The Pretend Girlfriend (A Billionaire Love Story #1)(75)

However, the more Gwen thought about it, the more she realized that had Aiden not felt any attraction to her, he probably wouldn't have created the contract in the first place.

Basically, and this made Gwen sigh, it was doomed from the start.


She did take some small comfort in one thing, though. It wasn't that Beatrice had been right and she was wrong about the whole friendship thing. They'd both been right and wrong. But that just boiled down to there never being just two sides to any argument or idea.

Of course, Beatrice did seem to be more right (was that even a phrase?) than Gwen about it.

So Gwen went and grabbed her phone and called Beatrice. As she expected, the call went directly to voicemail.

The tone sounded.

"Hey, B, it's me again... I don't know if you're checking all these messages I sent you. I must sound like a crazy lady, filling up your inbox with all this. But I hope you get this one, at least.

"This is gonna sound a little weird, given all the stuff that's happened lately, but I just wanted to tell you that I think you're right—mostly right, anyway—about the whole men and women impossibility of friendship thing. I could really use you in my life right now, but I also understand why you don't seem to want to be a part of it anymore. If you think all this is crazy from an outside perspective, imagine living in it! Anyway, I'm going to come clean about everything, get a fresh start... Aiden's father offered me a way out, and I think I should take it. I don't want to hurt you or Aiden anymore, even if neither of you want to be in my life anymore."

Gwen would have continued longer, but the machine cut her off. The whole bit about coming clean had come to her mid-message, but it felt right. Aiden would be better off without her. Henry would hopefully stop hounding him, sabotaging him. And maybe they could all move on with their lives.

It wrenched her heart to admit it, but she did.

Gwen looked down at her phone. The case warmed in the palm of her hand, the blank screen reflecting the ceiling. If Aiden called right now, she thought, if he called and asked me to breakfast, I would drop all this getting out nonsense. He would have some good reason or argument to stop her.

It was another thing like the horse race, putting it all on chance and destiny. Gwen stared hard at the phone, willing it to ring, willing Aiden's name to pop up on the call display.

She concentrated so much that the blood pounded against her temples, and her jaw started aching from clenching.

But apparently Gwen wasn't psychic, because her phone didn't ring. Letting her jaw relax, Gwen unlocked the cell and started scrolling through her call history, looking for that one particular number.

Finding it, she thumbed the button to call it back and pressed the phone to her ear.

After one ring, someone answered. "Mr. Henry Manning's office, how may I help?"

It sounded like the same secretary who'd called her in for that early morning meeting.

"Hi, yes, this is Gwen Browning. I need to see Hen... Mr. Manning right away; it's important."

"I'm sorry; Mr. Manning's schedule is fully booked. I can fit you in in say... three weeks?"

Gwen's anger flared. She'd worked up the courage to choose this course of action, and now Henry couldn't be bothered to speak to her? "That's not acceptable," Gwen said, wanting to put the sentiment in far less diplomatic terms. She refrained from doing so by reminding herself that it was Henry she hated, not his secretary.

"I'm afraid Mr. Manning has made his stance toward your unwillingness to accept his offer quite clear, Miss Browning."

Why did everything have to be so difficult, right down to giving up? Speaking through gritted teeth, Gwen continued, "Then you can tell Mr. Manning that I've changed my stance and that if he wants my cooperation he'll see me right away. Today, as soon as possible."

"Just a moment," the secretary said, putting her on hold before Gwen could say anything.

She shook her head, holding the phone away from her ear while some Beethoven piece played through the speaker. The music continued playing for several minutes, severely trying Gwen's patience.

It gave her time to think about just what this choice meant. Not seeing Aiden again, of course. That hurt, but she knew it would mean less trouble for him. It would also mean no more money, which led to no more apartment. Oh, she could find a roommate or a smaller place, but neither of those options sounded good.

A break, on the other hand, did sound good. She could take her mom or dad up on their offers for a place to sleep while she collected the broken pieces of her life and put them back together in some new design. What shape that might take, Gwen hadn't a clue. One thing was for sure though: she didn't think she'd be able to get over Aiden for a long time.

She was just about to hang up when the music stopped.

"Miss Browning?"

"I'm still here," Gwen replied.

"Mr. Manning has agreed to see you today. How soon can you come to the office?"

Of course Henry would never come to see her. Everything needed to happen on his turf. It probably made him feel stronger, more important, all that stuff.

"I'll get there when I get there," Gwen said. Even though she was throwing the towel in that didn't mean she couldn't make him sweat for a bit. And it felt good to prove to herself that this was completely her choice. Besides, she needed to shower and change her clothes.