The Broken One (Corisi Billionaires, #1)(38)

The rational side of me knew she was probably a safe driver. She didn’t come across as someone who would speed needlessly, and she hadn’t ordered so much as a glass of wine with lunch. Still, my heart was pounding painfully in my chest.

One’s entire life could be changed forever with one misstep.

The official report of Therese’s accident said the fault was an impatient driver who had run a red light—an act that had ended his life as well. No way she could have avoided him.

That accident was completely unrelated to Heather almost backing into a passing car or waving at me while pulling out onto the road.

My gut was clenching, though, and I was fighting a demon I thought I had beaten. What the fuck? Why was it rearing its ugly head again?

Heather.

Did I really want to go back to caring about someone if this was how it felt? I got into my car and headed to my meeting with the son of the owner of Bhatt Markets. The purpose of the meeting was still a toss-up. He’d asked me to meet him away from his family’s office, and I’d agreed only because I was already going to be in the area anyway.

Did he intend to threaten me? Beg me to reconsider? Neither would sway me. Emotion had no place in business.

“Full disclosure, I ditched my underwear in the trash.” I smiled as I remembered how Heather had blurted that particular gem out. How was a man supposed to concentrate on anything else after hearing that?

God, how long had it been since anyone had left me smiling—wishing we’d had more time together?

Heather had made what she wanted clear, but although the idea of spending an afternoon driving her wild was deliciously tempting, I didn’t want to fuck her—not just fuck her. I tapped the breast pocket of my suit coat, rattling her dice.

Full of bold promises, yet somehow innocent at the same time.

Like Heather.

I smiled again.

She’d turned me down, and I’d liked it. Therese had loved me, but had I made her happy? I’d never know. I couldn’t go back and change the man I’d been for her, but I didn’t want to be that man again.

Was I capable of better? I wanted to think so.

The night Ava had been sick, Heather had said, “I’m a good mother. I don’t have to prove myself to you. I don’t require your approval. If you’re looking for someone who will tiptoe around your moods, that’s not me.”

Good. I wanted to know when I crossed a line.

But did Heather need a man like me in her life? I wasn’t asking myself if I was good enough for her. My ego was too robust for such a question.

There was no denying, though, that we were very different people. Was a traditional man with relationship PTSD a good fit for a modern woman with a child?

A child.

Fuck.

Heather had been right to not give the stuffed baby wolves to Ava. I had no business getting involved in that child’s life until—I corrected myself—unless things worked out with Heather.

“I want to see you again,” I’d said.

“Then you’ll find a way to make it happen.”

Yes, I will.





CHAPTER TWENTY



* * *



JUDY

It wasn’t like Alethea to avoid her.

Since texting her hadn’t gained Judy more than evasive responses, Judy had executed escape plan 19—playdate bait and switch. She’d asked her mother if she could go over to her friend Grace’s house after school, receiving an easy yes since it was something she’d done many times in the past.

Her mother didn’t need to know she and Grace weren’t friends anymore.

Friends don’t gloat that their family tree came out better than yours.

Friends don’t laugh along with everyone else when you cry at school.

Judy told her driver she saw Grace in her backyard. With a quick promise that she’d text him when she wanted to go home, she took off down Grace’s driveway, then between the houses, and hid in the bushes. Only then did she text Win to meet her. He lived a few houses down from Grace, and although they’d been friends for years, Judy wasn’t supposed to play with him, since he’d been caught shoplifting a few months earlier.

He was also not supposed to leave his house because he’d punched a boy who happened to be the son of someone his father worked with. He’d only done it to stop a boy from calling Judy a crybaby at recess.

Unlike Grace, he was a good friend.

Sure, he got into fights at school, but if his parents hadn’t wanted their son to constantly get into scraps at school, they shouldn’t have named him Winston. He’d been Winnie the Pooh to the school bullies ever since preschool, and that taught a person to stand up for themselves.

His mother had no desire to control him. She worked out, went shopping, and worked out again. As far as Judy could tell, that was all she did.

Win thought she might also be dating her personal trainer.

Disgusting.

His father traveled for work all the time, but Win thought that was a good thing.

“All clear,” Win said from the driveway.

Judy stepped out. “I ordered an Uber. He should be here any minute.”

“Hey, Grace is looking at us through the window. Should I flip her off?”

Judy turned and frowned at her ex-friend. “No, don’t waste the energy. Come on, let’s get out of here.”