Paige: Amazing. All flowers are ordered and she even gave me some pointers for my own shop.
Me: That’s awesome.
“It’s rude to be texting, Lucas,” Bianca said, trying to place her hand on my arm. I moved it away and glared at her.
Paige: Anyone interesting you’re talking to?
I stared at her text. The right thing to do would be to tell her Bianca was here. I sighed and pushed my phone into my pocket. I’d tell her about Bianca once I got up to the room.
When I looked across the table, Harper took a picture of me. I frowned, but then she moved her phone to the side and took another picture of Timothy and Pete talking. Maybe she was taking them for marketing reasons. Although, why take photos of us all drinking at a bar?
With a shake of my head, I called for Timothy. “Tim, I’m going to call it an evening.”
He nodded. “Good work today, Lucas.”
I shook his hand. Standing, I grabbed my bag and waved to everyone at the table.
“Calling it a night. Y’all enjoy yourselves.”
Chancing a look at Harper as I walked by, I saw she was laughing with Lou Hansen, the marketing manager for Timothy’s company.
Quickly, I headed out of the restaurant to the elevator.
“You weren’t even going to say goodbye?” Bianca said from behind me. She moved next to me in front of the elevator.
“No, I wasn’t. I didn’t even want to see you.” It was harsh, but truer words had never been spoken.
She jutted out her lower lip. “That’s rather mean of you. We were close for a long time. Lovers.”
I rolled my eyes and let out a frustrated noise. “We were nothing but two people who used each other. A distraction.”
With a humorless laugh, she said, “Ouch. That’s all I was to you?”
“Yes.”
She let out a soft whimper of displeasure. “I wanted more. I couldn’t help it if you were stuck in the past. I heard you’re marrying the little dimwit.”
I sent her a look that would have pinned any man in his place. “Don’t utter a word about her. Don’t even say her name.”
Her eyes widened in mock shock. “Wow. Okay, seems like she’s got her claws into you pretty good.”
Another man walked up and stood next to us. The elevator opened, and he walked in first, not even allowing Bianca to walk in. I might have not been able to stand her, but I was still a gentleman. I motioned for her to walk in, and she reached up and laced her arm with mine.
“Why thank you, Lucas.”
I jerked my arm from hers. She pushed the button for her floor, then looked at me. “What floor are you on?”
With a smirk, I replied, “I think I’ll wait for you to get off before I push the button for my floor.”
With an evil laugh, she shook her head. “You really think highly of yourself, Lucas. Do you honestly think I’ll try to sneak into your room? You weren’t that good of a fuck.”
“If that’s the case, why do you keep coming after me?”
The man in the elevator let out a soft chuckle. When his floor came up, I stepped out with him so I wouldn’t have to be alone with the vulture. She shot me the finger as the elevator doors closed.
The guy turned and faced me. “Dude, she was hot, but I can totally see why you’re worried. She has a bit of crazy in those eyes.”
“You have no idea. Besides, I’m engaged, very happily engaged.”
He nodded. “Got ya. Good luck.” He headed down the hall. I went to the stairs and climbed the three flights to my floor. By the time I got to my room, my head was pounding.
When I walked into my room, I pulled out my phone and cursed. I only had one percent left on my battery.
“Fucking hell.”
I quickly sent Paige a text that I was in my room and my phone was about to die. I hit send and the phone went black. I threw my bag onto the bed, sat down and looked through it for my phone charger. Once I plugged it in, I got undressed and took a shower. I’d call Paige when I was out.
After standing in the shower for a few minutes, letting hot water run over my body, I got out, dried off, and walked over to my phone. Paige hadn’t texted back.
I typed out a text to her.
Me: You still up? Was going to call.
She didn’t reply so I figured she had fallen asleep.
Me: Sorry, it was a bit crazy at the bar. Unfortunately, I ended up having to talk to Bianca tonight. She’s one of the investors on this project and the president of the company building the condos found out we had a history. He wanted me to make nice with her. I’m in my room now, if you wake up, call me. I love you.