5
I looked back to see Luke standing behind me
in a bathrobe that was barely hanging on. his
く
eight–pack on full display, along with his
perfect V–line.
“Your robe’s coming undone. Tie it.”
He sounded like I owed him money or
something.
I gave him a fake smile and reluctantly did it
- up.
Then, he sashayed off like he was strutting
the runway.
“Did you crash into him on purpose? I’d kill to
cohabitate with a hottie like that.”
My bestie was howling on the other end of
the call, like a hyperactive husky.
く
“You don’t get how awful this guy is! Back
when we were bidding on contracts, he
stomped all over me! I can’t have anything,
but a total man of cleanliness can have
everything? It’s hard to come to terms with it.
Now I’m stuck taking care of him, and he
doesn’t even see me as a woman! He makes
me help him shower, and doesn’t even give
me a discount!”
I couldn’t help but vent.
About half an hour later, we changed the
subject.
“Did you hear that Jake got kicked to the
curb by his family?” my friend asked.
I was surprised. “They kicked him out?”
く
Jake was the only son, the golden boy, the
heir to the family fortune. How could they
ditch him?
“Word on the street is, some other son
showed up in the mix, and he’s been doing
well. Jake wasn’t doing well either. His dad is
gonna bring the other guy into the fold. The
worst part is that Jake decided to follow that
hussy, Mandy! You already know what that
hussy is all about. Jake threatened to stop
inheriting the family name for Mandy! His dad
was infuriated, and he kicked him out!”
I smelled gossip and needed to know more.
It made me happy when losers were
miserable.
“I heard be’s trying to prove himself
<
“I heard he’s trying to prove himself and
borrowed money from a bunch of people to
start his own business, but who knows what
the outcome is now,” she said.
I chuckled and said nothing.
“Oh yeah, your parents are trying to get a
hold of you. Your family business is in
shambles, you know? Your brother, the
moron, borrowed money from the bank
without telling your dad and lost it all! Now
they can’t pay the bank back, and the bank is
breathing down their necks. Your dad tried to
hit up my dad for a loan, but my dad blew him
off. Said they got rid of their cash cow,
they’re just gonna keep going downhill, and
he wasn’t gonna throw money down the
drain.”
<
I shrugged. “Smart thinking, Uncle.”
My friend nodded. “My dad’s a shark. He
always thought you were the real deal, and he
keeps asking what you’re up to and if you
want to come work for him.”
I declined. “I’m good. Don’t wanna change
anything.”
“Of course you’re good! You’re living with a
six–pack stud! Who wouldn’t be jealous?”
My friend gnashed her teeth.
Maybe it was my friend obsessing over Luke’s
abs all night, but the next day, I couldn’t stop
glancing at his stomach. When he wore a
button–down, the way it fit across his wide
く
shoulders and tapered down to his waist
was… appealing. No wonder he turned heads.
I sighed. If my friend hadn’t pointed it out, I
wouldn’t have realized I was living the dream!
I was enjoying the scenery and still
complaining that he was a germaphobe!
Talk about ungrateful.
9x
Time flew by.
After another checkup, his left hand was
functional again, but his right was still
healing.
Leaving the hospital, I went to pick up my car
and ran into my family.
<
My mom was holding Mandy’s hand, and they
were walking really slowly.
Seeing me, they both froze, then hurried over.
