Page 9 of Rich Girl
I have to admit that the shock of walking in on Chase as he was thrusting into another woman in a cleaning supply closet at the club stayed with me for a while. But I grew up in an environment where things like that could be forgiven in exchange for a proper amount of groveling, which came in the form of luxurious gifts.
My friends did not agree with that. Emma was especially upset at hearing the news. She stayed with me for a couple of days and held me while I cried my heart out, wondering where I went wrong.
“No.” Jeanine’s tone is firm. “I am not giving this up,” she points at my laptop where she’s still searching away. “Also, I might sign up for this myself,” she snickers. “I’d love to play with someone I know I won’t see again after the one date.”
I sigh and throw myself on the coach, resting my head against the armrest. Once again, I get distracted by the colors and the furniture, and the need to make some changes in here.
Suddenly, my attention is grabbed by Jeanine’s sudden intake of air. “Oh my.”
“Did you find me one?” I come up in a sitting position, ready to be done with this. “Please tell me you found me a man, Jeanie.”
Without a word, Jeanine turns the laptop around until I can see the screen. The breath hitches in the back of my throat when my eyes clash with the bluest I have ever seen. The man in the picture is gorgeous, with thick black hair, a chiseled jawline, a perfect nose, and a glint in his eye that says he is up to no good.
I want him.
The lust I feel is instant, making my stomach flip flop in anticipation.
“Isn’t he just dreamy?” Jeanine sighs. I’m pretty sure she has the same thoughts as me, and I want to slap her. I feel inexplicably jealous.
“He’s the one,” I whisper as I scoot closer to where she is. “That’s who I want.”
I am referring to the wedding, but I mean so much more.
Jeanine gives me a look of pity. “He’s a no, babe,” she sighs. “He lives in New York, so unless you want to travel that way…”
“New York?” I yelp. “How did he even show in your search then? I thought we were looking for someone more local.”
“Eh,” she shrugs. “I got bored looking at the same faces and expanded the search.”
Disappointment fills me with dread. I continue staring at his picture, unable to look away. I have butterflies in my stomach when his eyes bore into mine. If this is the effect he has on me just from a picture, I can’t imagine what would happen if we met in person. He’d be able to do whatever he wanted with me.
“Okay, back to our own state,” Jeanine mumbles. She sounds tired and like she is over it.
With a shaky hand, I slam the top of the laptop down before she has a chance to close the picture of the man I am now obsessed with.
“Let’s take a break tonight,” I suggest. My voice sounds rushed, and I worry that she will guess what my brain is currently hatching.
“Oh, thank God,” she sighs and throws her head back, eyes closed and relief marring her features. “I have to agree with you, Hay, and say that this is too much work. Where are all the hot guys?” she demands to know. “How in the world did Rebecca Howell scored with that hunk?”
“I don’t know,” I mumble in support while my eyes are glued to the laptop.
Jeanine continues complaining about it all without showing any signs of wanting to go home. I sit on my hands, with one knee bouncing up and down in a nervous tic, unsure of how to ask her for some space.
“Anyway, let’s clear our heads and start over tomorrow,” she finally says.
I about jump up and down in excitement. The feeling dies of a sudden death when Jeanine jumps up from her seat and claps her hands. She suddenly looks way too happy.
“Let’s get dressed up and go out! The new club us open. And I heard Jonathan Bennett is going to be there.” She then covers her mouth like she is about to tell me something amazing. “Can you imagine if you could land him?”
While I am not attracted to Jonathan Bennett, mostly because of his constantly standoffish attitude, I do have to admit that he is incredibly good looking. His entire family seems to be carrying that gene. His sister is beautiful, she could model if she wanted to. I’m not sure what his brother is up to, but I saw somepictures once, where he was the younger and much happier version of Jonathan.
“Did you bring a change of clothes?” I ask Jeanine since she is not dressed appropriately for what she wants to do.
“I’ll just raid your closet,” she waves me off like it’s no big deal.
For the first time in my life, I don’t feel like going out with one of my closest friends. My plans for the night consist of doing some research on the handsome man she found on theHolidatessite.
Since I can’t come up with a good excuse on why we couldn’t go, I just smile at her, then wince in distress when she turns around and takes off running toward where my bedroom is located.
