He introduced me to his younger brothers, for heaven’s sake. Doesn’t that count for something?
I roll over, letting my feet hit the ground, dragging some of the bedding off since it has to be thrown in the washing machine anyway, leaving it on the ground behind me in a heap as I make my way toward the bathroom.
I had sex last night with Duke Colter.
Imagine that.
And it was mostly good sex. Mostly. It would have been phenomenal sex had he not come before I had, then abruptly pulled out and come on my stomach.
Can’t win them all, I guess.
I shower, then blow-dry my hair and put makeup on, doing my darndest to look awake.
It’s only once I’m in the kitchen, at the counter pouring myself a mug of the coffee Duke had been kind enough to make this morning that I notice a note and an envelope taped to the back door.
Walking the few steps to it, I tear it off.
In a masculine scrawl, he’d written:
Posey,
Something unexpected came up, and wehave to make the announcement earlier than planned—heading to the airport to meetEli, then flying to Dallas.
Thanks for the hospitality.
DC
Thanks for the hospitality?
Is he for real right now?
I tear open the envelope, rolling my eyes when I find a small stack of hundred-dollar bills inside, tossing it to the counter in frustration.
“I don’t want your fucking money,” I curse, angry and upset and…
Embarrassed.
Hurt.
Lonely.
The house is so quiet without him here. And I wish I could pinpoint why this pit has formed at the bottom of my stomach, but I can’t.
I try to eat breakfast so I don’t go to work on an empty stomach, but I can’t.
I try to clear my head while I’m driving, but I can’t.
The entire day is a blur, only making me more angry and upset, so when I get home, I do the only thing I know to do: I text Molly.
Me:So…Duke is gone.
Molly:Yeah, he and Eli are already in Texas. They’re going live tonight at 8 EST.
I can’t do time-zone math, so I ask her:what time will it be here?
Molly:7 PM
Me:Oh.