by G. , Whitney
“I guess. Anything else?”
“Yeah, I need to give your doctor a follow-up call,” he said. “He clearly missed the fact that you’ve sustained some brain damage. I’ll be back in a few minutes.”
“Wait,” I said. “Has Penelope called you? Has she emailed anything?”
“She texted me ‘Happy Birthday’ this morning.”
“Read me the message.”
“I just did.” He crossed his arms. “Happy Birthday, Lawrence.”
“Were there any emojis? Any hidden lines of code for me?”
He gave me a blank stare.
“Fine.” I downed my coffee.
“Can I give you some breakup advice?” He cleared his throat.
“No.”
“I’ll offer it up anyway,” he said. The Hayden I know wouldn’t be here right now. He wouldn’t give a fuck about anything except getting what he wanted. Because everyone and I do mean fucking everyone— minus her brother, maybe, could see that you two belonged together.”
He was right.
This guidebook-phase shit in getting her back wasn’t my style at all.
I grabbed my jacket and headed to the door. “I’ll be back to work sometime next week.”
“Please don’t do anything stupid for the next month.” He held his hand over his heart. “You owe me four weeks without any heart palpitations.”
“I don’t have anything stupid on my agenda.” Yet.
“So, you’re off to get Penelope back?”
“No,” I said. “I’m off to put Travis in his place once and for all.”
Forty Seven
Present Day
Hayden
I tore off my final wrist bandage and parked my car in front of B&B Warehouse.
To passersby, it was just another place on the shipyard that blended into everything else. Nothing left to see.
I knew better, though.
It was where Travis held his private workouts. Since he was still nursing his ego from his Vegas loss, there was a ninety percent chance that he would be here.
I waited for a couple to walk past and pulled a pair of shades over my eyes before stepping out. Then I made my way to the side entrance.
Typing in the code on the keypad, I opened the door and found myself face to face with his bodyguard.
“You’re the last person Mr. Carter wants to see.” He bellowed. “Get the hell out of here if you know what’s good for you.”
“Are you still cheating on your wife, Greg?” I asked. “Or, have you finally stopped? It’d be a shame if I accidentally brought up your mistress’s name the next time I saw her out.”
“Go.” He glared at me before stepping out of the way.
I bypassed the remainder of Travis’s entourage and walked into the gym.
Standing at the center of a ring, Travis was bobbing and weaving, throwing punches at a dummy’s torso.
“I see that you’ve healed pretty quickly.” Travis’s eyes met mine. “I wouldn’t get too comfortable with that jaw if I were you. It’ll be broken again by the time you leave.”
“Fuck you, Travis.” I glared at him.
“Come closer and say that shit to my face.”
“Gladly.” I moved closer, and he punched the dummy a few more times.
Climbing past the ropes, I walked right up to him.
“You really do have a death wish, don’t you?” he asked.
“Shut the fuck up, and let me explain this,” I said. “If you don’t, one of us is leaving here hurt, and I can guarantee it won’t be me.”
“Only one of us is a professional fighter, Hayden.”
“And only one of us has ever lost at something we’re the best at,” I said. “Reminder: You just fucking lost in Las Vegas.”
His face reddened, and he flexed his wrists. “I suggest you hurry up and say whatever the hell you want to say.”
“One, you’re lucky that I’m in love with your sister. Two, Penelope is my best friend,” I said. “Not you, and it’s been that way for years. I was never attracted to her when you selfishly made me agree to look after her when you left.”
He clenched his jaw, but he didn’t say a word.
“It was strictly platonic for years, and there was nothing there.” I admitted. “But I fell for her long before I came to New York. That’s actually why I fucking came here, because in the best interest for her career, I didn’t want to distract her. So I—”
“Fucked your way across the city until you decided that you wanted someone naïve to settle down with?”
“I’m still in love with your sister, and I don’t care if you agree with it or not.” I shrugged. “If you think so low of me that I was actually grooming her like a sick person and wasn’t looking after her, that’s on you. Because if I have to choose between which one of your relationships means the most to me, it won’t be the one I had with you.”
Silence.
I considered punching him in the eye, paying him back for the senseless beatdown he gave me, but he suddenly stepped back.
“I heard you with another woman in your room in Vegas,” he said.
“Like I told you before, there was no other woman.”
“And Anya Sterling?”
“A run-in with bad timing,” I said. “It was also blown completely out of proportion. I would never cheat on Penelope.”
He stared at me for a long time, looking torn between believing me and lunging at me.
I flexed my fist just in case it was the latter.
“I’m not sorry,” he said.
“I wouldn’t accept your apology if you were.” I rolled my eyes. “Thanks for the attempt, though.”
“Okay, I really am sorry.” He looked genuine. “I just thought you were treating her like every other woman you’ve—Well, you know.”
“I’m still not accepting your apology, especially if that’s the best you can do.” I crossed my arms. “You fractured my fucking eye socket.”
“If you thought some other guy hurt Penelope, I’m sure you would’ve done much worse.”
“You left me bleeding on the kitchen floor.”
“I remember you calling me about a certain guy you beat to a pulp before. What exactly did he do to Crown?”
I sighed. “Apology accepted. Have you talked to her? She’s ignoring me.”
“For now. She’ll have to talk to you within the next few months or so, I’m sure.”
“You must not know how long she can hold a grudge.”
He stared at me blankly for several seconds. “She didn’t tell you?”
“Tell me what?”
He ran a hand through his hair. “I met her in Salt Lake City, but she’s upset with me now, too. I can try to call her.”
“No, that’s okay,” I said, stepping out of the ring. “I’ll find her myself.”
Forty Eight
Present Day
Penelope
The moment that I landed in New York, I took a cab to Seventh Avenue Bank.
Since Travis made such a huge deal about this bank account, I decided to withdraw every dime and use it toward a new condo.
If there was enough for that, anyway.
“Thank you for calling ahead of your arrival, Miss Carter.” The bank manager extended his hand when I stepped through the doors. “We’re still getting things together, but we’ll be handling this in my office.”
“Sounds perfect.” I followed him into a large room where other suits were waiting.
He motioned for me to take a seat.
“Just to confirm, a few years ago, Mr. Carter transformed this account into a money market. Then he started a new one in your name and invested almost all of it into Cinder’s shares. Does that sound correct?”
He never told me that.
“Sure.” I nodded.
“Okay, well—” He cleared his throat. “I recommend getting a few cashier’s checks, but I’ll happily dole your funds out however you like. How do you want it done?”
He picked up the bag and looked inside of it. “Do you have other bags on their way here?”
“No.” I shrugged. “That’s it.”
He looked over at his associate, then back at me.
“Miss Carter,” he said, slowly sliding the reading glasses off his face. “How much money do you think is in your account?”
“Fifty thousand, give or take.”
“If it was fifty thousand, I wouldn’t have met you at the door, and you would’ve been out of here minutes ago.” He leaned forward. “This is seven million dollars.”
My jaw dropped to the floor, and I felt all the color leaving my face.
“Like I was saying.” He looked at me. “How do you want it done?”
“Cashier’s checks.” I could barely hear my voice. “But just for um, ten percent of it.”
“I thought so.” He stood to his feet. “I’ll be right back, Miss Carter.”
I leaned back in my chair, beyond stunned.
I pulled out my phone to unmute Travis and send him an appreciative message, but he’d texted me already.
Several hours ago.
Travis: I love you, Crown … I hope someday you’ll see where I was coming from. Even though I couldn’t physically be there, every match I ever fought was for you.
Forty-Eight (B)
Present Day
Hayden
* * *
Cinder Settles with Tinder for $40M
* * *
Cinder’s Company Valuation Now Worth $2B
* * *
Simon Gaines Arrested in Manhattan for Fraud, Hedge Fund Offices Raided
Fifty
Present Day
Penelope
Manhattan, New York
“It took me all this time to realize that everything I’d done with Cinder, every move I’d ever made, was because I was in love with my best friend, and I didn’t want her to be with anyone else…”
“I was willing to lie, cheat, and steal, to get back at the man who I thought had taken her away from me.”
Tears hit my screen as I read Hayden’s words in The New Yorker for the umpteenth time. In revealing the truth about Tinder, he’d exposed bits of our story that I’d long forgotten, and late last night, the months before my accident unfolded in my brain like the pages of a novel.
Scene after scene of me wanting him and dating Tim as second-best, not knowing that he felt the same way that I did.
I wanted so desperately to call him and tell him to meet me someplace so we could talk, but I couldn’t do it.
The past headlines of his affair with Anya were still a barrier to us ever being friends again.
We can be co-parents and nothing more.
“Hey, Penelope?” Tatiana’s voice snapped me out of my thoughts. “You kind of need to get out of the car now.”
I looked to my left and saw her holding up an umbrella over the cab’s open door.
“Oh, sorry.” I stepped out and stood underneath it, shutting the door behind me.
“I think this is a decent complex,” she said, tilting her head to the side. “Lots of great amenities, and its close enough to two rinks. It’s also close to—Well, um…”
“Cinder,” I said. “In case.”
“Yeah, in case.” She looped her arm in mine and led me inside. “I’m sorry I brought that up.”
“No worries.”
We took the elevator to the top floor, finding ourselves in the middle of a private party. We wrote our names on the badges, then we moved over to the table of gourmet snacks.
From here, the view of Manhattan was perfect.
As I was pouring myself a drink, I felt a familiar jolt of electricity traveling through my body, that pulsating throb that I only felt when …
“Is that Hayden Hunter?” “Oh my god, look!” “Is he here to buy everything before we can?”
Hushed whispers suddenly filled the room.
“You want to leave through the back elevator?” Tatiana whispered. “I can put in bids for you if you don’t want to stay.”
Yes. “No.” I shook my head. “I’m fine.”
“You sure?”
I nodded and let out a breath. Tuning out the whispers, I scooped another handful of M&Ms onto my plate.
I managed to make it to the end of the snack buffet before giving in for a quick glance at Hayden.
Looking sexier than ever, he was dressed in a black V-neck shirt that clung to his muscles and dark jeans. Still incapable of looking anything less than perfect.
His blue eyes met mine, and I tried to look away, but I couldn’t.
“Ladies and gentlemen, may I have your attention, please?” The curator clapped his hands and moved to the center of the room. “Thank you all so much for coming to our open house. Please follow me into the showroom area where we’ve set up space for the formal auctions.”
The guests made their way toward the showroom, but I remained still.
A guy who looked a few years younger than me walked over to Hayden with his cell phone held high.
“You’re my idol,” he said. “Can I please take a selfie with you?”
Hayden nodded, but he kept his eyes on mine; the guy snapped the shot without noticing.
Tatiana moved behind me. “Do you want me to leave you two alone?”
“No,” I said. “Please stay.”
Hayden walked over, stopping right in front of me.
“You’re so fucking beautiful,” he said, his voice hoarse.
I didn’t say anything in response. I simply stared at him.
“I’ve missed you.” He looked into my eyes. “I’ve called you twenty times a day, left messages, and sent flowers. I’ve paid for ads on all the shows you watch, and I penned a letter in The New Yorker.” He paused. “Have you seen any of those things?”
“No.” I lied, swallowing the lump in my throat. “I’ve been trying my best to take a certain someone’s advice and move on.”
“Have you?”
“Not yet.” Tears pricked my eyes, but I refused to let them fall. “You look good, too, Hayden. I bet Anya loves waking up next to you.”
“I would never cheat on you, Penelope,” he said. “Those pictures aren’t what you think they are, but even still, I should’ve never asked for space with you. I’ll do whatever it takes to get you back and make it up to you.” He stepped close enough for me to inhale the scent of his cologne.
We stared into each other’s eyes for several moments, the unspoken words remained unsaid.
“Is this the type of condo you really want to buy?” he asked finally. “These aren’t your style.”
“I plan to renovate,” I said. “I’m bidding on it for the space and the amenities, so that—”
“So that what?”
“I was planning to call you sometime next week.” I refused to go there. “There’s something important I need to tell you.”
“I’m standing in front of you now.” He closed the gap between us. “No need to wait a week.” He lifted his hand and pressed it against my cheek, sending warmth through my entire body. “What is it?”
“Please write your initial bids on your cards for the first round!” The curator called from the other room. “You’re free to outbid your first one, but this is to ensure accuracy for the speaker.”
“I have to go,” I said. “I need to bid on this.”
“Or, you can let me buy it for you.” He grabbed my hands. “I need you to hear me out right now, Pen. We need to talk.”
“We will.” I stepped back. “Next week.”
I walked away from him before he could say anything else.
Anxious, I grabbed a paddle and a marker. Then I took a seat in the front row.
“For the first round, we are offering four condos identical to this one,” the curator said. “To start the bidding, I now welcome—”
“If you won’t talk to me in private, I�
�ll talk to you in public.” Hayden was suddenly in front of me, his eyes narrowed and his jaw clenched.
“Sir, this is a bidding process.” The curator cleared his throat. “If you’re interested in staying, you can register and—”
“If you believe that I would ever hurt you after all we’ve been through together, you are sadly mistaken.”
The room filled with whispers, then those soft conversations dissolved into silence.
“I can’t go another day without you talking to me.” His voice was hoarse. “I have never felt for anyone else what I feel for you, and you’re more than my best friend, Penelope. I think that you always have been.”
Tears fell down my face.
“I’ve loved you since breakup number fifteen.” He ran his fingers through my hair. “I wanted you to be mine back then, but I loved you enough to want you to focus on your own career…”
My breathing slowed.
“I love you, and I know you’ve read my letter,” he said. “I can see it in your eyes, but just do we’re clear, I’m in love with you—every part of you, and I will never give you advice on landing another guy again, because you belong with me. And if you give me a second chance, you’ll never have to experience another breakup again.”
The room was now silent enough to hear a pin drop. The words I wanted to say aloud were trapped under my tongue.
I could feel everyone in the room staring at us, begging me to give him an answer.
“Please.” Hayden leaned close enough that our lips nearly touched. “Please, take me back, Penelope.”
I swallowed. “I never wanted to give you a breakup title.”
“You don’t have to,” he said. “Take me back.”
“Okay.” I nodded, feeling fresh tears fall down my face.
“Okay yes or okay you need to think about it?”
