Read Online Meant to Be by E. L. Todd - Free Book Online

the almost empty glass closer to her. “That’s the point.”
    “ Because that’s the only way you can get laid?” Veronica jabbed.
    Ouch. That was low. Good. But low. I had nothing to say in my defense. After all, it was true, partially.
    Cassandra sighed. “Come on, guys. Be nice.”
    “Why?” Lana asked. “Our best friend is with a total jerk. Why should we be nice?”
    “He’s not a jerk,” Cassandra argued. “ He used to be when I didn’t know him.”
    “Baby, it’s okay.” I appreciated her defense, but that wasn’t how I wanted to win them over. “I’ll be right back.” I walked to the bar and got her another cosmo. As soon as I left the table, I knew they were talking about me. Cassandra would defend me while her girlfriends ripped me to shreds.
    “Hey.” Zeal appeared at my side, wearing a black cocktail dress. Compared to her usual attire, her outfit was very conservative. Her ass wasn’t hanging out and her tits were tucked away.
    “You took my advice to heart.”
    “Well, if I don’t want to be treated like a whore, I shouldn’t act like one, right?”
    “Wiser words I’ve never heard,” I said with a smile. “Can I get you a drink?”
    “Cosmo.”
    I ordered it and handed it to her. “Anything else?”
    “I’m good.” While she had terrible manners and an attitude, she was still civil to me. And that was enough.
    We walked back to the table and I pulled out the chair for Zeal. She sat down without argument, and Lana and Veronica watched us in surprise. I took my place at Cassandra’s side and placed the drink in front of her.
    “Hey,” Zeal said. “How’s it going?”
    “Good,” Veronica said. “Why are you late?”
    She shrugged. “If you’re important, people will wait.”
    “Well, you’re getting less important,” Veronica snapped.
    Zeal chuckled but retained her posture.
    Cassandra eyed her. “Mike told me you guys had a talk.”
    “We did,” she said. “He’s not so bad.” She winked at me.
    I smiled back.
    “What?” Veronica did a double take. “I thought you hated this guy?”
    “I did,” Zeal said calmly. “But he won me over. I think he genuinely loves Cassandra. We should be happy for her.”
    I liked where this was going. By the end of the night, Cassandra would be doing dirty stuff to me because she’d be so thrilled. I couldn’t wait.
    “Talk about a 180,” Lana said.
    Zeal shrugged. “It’s rare, but it happens.”
    We settled into a conversation about the magazine they worked for. I tried as hard as I could to focus and participate in the conversation even though it was incredibly dull. But I made the effort for Cassandra. I wanted her to marry me, and I had to work my ass off for her to realize she should.
    “Mike, are you high in that company you work for?” Zeal asked. “You have a nice office.”
    Cassandra clearly hadn’t told them I was loaded. I was actually happy about that. She didn’t care that I was rich, and she respected my privacy. But I was throwing all my cards on the table tonight. “I own it.”
    Her eyes widened, as did everyone else’s. “Oh…”
    Yep. You better like me now.
    “Cassandra didn’t mention that.” Zeal gave her a threatening look.
    “I’m pretty quiet about it,” I said modestly. “When you have money, people act differently around you.”
    Both Veronica and Lana leaned forward, suddenly interested in me.
    “My brother and I run it together.”
    Zeal looked at Cassandra. “Why did n’t you tell us?”
    She shrugged. “It didn’t seem important.”
    “So…” Veronica placed her hand on her throat. “Are you a millionaire?”
    “Something like that.”
    They looked at Cassandra with new eyes. I didn’t want to be liked because of my money, but I was willing to do anything and everything to get her frie nds on my side. I knew they would gossip about me the moment I was gone, and I needed them to push for me, not tell Cassandra to find someone else. And I needed them to tell