Page 57 of Stick to the Plan
Nic puts her arm around me and tugs me closer. “You really loved him, didn’t you?”
“I think I really did.”
We sit like that for a bit. When my breathing steadies, Anna straightens and claps her hands. “Ok, this is what we’re going to do. Bree is going to get some sleep - medicated if need be. I’m going to call Asher and head to your place. I’ll pack up all Colin’s things while Asher changes your locks. Then you, my dear, are going with Nic on her work trip for some R&R.” She jumps off the bed.
“Wait! I can’t just crash Nic’s trip!” I look at Nic for support.
“Sure you can. I’ll say you’re my agent. It’s a week on a yacht to Bermuda. You can hang with models and forget all about dipshit leprechauns.” She nods. The matter settled, I scrunch back down onto the pillows, settling in for my ordered sleep. Who am I to turn down a free Bermuda cruise? With no job and no boyfriend, what else do I have to do?
Chapter thirty-eight
Homecoming
Colin
Iam fucking exhausted. The flight back - hell, pretty much the whole trip - was terrible. It’s late and I am hungry, but that can all wait until after a reunion with Brianna.
The last three days apart were torturous. My life just doesn’t work without her anymore. Or that nutty dog of hers.
I’m also a bit worried. I haven’t heard from Brianna since I left. Maybe texting just isn’t her thing? She works two jobs; she’s probably just busy.
Racing over the empty roads, traffic lights flash by as I think back over the last few days. The trip had started so positively. I’d still been smiling when I reached the airport. Completely ecstatic that I’d told Brianna I love her. It didn’t even matter that she hadn’t said it back. Long lines at security, weather delays, screaming children, none of it had put a damper on my mood. Not even when I pulled out my phone and found it dead did my grin crack. Wanting to give Brianna an update, I’d gone to charge my phone only for the screen to briefly flash and fizzle out in my hand.
That’s when I realized my phone had been in my pocket when I’d fallen into the pool and it was beyond repair now.
Still, I just added it to my mental to-do list and decided to send her an email instead. The screen had just started to load when they announced the weather had cleared and we were boarding immediately. So the laptop got shoved in the bag and I settled into my seat to read the copy ofSense and SensibilityI’d borrowed from Brianna.
I spent the rest of that first day exploring the convention hall. Finalizing my registration, signing up for different lectures or panels to attend. I’d even met a philanthropic billionaire at the registration table who I’d chatted up over dinner about the humanitarian possibilities of our product. From that point, everything had quickly gone horribly wrong.
My suitcase on the bed, I stood in my undershirt and slacks. My maroon shirt haphazardly tossed over a chair. I’d planned to pull out my toiletries, take a hot shower and try emailing Brianna again. I really needed her cell number. If I could just get to the project tracker…A knock at my door interrupted my plotting. The clock on the nightstand said eight PM. Who the fuck could that be? Could Brianna have changed her mind? That thought brought a smile back to my face and some energy into my step as I rushed to open the door.
Instead of the curvy brunette I expected, a slim blond with a suitcase stood in the hall. Rachel bit her crimson lip provocatively as she eyed my bare arms.
The smile fell immediately as I ground my teeth. “You have the wrong room.” I started to slam the door in her face, but Rachel pushed her arm in to stop me.
“Don’t be like that. There is no other room.” She boldly stepped forward until her breasts pressed against my chest, peering up at me through her fake lashes. My stomach twisted and my nostrils flared in disgust. “Come on, Colin, you shared a bed with Brianna so easily. Time to trade up to a real woman.” She lifted her hand to trail her fingers down my arm.
I caught her wrist and shoved it firmly away from me, rage curling in my stomach. “You aren’t even half the woman Brianna is.”
“Oh, so you like ’em chubby? I promise you I’ve never gotten any complaints before. Let me in and I’ll show you what you’ve been missing.”
“Get the fuck out of here, Rachel. I don’t know how to be more clear. I’m not interested,” I yelled, stepping further away as if burned.
For a moment, her pretty face twisted with rage before she smoothed her expression. She was fucking mental. “Come on, I don’t have anywhere else to go. This is the only room and Richard sent me to help you network. If I go back now, he’ll probably fire me.”
Her eyes turned glassy with unshed tears and her lips trembled. As much as I disliked this woman, it didn’t feel right to get her fired. If I said no, she’d probably just camp out in the hall all night, making things even worse. God, I wouldn’t put it past her to call the cops and accuse me of kicking her out or hitting her. I had to tread carefully.
“Fine, you can stay here.”
Her tears dried in a moment as triumph filled her eyes. I grabbed my suitcase off the bed. Rachel sauntered over and laid herself across the foot of the bed, stroking the coverlet provocatively. I turned on my heel and strode towards the door with my suitcase in tow.
“Where are you going?” Her voice rose as she scrambled back off the bed to follow me.
“I said you can stay here. I’ll find another room.” Without looking back at her, I opened the door and stepped into the hall.
“What am I supposed to do here all alone?” Gone was the genteel seductress mask. She was livid and did not hide it well.
“Whatever you want. It’s not my problem. If you don’t want to be alone, go down to the bar and pick up some John for all I care.”
