Page 68 of Rich Girl
“He is not,” I protest. “He is a hard worker, and he never asked me for anything.”
“What is this business that he runs?” Jeanine insists on knowing.
I wince at hearing the question again after I thought I’d diverted disaster.
“He owns and operates a towing business.” I say the words with pride while having a small panic attack right here on the sidewalk of the main street in Ray’s small town.
“A what?” Jeanine screeches.
That’s followed by Emma. “I’m not sure I understand.”
And then Jeanine again. “A towing business? He tows cars for a living?”
Chaos ensues, with the two of them talking over each other while trying to talk to me. Meanwhile, I’m standing here in the middle of the town, staring at the large sign showing Ray’s business, and feeling like I have betrayed him somehow.
“I need to go,” I tell my friends. I hang up before any of them has a chance to react, putting my phone on silent so that I don’t get distracted by the ringer in case they call back.
I turn around and run straight into Evie. She is holding the hanger with my steamed dress that she made sure to cover back up with the plastic wrapper I’d brough it in.
“Hey.” Her smile is guarded. “I finished this and was about to walk it over to Ray’s. I didn’t realize you were still here.”
“Thank you so much, Evie. You saved my butt with this.”
“Sure. Anytime.” She starts walking backward, a worried expression on her face. “I’ll see you at the party.”
Hugging the dress to my chest, I turn around and continue my trek back to Ray’s apartment above the shop. For the wholethree minutes it takes me to get there, I call myself all sorts of fool for telling my friends anything at all about Ray. I knew how they’d react, mostly because that had been my own reaction when I first met Ray in person.
But now I know him. I understand how hard he works to make a living, and I can’t help but admire him for it. I also have to admit to myself that the feelings of affection from two weeks ago are stronger now, they have reached true love level.
I need to come up with a way to make this work. How though? Ray lives here, he has a thriving business, he has employees who depend on him. I would never ask him or expect him to move for me.
Moving to New York is not an option for me. I have my entire life back home in Boston. While I don’t have a job, I do have a lot of commitments. That reminds me that I need to check my calendar and move a few things around.
Sadness and dread fill my heart as I walk up the stairs to the apartment. I really have to go home after this party. But maybe I can visit after. We could have a long distance relationship. A lot of people do it.
Deep down, I am aware that this is just not in the cards. It will be hard leaving Ray, and even harder once I get home. But then, we’ll both get used to it, find a new routine, stay busy until we forget about each other.
For now though, I need to focus on this party tomorrow. After that, I will take full advantage of my time with Ray. I am giving myself seven days to get him out of my system. Then, I am going back to Boston.
I will never see Ray Parker again.
TWENTY
I’ve never datedanyone seriously enough where I would bring her around to social events. It’s never been on purpose as I’ve always been open to finding a serious girlfriend, but it just never worked out like that.
Now, I am sitting in a lawn chair in the Hamptons, sipping on a cold beer and watching Hayden laughing her head off while listening to something James and Carrie said.
“I’m not too proud to admit,” Alex speaks from next to me. “That as far as crazy chicks off the internet goes, you got the hottest.”
I lift my beer in thanks without taking my eyes off her. This past month has been so incredible, I don’t want it to end. But there’s this weird feeling in the pit of my stomach, warning me that something bad is about to happen. And it activates only when I look at Hayden Benedict.
“Dude, I can’t believe the money I lost on this fucking bet,” Kyle bitches from two chairs over. He sounds like he’s already got a good buzz going, a Bloody Mary in his hand and dark sunglasses covering his eyes even though it’s getting dark out.
“It serves you right, fucker,” I tell him in the corner of my mouth. “But I should probably thank you, too.”
Alex takes offense to that. “Why should you thankhim?”
“Because,” I shrug. “If it wasn’t for his stupid dare, I would’ve never joined the app, and I would’ve never met Hayden.”
