Read Online Love Me: The Complete Series by Shelley K. Wall - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Shelley K. Wall
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“That’s it,” Abby huffed. “I’m calling him right now and getting out of this.”
Caroline yanked the phone away. “You’re just mad because he thought your boobs were fake. Think about it this way—they’re so perfect, he didn’t think they could possibly be real. From a guy, that’s a compliment. Besides, you’re so upset if you call him now, you’ll bite his head off. No, I have a better idea. I think we should crash this lunch party. Grab your purse.”
Abby dropped her hands to her hips and shook her head. “No.”
“Why not? We could pretend we were just in the neighborhood.”
“Who’d watch the shop while we’re gone? I’m not closing just so we can continue this horrible charade.”
“I know! I’ll go talk to him and tell him about the phone mess-up, and you can stay here.”
“You’d do that for me?” Abby didn’t believe a word.
“No, but I’d eavesdrop and see what he’s saying about you. How’s that for a friend?”
Abby rolled her eyes. “And you tell me
I’m
bad.”
The door jangled as Caroline yanked it open. “Oh, honey—you haven’t
seen
bad yet. This is better than any damned reality show! Be back in an hour.” She waved fingers and rushed out before Abby could stop her.
Abby wanted to laugh. Abby hadn’t described Carter, and Caroline had yet to meet him. So Caroline had no idea who she was looking for.
• • •
A shadow appeared in Carter’s doorway and he checked the time. It had taken all of three minutes for Roger Freeman to walk down the hall to his office.
“You ready?” Roger leaned against the door, catching his shirtsleeve on the latch.
Roger had worked with him since college and been a friend throughout. Carter used that term loosely because Roger had a lot of frustrating quirks. Still, there was very little about him that Carter didn’t know, and vice versa. Neither could run away from their pasts. Fortunately, there’d only been a few times when he wished it possible. Roger had fallen off the radar for a while during their senior year and just after. Carter knew little other than there was a girl and he gave up asking after the first attempt. Roger nearly bit his head off when he pried.
Whatever his friend’s problems or past, not too many men in his world were reliable enough to recommend for a job. Roger had been one then—and still was. He was a real ass around women, but when it came to work, there weren’t many Carter trusted as much as Rog. It didn’t make sense, the women thing, to a lot of people.
Carter knew it was an act, a front. Roger hadn’t a clue how to behave because he’d never had a girlfriend—except maybe that one time—and very likely never had many second dates. The guy had the most horrific manners around women. It had to be nerves because he was great around clients. Or maybe it was intentional. Who knew?
“I said I was busy. I meant it.” Carter buried his head behind his laptop screen.
“You’re always busy. Whatever it is, it can wait until after lunch. You haven’t gone with us in over a month.” Roger untangled himself from the door latch and dropped into the chair across from Carter’s desk.
“We’re meeting with the bank at three and I haven’t looked at—”
“The lease for the property on Bellaire? I have it memorized.” Roger leaned over and closed the folder Carter had splayed open. “Let’s go.”
Carter sighed. Roger was right. Amanda had been demanding, to say the least, which was ironic, considering the situation. How had she found the time to monopolize his time as well as someone else’s? He’d all but given up his friends after dating her a month, not something he was proud of. He owed it to the guys to mend the fences and make sure he wasn’t that stupid again. No girl was worth it.
He grabbed his keys and followed Roger out.
Fifteen minutes later they were seated at a table near the window of Fadi’s, gulping down iced tea and Mediterranean food.
“That’s it,” Abby huffed. “I’m calling him right now and getting out of this.”
Caroline yanked the phone away. “You’re just mad because he thought your boobs were fake. Think about it this way—they’re so perfect, he didn’t think they could possibly be real. From a guy, that’s a compliment. Besides, you’re so upset if you call him now, you’ll bite his head off. No, I have a better idea. I think we should crash this lunch party. Grab your purse.”
Abby dropped her hands to her hips and shook her head. “No.”
“Why not? We could pretend we were just in the neighborhood.”
“Who’d watch the shop while we’re gone? I’m not closing just so we can continue this horrible charade.”
“I know! I’ll go talk to him and tell him about the phone mess-up, and you can stay here.”
“You’d do that for me?” Abby didn’t believe a word.
“No, but I’d eavesdrop and see what he’s saying about you. How’s that for a friend?”
Abby rolled her eyes. “And you tell me
I’m
bad.”
The door jangled as Caroline yanked it open. “Oh, honey—you haven’t
seen
bad yet. This is better than any damned reality show! Be back in an hour.” She waved fingers and rushed out before Abby could stop her.
Abby wanted to laugh. Abby hadn’t described Carter, and Caroline had yet to meet him. So Caroline had no idea who she was looking for.
• • •
A shadow appeared in Carter’s doorway and he checked the time. It had taken all of three minutes for Roger Freeman to walk down the hall to his office.
“You ready?” Roger leaned against the door, catching his shirtsleeve on the latch.
Roger had worked with him since college and been a friend throughout. Carter used that term loosely because Roger had a lot of frustrating quirks. Still, there was very little about him that Carter didn’t know, and vice versa. Neither could run away from their pasts. Fortunately, there’d only been a few times when he wished it possible. Roger had fallen off the radar for a while during their senior year and just after. Carter knew little other than there was a girl and he gave up asking after the first attempt. Roger nearly bit his head off when he pried.
Whatever his friend’s problems or past, not too many men in his world were reliable enough to recommend for a job. Roger had been one then—and still was. He was a real ass around women, but when it came to work, there weren’t many Carter trusted as much as Rog. It didn’t make sense, the women thing, to a lot of people.
Carter knew it was an act, a front. Roger hadn’t a clue how to behave because he’d never had a girlfriend—except maybe that one time—and very likely never had many second dates. The guy had the most horrific manners around women. It had to be nerves because he was great around clients. Or maybe it was intentional. Who knew?
“I said I was busy. I meant it.” Carter buried his head behind his laptop screen.
“You’re always busy. Whatever it is, it can wait until after lunch. You haven’t gone with us in over a month.” Roger untangled himself from the door latch and dropped into the chair across from Carter’s desk.
“We’re meeting with the bank at three and I haven’t looked at—”
“The lease for the property on Bellaire? I have it memorized.” Roger leaned over and closed the folder Carter had splayed open. “Let’s go.”
Carter sighed. Roger was right. Amanda had been demanding, to say the least, which was ironic, considering the situation. How had she found the time to monopolize his time as well as someone else’s? He’d all but given up his friends after dating her a month, not something he was proud of. He owed it to the guys to mend the fences and make sure he wasn’t that stupid again. No girl was worth it.
He grabbed his keys and followed Roger out.
Fifteen minutes later they were seated at a table near the window of Fadi’s, gulping down iced tea and Mediterranean food.
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