Page 65 of Time To Learn

Shit. She probablydid.

Groaning, I push my sheets away and toss my phone on the floor. I put an arm underneath my pillow and look down at the semi I’m sporting.

Then I do something about it, imagining Laura’s full, pink lips sucking me off as Icome.

Afterwards, I try to pass the time making some new drawings before it’s time to leave to go visit the ladies on the farm. I try to ignore the little voice in my head that keeps telling me that even the fantasy of Laura is so much better than all the other women I’ve fucked in thepast.

I can’t think aboutthat.

I can only remind myself, over and over again, about the label she’s put onme.

I’ve been well and truly friend zoned, and at this point, I doubt I’ll ever be anything else toher.

* * *

Laura

I’m reconsideringmy idea to ask Kristian to move in on the farm. When I spoke with Mum about it this morning, and noticed the spark of interest in her eyes, I balked.

I’m not sure it’s a smartmove.

Ailith’s excitement, however, was hard to ignore. She made fist pumps in the air and then hurried upstairs to change into her riding clothes.

I look down at the text he just sentme.

Kristian: I’ll see you in thirty minutes.

Nibbling on my lips, I shrug, resigned to the fact that it’s too late to tell him that I’ve changed my mind. The truth is, that we do need the extra help. I can’t let what happened between us last night—or his tryst with that girl—stand in the way of the fact that we run a business here. If Kristian is willing to move in, working in exchange for free rent, then I can’t let my personal feelings stand in the way of the business.

It’s not smart.

Still, it’s a good thing I stood my ground, keeping him in The New Friend Box. I could’ve given into him loads of times, and God knows I want to, but…no.

Never. Again.

“Stop fretting,” Mum says from behindme.

Sighing, I get up from my seat at the bench and start to clear the table.

“I’m not,” I mutter, frowning as I start to put everything in the dishwasher. “I’m just wondering if it was wrong of me to make a proposition like that without discussing it with you. That’sall.”

I glance at her and pause at the way she purses her lips as she looks out of the window.

“I don’t mind. The farm will go to you, and you have a good head on your shoulders. Sometimes, I feel like you know a whole lot more about what we need to keep our business afloat than I do. Still…”

I lean a hip on the counter as she turns a speculative look myway.

“What isit?”

“Well, he’s just an interesting choice, that’s all. I’m looking forward to getting to knowhim.”

I bite the inside of my cheek, shrugging lightly.

“Well, he may not want the flat, Mum. It is pretty rundown.”

“Something tells me that he doesn’t mind getting his hands dirty. That he comes from a place where he was taught early on that if he wanted to succeed in life, he’d have to work forit.”

“How can you possibly know that? You’ve only been with him for ten minutes,” I scoff.