Page 101 of Rich Girl
Not without any effort, Adeline manages to extricate herself from my arms, mostly because I refuse to let go of her. She makes sure I am sitting comfortably on the couch in this room before stepping back.
“We’ll be right outside…”
There’s some shuffling and whispers around the room until I hear the door closing. I refuse to lift my head and look around me, but I’m sure they all left me here with the one man who’s already broken my heart. I don’t know what else he is here to do. Trample all over it?
I am startled when he drops to his knees in front of me and places his hands on my legs. He doesn’t say anything, just moves his thumbs up and down, caressing me through the thin material of the dress, waiting for me to calm down.
Since I am not ready to meet his eyes just yet, I make myself busy by grabbing a couple of tissues from the holder sitting on the side table, then dab at my eyes, hoping that I don’t have raccoon eyes. I am wearing very high-quality makeup that should not come off that easily.
“Is my makeup okay?” I ask him after a couple of minutes of awkward silence.
“It’s a mess, babe.”
I gasp in shock.
“You’ve never looked more beautiful than you do now.”
I finally look into his eyes. He is watching me with such intensity, I am struck by how hard it is to look away. I’ve seen his face in my dreams every single time I fell sleep, hence why it’s been so hard to get myself out of bed.
I take a moment to look him over. He looks as handsome as ever, maybe even more than I remember. He also looks tired, like he needs a good night’s sleep.
My hand lifts of its own volition, dying to feel him under my fingertips. I run the pad of my thumb over the darkened skin under his right eye.
I then glance down and notice he’s dressed in a tux, just like all the rest of the men attending the wedding.
“I can’t believe you’re here,” I whisper.
Ray turns his head just enough to gently kiss the sensitive skin on my wrist. I shiver in response. I want to lash out at him for teasing me like this when he’s not here to stay, and he’s never asked me to be in New York with him either. We truly are in an impossible situation.
“I can’t believe it took me this long to come to you.”
I am at a loss for words at hearing that. I don’t know what he means. It is the total opposite of what he told me the last time I saw him.
“What are you saying?” I whisper in astonishment. “Are you here to stay?”
Sadness falls over his eyes, and another sob escapes my throat. He is not here because he wants to be with me.
This is a cruel joke.
TWENTY-EIGHT
The last twodays have been the worst part of the last three weeks, which would mark the last time I saw Hayden Benedict face to face. I was anxious to get here while also nervous about how she would react to what I had to say to her. Basically, our entire potential relationship depended on it.
I was grateful for having Cal and Evie with me, although, I could’ve lived without Cal’s dry remarks any chance he had.
A hired car picked us up at the airport and took us to a swanky hotel, similar to the one from NYC. Hayden and her fiancé, Derek, met us there. She reminded me a lot of Hayden in the way she spoke and carried herself. I realized that it really was a world I didn’t belong in, which only left me with one option. Try and get Hayden to joinmyworld.
However, her question puts a small crack in my heart.
“Are you here to stay?”
The plan I have is kind of far-fetched. I don’t want to ruin her life either. Was it a mistake coming here? Her friend convinced me that Hayden was missing me, that she truly loved me. Does she love me enough to give us a chance?
“I’m not here to stay, Hayden.”
She gets angry. She pushes at my shoulders forcing me to move back before falling on my ass. She stands up from her spot on the couch and walks away. She paces the floor for the longest time, every so often her hands going into her hair.
Strands fall out of the fancy updo she has going, but I don’t have the heart to tell her. Appearances mean a lot to her, and she would freak out if she saw herself right now.
