Page 27 of The Grumpy Billionaire
“Oh no. What happened? Your sources fall through?”
“No. Reid happened.”
“Reid? Your old boyfriend, Reid? Oh my God. Do tell,” she prodded in that sugar-sweet Southern accent that leaked out whenever she wasn’t on-air.
I explained the baffling developments—that I’d run into him at a pizza place, that his assistant had called offering an interview today, and that my boss was forcing me to do the story because an interview with Reid was the “get” of the decade.
“Wait a minute—your Reid is ReidMancini?” She gasped. “And you never told me this? How did it not come up that your ex was one of the world’s wealthiest and most famous men? Not to mention super-hot.”
“There was no point in discussing it. He was out of my life.”
“And now he’s back in it,” she said.
“Temporarily.”
“Sounds like he wants to make it longer.”
“What do you mean?” I asked.
“Isn’t it obvious? He sees you, sparks fly, angels’ voices sing. He’sgotto see you again, so he arranges it so you can’t say ‘no.’”
“Um, I’m pretty sure that’s not it. I did explain to you what I did to him, right?”
I hadn’t given Heidiallthe details, but she had enough information to understand that I’d perpetrated the world’s most thorough case of ghosting.
“Yes, but it’s been eleven years. You were both young and immature, and he wants to see if the old feelings are still there now that you’ve both grown up.”
The suggestion produced an explosion of nerves sizzling all over my body.
“Well, the feelings are definitelynotstill there. And I’m sure that goes double for him,” I said. “If anything, he wants to punish me by shoving all his achievements and money under my nose, to make sure I see what a ‘big mistake’ it was to dump him. You should have seen how hostile he was—he made a point of saying he’d never loved me.”
Heidi laughed. “Don’t you see? Thatproveshe still has feelings for you. Why else would he be sure to get that little tidbit into what—a five-minute conversation? I guarantee you the boy’s still got it bad.”
“If that’s even partially true, there’smorereason for me not to do the story. I’ll just tell Rob tomorrow that I can’t do it. He’ll have to get someone else.”
“I think you should take the assignment, Mara.”
Heidi’s tone was gentle but firm.
“Remember that little speech you gave me when I was refusing to give Aric a chance, or even work with him? You told me what I needed to hear, even though I didn’t want to at the time. Now I’m telling you—you’ve got to stop running from your past. Face your fears. Stop pretending you don’t have feelings, especially when it comes to guys.”
“I have feelings when it comes to guys,” I argued.
“Notthatkind of feelings.”
Heidi knew my M.O. when it came to dating, specifically that I only dated guys who had no boyfriend potential whatsoever.
“Speaking of—have you hooked up with any new himbos lately?” she asked.
“Not really, but the hunting grounds are bountiful here—plenty of club clowns and gym gigolos. I just haven’t had a lot of opportunity. I stay home most nights with my brothers.”
Heidi’s tone turned sympathetic. “How’re they doing?”
“Well, let’s see… Bax is in severe danger of flunking not one, not two, but three of his classes. And Bowie just crashed his second BMW. He’s sixteen.”
“Oh boy. My three brothers are a mess, but thatreallysounds like you have your hands full. Hang in there.”
“I’m trying to. You know what? Let’s change the subject. Have you talked to Kenley lately?”
