Page 100 of Fake it For Good
“What exactly are these things she did?” he asked.
“The networking thing,” I replied. “She wanted contacts. I encouraged it, then I got pissed when she did what I told her to do. It was a good idea. It was smart. It cost me nothing. But I acted like a spoiled child. I got jealous. I let that woman get into my head.”
“Kelly?”
“Yes,” I said. “She told me Noelle was using me for my connections. Kelly obviously doesn’t know Noelle wasn’t actually my fiancée, but I let myself see the negative that Kelly saw. If something did happen between me and Noelle, was it going to be real? Was she just using me for my connections and my wealth?”
He shook his head. “I think we can both admit your first mistake was listening to anything Kelly said. She doesn’t give a shit about you. She’s not looking out for you. She is bitter and knows she screwed up when she cheated on you. Her company is failing. Not that it was ever doing anything great, but now it’s in really bad shape. She’s scrambling. She wants to take you down with her. Noelle is a million times better than Kelly, and she knows it. She’s trying to find a way to make you feel alone. If you’re isolated, you’re vulnerable. Don’t you dare let that woman get in your head. She’s looking for a way back into your bed. She’ll manipulate you and turn you inside out. Again. Trust me, that woman is no good. Bad news. Run.”
“I know,” I said. “I know. Noelle refused the payment. She doesn’t want the money.”
His eyes widened. “No shit?”
I nodded, feeling like a complete asshole. “Yeah, she rejected the money. That’s why Della sent me an email asking me to call her.”
He winced and shook his head. “You hurt her.”
“I know.”
“Going to do anything about it or just walk away?” he asked.
“I can’t walk away,” I said. “That’s messed up. She did the job.”
“You’re going to force her to take the money?” he said.
“I have to talk to her,” I said. “I owe her an apology and a lot of money. She’s going to have to take one or both. I’m not letting her leave empty handed.”
“Did she leave? Or did you?”
“I know, I know,” I muttered. “I fucked up. That’s me. That’s what I do.”
“Look, I understand if you’re not ready for a relationship,” he said. “That’s cool. She might not be the one, which is also okay. Fix what you can and move on.”
“What if I don’t want to move on?”
“Then you’d better figure out how to grovel,” he said, laughing. “I would suggest starting with flowers and kneepads.”
I nodded, digesting it all. “I’m going to head out,” I said. “Do you need anything for the call?”
He shook his head. “Nope. I’m going to wrap up the call and head to the airport. Do you need anything? You know you’re welcome to come with me. My family would love to have you. Then they could bugyouabout not being married with kids. It would take some pressure off.”
I had to smile. A large family was both a curse and a blessing. “Sorry, you’re on your own. Tell your family I said hello. Have fun. Get some sun and try not to piss off any more ladies this year.”
“They just don’t understand there is only one of me.” He flashed a grin.
“Your mom isn’t wrong,” I told him. “You’re forty. You might want to start looking into settling down before you’re old and wrinkled and no one is going to want your ugly ass.”
“I figure as long as I keep hitting the gym and lay off the donuts, I’ve got another two, possibly three years to do my thing,” he said. “Then I’ll start the woman hunt. Or I won’t. I’m not sure. I’m not sure if I’m the kind of man that can have just one woman.”
“Trust me, when you find the right one, you can,” I told him. “I’m leaving. I’ll see you in a couple of weeks. Good luck.”
I grabbed my stuff and walked out of the office. I had no idea if she would ever want to talk to me again, but I had to try. Even if she hated me, I needed her to know that money was hers. She earned every penny.
36
NOELLE
Idropped the last of the grocery bags onto the counter in the kitchen. I felt like a pack mule. The donations had been pouring in since the toy drive. Mrs. Drummond splurged on the meal for the kids. Not only that, but we were making cookies today to give to some of the shelters. I thought it was a wonderful lesson for the kids. They didn’t have much, but they had more than some. They could always find a way to help others.
