Total pages in book: 91
Estimated words: 86828 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 434(@200wpm)___ 347(@250wpm)___ 289(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 86828 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 434(@200wpm)___ 347(@250wpm)___ 289(@300wpm)
I told him not to come anymore, that he doesn’t need to torture himself like that, but he shows up to every ceremony without fault because sheltering our pain is more important than sheltering his own.
When I break into the foyer of my hotel, I’m sweating and woozy but determined. This isn’t how things are meant to go down, especially since Kelsey has nothing to do with my company.
“Kelsey?” I scan the people milling on the sidewalk outside the hotel.
Ravenshoe’s streets are always packed, so I struggle to spot her in the crowd, even with her having curves and a gorgeous face that stand out.
When “Ho, ho, ho. Merry Christmas” sounds from the west, I push off my feet and race in that direction. Santa won’t let me down. He can’t claim a victory if he’s yet to help me win it.
I suck in a relieved breath when I spot Kelsey preparing to cross the intersection on the corner of Westin and Trace. Charity Santa is standing on her right.
I catch up to her just as the pedestrian light switches to walk. Not wanting her to get trampled by last-minute Christmas shoppers, I pull her under the awning of my hotel before steadying her swaying movements by gently gripping the tops of her arms.
She sucks in a shaky breath before endeavoring to ease her shock. “Peter… Noelle… Why, Zane? Why were they at your apartment?” Her low tone exposes her surprise, not to mention that she’s seeking answers from the wrong person.
I know why Noelle is here. She’s been my stepsister for over half my life. But I don’t understand why Peter showed up out of nowhere. I’m as clueless as Kelsey as to his motives.
When Kelsey continues seeking answers from my eyes, I say, “I don’t know. But if you stay… if you trust me, I will find out.”
I’m confident I would have gotten her over the fence if Peter hadn’t followed us out. “He does this for a living, Kels. Men hire him to help their exes move on because a woman who thinks she has the world at her feet can’t be fucked taking her ex to the cleaners for his scheming ways. She rarely goes for her share once Zane plants himself in her life.”
I’d deck him for his lies if I believed I could leave Kelsey’s side and not witness her collapse. Instead, I use words. “That’s not true. That isn’t how it works.” I return my eyes to Kelsey. “I help women learn who they are and regain their independence.”
“For a fifty-thousand-dollar fee.”
I’m about to tell Peter to shut the fuck up, but before I can, Kelsey murmurs, “Fifty thousand?”
Peter nods. “I thought it was worth it when you called to say I could have my mother’s ring back. It’s valued in the millions. But then I realized how much I miss you. How much I miss us.”
“Peter—”
He disrespects Noelle in a way he will never disrespect Kelsey again by shoving his hand into her face before stepping closer to Kelsey and me. “I made a mistake, Kels. I was scared, and I got cold feet. But the worst thing I ever did was hire him to build your confidence to the point that you believe you no longer need me in your life.”
I’m glad Kelsey’s trust in him is so low that she doesn’t seek the truth from him, but I really wish she wouldn’t look at me how she is. “He hired you to help me move on?”
She knows the words Peter is speaking are fraudulent, but she still needs me to spell it out for her. “No.”
“He’s lying. I transferred his requested fee into his bank account Wednesday night at—”
“5:57 p.m.,” Kelsey answers, her confidence disintegrating before my eyes.
Peter acts oblivious, though. “Yep. See.” He twists his phone screen to show her the wire transfer he made to my company, Single All the Way, the afternoon he confronted Kelsey outside the department store.
I can’t tell if Kelsey is confused or steaming mad when she questions in a hushed tone, “Did you sleep with me because you were paid to?”
My denial is too swift to be cordial. “No. I’ve never slept with a client. I was their friend and confidant. They became better women because of me.”
My I’m-so-great rant is silenced by Kelsey swinging her handbag at me. “Better because they wouldn’t fight for a share of what’s rightfully theirs?” She hits me another two times before she spits out in disgust, “So much for offering your services for free.”
For how hard she’s shaking, her push shouldn’t wind me when it sends me crashing into the outside wall of my hotel, but it does. And her steps to force distance between us are unhindered and robust.
“Kelsey…”
My endeavor to catch her again is thwarted when my arm is suddenly grabbed by a leather-covered hand.