Page 71 of Forever Enough

With a disbelieving laugh, she asked, “You’re not even going to ask him if they had a past together?”

“Em, it’s none of my business whether they did or not.”

“Do you trust him?”

I paused for a moment and thought about it. Even though we’d only just met, I did trust Bradly. I answered her honestly. “Yes. I do. I trust him.”

“What if he doesn’t tell you about their past relationship, if they had one?”

“Did Doug tell you about all his ex-girlfriends?”

“No, but one never stayed in the same house as him or worked for him.”

“Touché.” I sighed. “He’s coming over for dinner tonight, so I’ll talk to him about what Duke said, but that’s it. The rest is up to him if he wants to tell me anymore.”

“Good. I think honesty is the best policy.”

“Agreed.”

My phone buzzed in my hand, and I saw it was Bradly texting.

“Oh! He’s texting me now. Hold on.”

Opening his message, I frowned as I read it.

Bradly: Would you mind if we changed our dinner plans? My agent needs to talk to me about some sponsorship opportunities that apparently, she says, cannot wait. She insists on talking over dinner. I’ve been needing to have a long overdue conversation with her, and might as well do it now.

“What did it say?” Emily asked.

I swallowed the lump in my throat. “Um, he has to cancel dinner. I guess his agent needs to go over some things with him and wants to do it over dinner , and he has to have a ‘long overdue conversation with her’—his exact words. What do you think that means?”

“Don’t read into it, Kenz.”

“I’m not,” I said as I drew in a breath and let it out. “I’m disappointed, but I’m not going to overthink it.”

“Good. Listen, people are starting to come and open the cleaning closet. I should go back to work once I dry off my damn shoe.”

Forcing myself to sound carefree and not worried, I replied, “I can’t wait to see you and Doug! Text me the flight details as soon as you can.”

“I will. I love you, Kenz.”

“I love you too.”

Hitting End, I set my phone down and stared at the vegetables. I picked up the knife and finished cutting up everything and put it in a plastic bowl. I wasn’t in the mood to cook now.

I poured myself a glass of wine, grabbed a book, and headed to the sofa, where Mr. Whiskers and Pickles were both curled up. I shouldn’t have Pickles up in the apartment with me, but he gave me such a pleading look earlier, I couldn’t tell him no.

Dropping down on the sofa, I let out a dramatic sigh, which apparently offended Mr. Whiskers because he got up, stretched, then made his way toward my room. Or maybe he wasn’t thrilled Pickles was up on the sofa. Either way, he was leaving.

I tried to focus on reading, but my mind kept going back over everything that had happened since Bradly had gotten that damn phone call. I wasn’t the jealous type, usually. But something about the way Duke made those comments gave me pause. He could have been doing it on purpose, and most likely had.

“Oh, for the love of all,” I said as I slammed the book shut. Turning to Pickles, I asked, “What is wrong with me, Pickles?”

The goat simply stared at me.

I nodded. “You’re right. I have trust issues, even though I pretend like I don’t. I think that’s what you’re trying to say. I just really like him, and don’t want him to be lying to me about anything. Like a relationship with his agent that he has to put on pause because he’s giving me oral sex in rustic cabins.”

The goat tilted her head and gave me a look of pity.