I look to Emmeline, but she’s lowered her eyes, avoiding my gaze.
I should go. “Nah. I’ll leave you girls to it. I’m in desperate need of a shower. I’m going to head home.”
“Suit yourself. You do need a shower, by the way.” Lexi’s nose wrinkles as she gives me a friendly wave. “Thanks for the help. See you!”
“See you.”
I look to Emmeline again. Her shy gaze meets mine. I want to pull her to my chest, sweat and all, hold her to me and kiss her lips. I raise my hand in a wave. “Goodbye, Emmeline.”
A soft, sad smile curves her lips. “Bye. Rawley.”
I get in the car, watching her through the window until we round the corner and she disappears from my sight.
Chapter 9
Emmeline
Lexi and I stuff ourselves on curry and spring rolls, giggling over the celebrity gossip show she loves to watch.
Gabriel makes an appearance in one, and we gawk at how good he looks on the screen.
“Miranda would lose her mind,” I say, covering my mouth at the paparazzi photos of Gabriel working out in Paris.
Lexi waves at the TV. “She knows it comes with the territory, being married to a celebrity model. I mean, I know it’s hard, but…”
“What’s hard?” I snicker.
We burst into juvenile giggles.
It feels so good to be here, to just have fun with my friend, and know that tomorrow, I start a new day.
I miss Mr. Whiskers, and I tell myself, I don’t miss Rawley. Nope.
I don’t miss his tousled hair and the intensity of his eyes, his passionate kisses and tender lovemaking.
Or his palm of steel and bossy ways.
Sigh.
Lies!
I do.
When that apartment door opened and he was standing there, hair on end, a sexy, sweaty glow on his skin, his gray t-shirt clinging to his sculpted chest, I almost dropped my poor cat and flung myself into his arms.
But I will not lower myself like that. No way, no how.
I spent the moving day staying close to Lexi, keeping my distance, and my heart, away from Rawley.
Just before he left, he gave me his number, programming it into my cell, making me promise to text him anytime I wanted to check on Mr. Whiskers.
Who seemed perfectly fine when I left him behind. My tabby traitor traded me right in for the adorable basset hound, Baskins.
Whatever.
I scoop up another bite of noodles, but I only stare at them. I’m suddenly not hungry.
Lexi rests her hand on my shoulder. “What’s wrong. Are you okay?”
It’s no use. I discard the tray on the coffee table and admit the truth. “I miss him.”
“Mr. Whiskers?”
I’m sorry, Mr. Whiskers, but no.
I sigh. “No, Rawley.”
She furrows her brow. “What do you mean? I thought you just met him when you dropped your cat off.”
I shake my head. “No. Remember how your sister hooked me up with that one night job?”
“I’m a terrible friend.” She face palms, groaning. “Ugh. I’ve been so obsessed with wedding planning I totally forgot to ask. How did that go?”
I groan. “Guess who that client was?”
Her eyes widen. “No way. No way!!” Her nose crinkles. “Rawley? But he doesn’t pay for girls. I mean, no offense, I just mean, he’s got a string of women chasing him down, I’ve never known him to use Sugar Daddies.”
Her words twist my gut. A string of girls? I remember the half-dressed waitress at the slots who knew him. How he looked at me and told me there’d been a lot of girls. When I asked him why, he’d said, I guess I just had a hard time finding the right girl.
I’d thought he was talking about me. I thought he meant he’d found me, and I was the right girl.
It hurts like hell to have Lexi confirm how many women he’s been through. And officially acknowledge that I’m just another notch on his belt. I give a pathetic shrug of my shoulders. “We had a lot of fun. I don’t know. I guess I sort of got attached.”
Her face falls. “Oh, Emmeline. Babe. I’m so sorry. That must have sucked today when you found out Whiskers was going to Rawley and you ended up having to spend the day with him! My bad. Hey—I’ll find someone else to keep the cat. Okay? I’ll go pick that grumpy cat up myself and take him somewhere else. You won’t have to see Rawley again.”
I shake my head, thinking of Mr. Whiskers curled up on the couch with Baskins. “No, really. I’m a big girl. I know it was just a job. I’ll be fine. I promise.”
“If you change your mind, and I’ve got your back, girl. You just say the word and I’ll pull off a catnapping.”
I grin at her. She would, too.
“Thanks, Lexi.” I rest my head on her shoulder for a moment. We clean up, and she helps me unpack my things in the guestroom. I crawl into the cozy bed, exhausted, and fall asleep.