Page 31 of Forbidden Romeo
“Honestly, I don’t think she likes any women,” Addison whispers even though we’re no longer in the theater. “I think she comes from an era where we’re all competition, you know?”
I consider Addison’s words as we leave the theater together. In all four years of school, McCay was hardest on me; but that didn’t mean she was easy on any of the girls in our program. Addison might be onto something. Holden was a golden boy. So was Nate. The guys in our class always seemed to get special treatment the girls didn’t.
“Well, I think it’s time we break that pattern,” I say. Addison has burned me more times than I could count in college. But I want to believe the best in people; I desperately want to believe that she’s changed and that things can be different. I hold out my hand for her. “Truce?”
Addison nods firmly. “Truce. And maybe eventually… friends?”
I shift my weight from foot to foot, uneasy. I don’t trust easily on a good day with someone who’s never done a thing to me. I’m not sure I can fully trust someone who single handedly ruined my freshman year.
I clear my throat. “I’m not ruling it out.”
Addison pulls her hand back and nods. “I get it. I wouldn’t trust me either if I were you.” Her eyes lift and land on something over my shoulder as a little smile lifts her mouth. “I would invite you out for a drink, but it looks like you’ve got other plans.”
My brows crease and I shake my head. “I don’t have plans?—”
“Oh, yes you do,” Holden’s voice, thick and sweet like dripping honey, purrs behind me.
I turn to find him standing on the sidewalk, leaning against a limo and dressed in what has to be couture.
He pushes off the limo and starts a slow saunter toward me. Everything from earlier today melts into the past as Holden comes closer and closer to me; Addison, McCay, the rehearsal from hell, our impending argument: None of it matters when Holden looks and smells and sounds this delicious.
When he approaches me, he tucks a stray hair behind my ear tenderly. “We have a date tonight.”
I take in the crisp lines of his collared shirt; the satin lining of his expensive jacket. Caramel leather shoes that are so polished, I could eat Halal off of them without risk of a single germ.
“I thought we needed to talk,” I say pointedly.
He nods, his face solemn. “We do. But we also haven’t had a proper date in…”
“Ever?” I offer.
His chuckle is so faint, it’s merely an exhale. “Exactly. Wouldn’t you say it’s time?”
I nod. “I would say it’s time.”
“And we can talk later. After.”
He offers me his elbow and I link my hand into it as he guides us to the limo.
The warmth of summer has given way to fall and a chilly breeze cuts through the high rises of 8th Ave causing me to shiver.
As he holds the door open, I look down at my ratty rehearsal clothes. Yoga pants. A sports bra. A tank top that has a little hole at the bottom. “I’m not exactly dressed for a date night.”
“Don’t worry, Rose. I’ve got you.”
CHAPTER 13
“Where are we celebrating?” Katherine asked from the passenger seat of my car.
To be honest, I didn’t have a plan.
At all.
I was pretty new to all this.
All kinds of lines filled my head; the sort of crap I’d usually say to my one-night stands like, It doesn’t matter where we go, baby, as long as we’re together.
But I couldn’t say that shit to Katherine. Not now, not ever.