49.
"Where would we go?"
"My place," he suggests.
"So you can murder me? No, thanks."
He barks a laugh.
A genuine, wonderful, deep laugh.
It's rare.
I sigh, dangerously close to swooning.
"What would we do at your place?"
He smiles suggestively and purposefully licks his lips.
My stomach pinches with excited nerves.
I look away.
"Fine," I tell him, like I'm not dying to go. "But we're not walking out of here together. People will talk and assume I'm trying to get ahead, and I don't wanna deal with that."
"Fine," he agrees. "Meet me out front in five."
50.
Lauren is anxious to get me alone once Edward leaves.
"Spill."
"No idea why he was here," I reply.
"What'd he say?"
"Something about mutual hate? It's kind of confusing." It's not exactly a lie.
"You're killing me," she whines.
Jared stares but keeps space between us.
I'm grateful when he doesn't interrogate me, too.
Excusing myself to use the restroom, I head for the exit instead.
Edward's waiting out front in an older Land Rover, engine running.
"Wasn't really expecting you to drive this," I comment as I climb in.
"What were you expecting?"
"I don't know. The Batmobile?"
51.
His house isn't what I was expecting either.
It's better.
With a view of Lake Washington, his split-level home is modern, but not cold. It's all wood and dark metals. High ceilings and a wall of windows that overlooks the water.
It's masculine, warm, impeccably decorated.
"Wow."
I'm pissed I can't find anything snarky to say about it.
He watches me take everything in.
I admire the tall, glowing Christmas tree. Some decorations look homemade, maybe from his childhood.
"Drink?" he offers, using a remote to light a fire.
Smooth motherfucker.
"I didn't come here to drink," I say honestly.