Page 23 of One Last Time?
She was bunking off work today too because she had a big date planned tonight with a super hot guy, and she wanted to make sure she looked amazing. We would have invited Mia to join us too if she’d come home last night. She’d spent the night with her new guy again. Since this was night number three, we’d given him the title ofher guyand placed bets on how long we thought until this guy had to go back on duty. This one was a sailor. We weren’t given any names.
Abby and I had spent the day shopping, getting our hair and nails done, and now we were dressed in our bikinis, lazing by the pool, lying on the deck chairs while we drank virgin cocktails she’d made from her new Juice Master Recipe Book.
“Was that Brody again?” Abby frowned when I tossed the phone on to the towel on the ground.
“Yes, I just wish he’d leave me alone,” I answered with a deep sigh of frustration. “Every time he calls, it’s like a reminder of what happened.”
She turned onto her side and offered me a sympathetic look. “You sure you don’t want me to do anything? I can pour soap in his car or get Gilly to wreck it for you. Or we could post his details on some porn site advertising his services.”
I burst out laughing. “Services as what?”
“A gigolo or something. I can think on my feet, so that shouldn’t be a problem.” She looked like she was actually considering it.
“Abby, you are crazy.”
“I know, but as you rightly pointed out the other day, you are my sister, and it doesn’t sit well with me that this guy has treated you this way.”
“I just want to forget.” I wanted to forget everything.
“Taylor.” Concern filled her beautiful face. “If you need to talk, I’m here. I am. There is no need to keep things to yourself and suffer.”
“I don’t think Dad wants to give me the company. I think he’s looking for a reason he can hold against me. The worst thing you can do to a person is make them doubt themselves. That’s how I feel. I’m starting to doubt myself and everything I’m doing. That’s not good.” I’d told her everything that was going on last night. That included everything about Dylan too. The whole story from start to finish.
“I think from what you’re saying, it feels to me like Dad’s scared,” she surmised.
I widened my eyes at her. “Scared? Dad?Oh, please. You should have seen him. Abby, I accept and have accepted that I was stubborn in the beginning of this consultation, but yesterday, I got the feeling he’d lost faith in me.” There was very little anyone could do when that happened. Loss of faith and loss of trust.
Abby shook her head. “I don’t think it’s that. Surely, it’s not.”
“You haven’t seen this side of Dad, and I’ve unfortunately seen it too many times. He’ll probably fire me for not coming in today.” Maybe that was what he was calling about.
She shook her head. “Taylor, please. That is absurd.”
“It really is looking that way, Abby, and I don’t think I’m wrong in saying he doesn’t trust me. I deal with millions on a weekly basis. I’ve dealt with million-dollar campaigns hundreds of times, and Dylan instilled the idea in Dad’s mind that I’m wasting money.”
“Okay, here’s what you’re going to do…” She got a really mischievous look on her face as she leaned forward.
“What?”
“Forget. You’re going to forget because… a seriously gorgeous guy just pulled up on the drive.” She giggled and pointed. I looked out beyond the pool gates and frowned when I saw Dylan locking his car door. “He’s not one of mine and doesn’t look like the military type, so I figured he must be yours. Is that Dylan?”
“Ugh. What the hell is he doing here?” I scowled.
“Well, I really doubt it’s about work. I love how you conveniently forgot to mention how hot that man is. Jesus.”
“He’s just the package. What’s inside is the devil.”
“Only one thing can bring a man like that back to your house, and it’s not work.” She grinned. “That must have been some kiss.”
That damn stupid kiss. I couldn’t believe I’d actually kissed him, and the way I did too. I was so mad at myself for letting my guard down.
“It was a moment of weakness.” It was a moment of temporary insanity.
She frowned. “Taylor, you listen to me. He’s here, and you and I both know you wouldn’t be kissing some guy if you didn’t want to. You weren’t drunk; your head was clear.”
“My head was not clear,” I hissed under my breath because he was coming up the path to the poolside.
“Just hear him out. You know I’m right. Clear the work shit from your mind. You aren’t at work right now.Think… He’s clearly here to see why you weren’t at work today.”
