Page 66 of The Rules of Dating a Younger Man
Wells scrunched up his nose. “Okay, that is kind of weird. But it’s better than sleeping with your cousin, right?”
“My cousin? What are you talking about?”
“I’m just saying, there are worse things than seeing the same man naked as your stepdaughter. For example, sleeping with your cousin, or your brother. Or…that really old guy in the Senate, the one whose ears hang down almost to his shoulders. He needs otoplasty. I read about different cosmetic ear surgeries the night of the last election when they kept showing that dude on the screen.”
I frowned. “I really liked him, Wells.”
“I know you did, sweetheart. I liked him for you, too.”
“I don’t know if I should go back to finish the Ryan’s House project.”
“What are you talking about? Of course you have to go back. That has nothing to do with whether you can be with the boy-toy.”
I would hate to walk away from the commitment I made to the charity. That’s not the person I was. “I know, but…”
“But what? I’m sure he’ll be respectful. He seems like a stand-up guy from everything you’ve told me.”
I sighed. “That’s not the problem.”
“Okay, so what is?”
“I’m not worried about Brayden’s ability to keep his distance. I’m worried about my own self-control. I don’t trust myself around Brayden.”
CHAPTER 15
Brayden
I alternated between staring at the wall in my apartment and looking out the window at the busy street below. Despite having plenty of things that should’ve kept me occupied as I worked from home today, I couldn’t concentrate on anything besides what had happened this past weekend. Or more specifically, what never happened this past weekend.
I’d been back in the City since yesterday after my most recent, miserable trip to Seneca Falls. Alex hadn’t freaking showed up. I couldn’t say I was surprised, nor could I blame her, but I’d really been hoping we could talk. Instead, I’d immersed myself in work at the house, probably one of my most productive times there. It was the first weekend since this project started that I hadn’t been distracted by Alex, even if every corner of the house still reminded me of her.
My chest ached when I pondered the future. What if she never came back to Seneca Falls? What if I never saw Alex again as long as I lived? I couldn’t imagine it, but it wasn’t out of the realm of possibility.
On Wednesday of last week, Alex had sent me a text to let me know that while she didn’t plan to abandon the Ryan’s House project, she needed a week or two off to clear her head before facing me again. Still, I’d spent the weekend holding out hope that she’d change her mind and show up anyway. She’d surprised me before. I supposed in the end she’d done me a favor by staying away, because how was I supposed to handle myself around her now? All I’d want to do was reach out and kiss her, hold her, comfort her, and I wouldn’t be able to do any of that. So maybe I should’ve been grateful she didn’t show up.
My phone rang, interrupting my thoughts. It was a number I didn’t recognize, but I picked up anyway.
“Hello?”
“Hey, Brayden. It’s Wells…Alex’s friend.”
My heart nearly stopped. “Is everything okay?” Why else would he be calling me?
“Yeah. Yeah. Sorry. Didn’t mean to alarm you, loverboy. She’s fine…well, physically, anyway.”
That hurt to hear, but it wasn’t anything I didn’t already suspect.
“I went into her contacts to steal your number because I thought you and I should have a talk about the latest…happenings,” he continued.
I gulped. “Okay…”
“I know I may be overstepping here, but I’m doing so for her own good. Alex has been keeping everything bottled up inside.”
I shut my eyes for a moment. “How is she doing overall?”
“She’s really down. And I hate seeing it. She deserves so much happiness after everything she’s been through. What you and she were cooking up made her happier than I’d seen her in a while. And as her friend, I’m having a hard time watching her throw all that away for nothing.”
“I’d hardly call this dilemma nothing. It’s fucked up, but it’s not nothing.”