym shorts and a T-shirt before heading to the home gym that Ben set up.

Two hours later, my muscles are spent, and my body is dripping in sweat. I pushed myself way too hard to focus on the fact that Hadley still hadn’t returned my text. Maybe something was wrong. I’m wrapping a towel around my waist after the shower when my phone vibrates on the sink counter.

Hadley:Hey, sorry it’s taking me so long to respond. We had a wedding party come into the salon today, and I’ve been balls deep in hair spray and bobby pins.

I chuckle at her ridiculous analogy.

Me:It’s okay. I hadn’t even noticed.

Lie. Is this what it’s like when I tell a girl I’ll call her and never do?

Me:I take it you got my note this morning?

Hadley:Yes, and I may or may not have freaked out a little when I saw you were gone.

Those three dots I had been waiting for all day appear and disappear.

Hadley:Thank you for last night. I know this situation isn’t ideal for both of us, but thank you for being patient with me.

Me:I mean it. I have no idea what the fuck I’m doing, but I want to be there every step of the way.

I’m met with silence yet again, but I assume she is back to work. That can’t be easy for her to be on her feet all day.

Thirty minutes later, a response comes through on my phone.

Hadley:Do you maybe want to hang out later? I get done at 6.

A second message quickly pops up.

Hadley:That was stupid. I’m sure you have plans later, being a Saturday night and all, so just forget it. Maybe that’s just too fast.

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