Chapter 203
+25 BONUS
Was it just me, or did he sound a little jealous? Something felt off, but luckily, it was still easy to feign ignorance.
I coughed quietly. “Well, it’s getting late. I should drive home. Please tell Mr. Rockefeller my thanks.”
I was about to hang up when Soren suddenly called out, “Taylor.”
I froze and brought the phone closer. “Yes?”
“I get jealous when you praise other guys in front of me. Please remember that I’m the first one to tell you how I feel, so you better be fair and just in the process. Otherwise..”
His gentlemanly voice had taken on a new, mesmerizing quality. It was low, soft, yet brimming with assertiveness and authority.
It felt as though my soul had been petrified by some kind of charming magic.
“Other what?” I whispered, my heart racing.
“You’ll know when it happens,” he replied cryptically. “Though I’d rather you never find out.”
I couldn’t understand what he meant at first.
“The roads will be slippery because of the snow, so please drive safely,” he said. “Let me know when you’re home.
“Right,” I mumbled, still dazed.
The call ended, leaving me frowning in confusion. It took me a while to finally piece together what Soren had
meant.
He was the first one to confess his feelings, so he believed he should be the first to be considered. If I ever walked out of the shadow of my failed relationship and wanted to start over, I should be fair and give him a chance before anyone else.
Otherwise, there would be consequences.
What kind of consequences? No idea. He simply said I would find out when it happened–before adding that he hoped we’d never have to.
Seriously, did he really have to turn this into a brain teaser? Did everyone with a high–quality education love making things so complicated?
“Aaaah!” I howled in frustration, burying my head against the steering wheel–only to instantly regret it. “Owww!
Right. The bruise.
My phone rang again. This time, it was Jean.
“Hello?” I muttered in dismay.
“Why do you sound like you’re dead?! It’s the weekend, babe! Don’t tell me you’re working again! Come on, it’s the first snow!” Jean’s voice rang out over the sound of merry background chatter.
The stress of my ambiguous situation with Soren had been suffocating me. I needed an outlet.
This? This sounded like a godsend.
Chapter 203
“I’ll be there! Where are you?”
“The RV Park! The snow here is incredible!”
“Got it! I’m coming!”
+25 BONUS
I rushed over.
The park was in a more remote part of the city, making it colder than the urban center. Because of that, the snow here was pristine, blanketing the ground in a perfect layer of white.
In the middle of the park stood a glass cabin. Jean, Alex, Lacey, and a few others were gathered around a bonfire, sipping beverages and enjoying the winter scenery.
“Damn, you guys are living the life!” I remarked, brushing snow off my coat.
Jean handed me a freshly baked sweet potato. “Here you go! Just made it–soft and smooth!”
I waved a hand. “I’ll have it later. I just had seafood.”
“Girl, you just had seafood?! And you didn’t even tell us?!” Alex moaned. “What kind of friend does that?!”
“I’m sorry! It was with a colleague. I’ll treat you guys next time,” I promised. “Just let me know when!”
These women had helped me through a crisis when people tried to buy out my company shares. The least I could do was treat them to a meal.
Everyone gathered around the bonfire, chatting and laughing
Jean handed me a steaming mug of something warm. Before long, someone suggested making snowmen, and most of the group dashed outside.
That left just Jean and me inside.
I set
my drink down, absentmindedly poking at my sweet potato.
Jean watched me for a moment before leaning in and saying “I don’t know if I’m trippin‘, but you’re acting… kinda different. Like… a woman in love.”
Today’s Bonus Offer
