Page 46 of Second Chance with the Enemy CEO
She hesitates, her fingers brushing against the tripod. “Thanks…, for helping earlier.”
“Yeah.”
She lifts her brow slightly. “Goodnight, Liam.”
“Night.”
As I walk away, I don’t look back, though every nerve in my body tells me to.
Chapter thirteen
Hazel
The sharp ping of my phone jolts me awake, breaking through the haze of an annoyingly pleasant dream I cannot quite remember. Groaning, I squint at the screen, my thumb swiping to unlock it.
The glow of the early morning light makes everything look hazy, but I can make out the message.
Unknown number:
Hey Photographer Princess,
I figured I should grace your day with my thoughts since you’ve probably been too shy to reach out.It’s Decker, by the way (in case you’ve forgotten, though I doubt it - people don’t usually forget me).
Bet you did not expect to hear from me so soon, huh? Don’t worry; I know you are probably wondering how I got your number. Let’s just say I have my ways - it’s part of my charm.
Anyway, I thought I’d save you the trouble of figuring out how to reach me. So, here’s the thing: I have to reschedule our inevitable future date because I’m heading to an important conference.
No worries, though - I will be back soon enough, and we can pick up right where we left off. Trust me, I am worth the wait.
Stay beautiful (like you could do anything else),
Decker.Xoxo.
The audacity. My jaw drops as my brain processes each nauseating word.
Photographer Princess? Cringe. Future date? I do not even remember agreeing to one.
“Gross,” I mutter, fingers moving swiftly to delete the message like it is contaminated. A conference? Great. Maybe he will stay there forever.
I toss the phone onto the bed and bury my face in my pillow with a muffled groan. This is not how I wanted to start my morning.
Pulling myself out of bed, I shuffle toward the shower. Hopefully, some warm water will wash away the memory of that.
By mid-morning, I am fully dressed and waiting for my best friends to arrive. An hour later, the doorbell rings, and I smile to myself as I head to the door.
“Hazel!” Maya bursts in first, as always. Her excitement fills the room. “This place is amazing! You are living the dream, girl.”
I chuckle, holding the door open for the others. Grace follows behind Maya, carrying her usual calm energy, while Luke brings up the rear, shaking his head at the chaos. “I didn’t think it was possible to be this dramatic about an apartment,” he says dryly.
“Trust me, it’s an art form,” Maya quips, stepping inside. “Where do you keep the wine? I need to see what kind of real living you are doing here.”
I roll my eyes but lead them into the living room. “You guys should see my wine cellar,” I tease, and they all laugh.
“Honestly, Haze, this place is gorgeous,” Maya squeals.
“Thanks,” I laugh, pouring the drinks.
“Wow,” Maya says again, her eyes darting around the space. “You were not kidding when you said Liam’s guesthouse was nice. This is..., incredible.”
