Because (Seven Year Itch #4)(58)

It’s one when I hear from him again. Char hasn’t called and I’m beginning to worry. I promise myself I won’t call her, but now my suspicious mind is thinking the worst. Brandon is irresistible when he wants to be. What if she falls victim to his charm and throws our friendship out the door?

What is wrong with me?

Why can’t I trust?

I’ve gone through a box of tissues and made it as far as to climb in my car in hopes of stopping Char before she can destroy the happy ending I’m out for. I’m scared to death of what’s happened between them. I know she wouldn’t sleep with him, but her attempts won’t be unnoticed.

I answer the call after the second ring because I can’t wait any longer. “Hello?”

“I’m just calling to tell you I love you. Are we still on for dinner tonight at the house?”

I wonder if he’s calling me out of guilt. “Yeah, sure.” By dinner time I’ll know the truth and be prepared for it. “Is there anything else?”

“Are you in a hurry? Have you left the doctors yet?”

“I ended up not going,” I tell him. “I haven’t felt like myself today.”

“Don’t worry about dinner. I’ll bring something home and Ab can help me make it.”

“Bran, I’m sorry.”

“For what?”

“Everything,” it comes out as I begin to sob.

“We’ll talk tonight. I’ll try to get there early.”

After the call I’m desperate to talk to Char, but she won’t answer. I leave her several messages and finally fall victim to my worst suspicions. She’s done something she’s ashamed of and she can’t tell me.

I’m such a fool.

This hurts worse than our breakup. This is a punch to the gut. It’s heart shattering. I’m falling apart, and have no one to blame but myself.





Chapter 28




From the moment she walked into the dealership I knew she looked familiar, but I couldn’t figure out how I’d seen her before. She was blonde, bodacious in all the right places, and dressed to impress.

I wasn’t the first to notice her, but she was hard to ignore. I’d just gotten off the phone with Shay when she approaches my station. “Hi. I called earlier about an oil change.”

“Name?” I focus on the computer in order to print out her service order.

“Kristin Copling.”

Her manicured hands tap on the desk as I type in the information. “And you’re here for an oil change?”

She nods and licks her lips. Her bright eyes sparkle against the fluorescent lights above. “Yeah, that’s all.”

I take her keys and watch as sits down in the waiting room directly across from me. She’s in a short skirt. From behind me I can hear my associates chatting about it. I turn and toss a pencil at them. “Can you guys shut your mouths? She can probably hear you.”

They don’t stop, but lower their voices at least.

I run the service order out for the mechanic and return to my seat only to find her standing waiting for me. “Any idea where I can go to get something to eat while I wait?”

“Go out of the door and take a left. Once you get on the main road you can go either way.”

“Brandon, that’s over a quarter of a mile. Offer the girl a ride, for pete’s sake.” Says a guy I work with.

I don’t want to leave the office, but know it’s part of my job to keep our clients comfortable.

I grab the keys to the service vehicle we use to pick up mostly elderly clients when their cars are done, and head out. She’s walking in front of me. I’d be lying if I said I didn’t notice how short her skirt is. I attempt to focus on getting her to and from so I can return and clock out early.

She gets in the passenger seat of the car and removes her cardigan. Her full breasts fill the tank top that remains. After a quick glance I’m focused on the road and nothing else.

We’ve made it onto the main highway when she starts to speak. “Have you lived here long?”

“My whole life.”

“Oh, so you know your way around huh?”

“Yeah, I guess.”

“I prefer the city. I can’t wait to get out of this boring town.”

“So you prefer traffic over the quiet?”

“I like people. It’s normal for me to be surrounded by nice things.”

I turn my signal on and pull into the first food place we come to. “Is Italian okay?”

She nods and starts to get out. “Aren’t you coming?”

I shake my head. “No. I’m good. I brought my lunch today,” I lie.

She closes the door and heads inside the restaurant. Back in the day I would have enjoyed this ride, but now things are different. Shayla taught me a lesson, and now I know I have to be a better person.

Kristin climbs back in the vehicle a few minutes later. “They say it’ll be ten minutes. Do you mind sitting here with me?”

What else was I supposed to do? “Yeah, sure. It’s up to me to make sure you leave a good review for the dealership.”

She adjusts in her seat, her breasts protruding from the tight shirt. It’s hard to look at her and not notice them. I’m glad I’ve spent the past two nights in bed with Shay, or else this could be pretty embarrassing, but thankfully my dick remains calm, as if it knows this chick is bad for business.