Chapter 25

25

ALAINA

I spent the next two days wondering if I was right about Roan. Not a single text or call from him. When was I ever going to learn? I kept throwing myself at him and he kept rejecting me. He didn't want me. I knew that. It was just him. Every time I got together with him, I forgot all about the fact he wasn't into this the same way I was. I almost felt bad for taking advantage of him. He wanted a friend. That was what he saw in me. The kisses were pity kisses. And maybe a little bit of attraction. He was a man after all.

I sighed and tried to dismiss all thoughts of him from my mind.

It was probably a good thing he didn't call. I was pretty busy moving into my new apartment, which was a fun distraction. Decorating was therapeutic for me. I enjoyed every moment of it. Each thrifted item, each piece of art, seemed to bring a bit more life into my space. I was going full color. Bold and bright. I needed all the brightness I could get in this place.

As I was hanging a recently thrifted painting on the wall, there was a knock on the door. My heart jumped. Maybe it was Roan. I smoothed my hands over my hair and hoped I didn't look too much of a mess.

When I opened the door, it was my sister. "Oh, it's you."

She raised an eyebrow. "Gee, that's a warm welcome."

"Sorry, come in."

She held out a bag. "This is my housewarming gift to you."

"Thank you."

"I thought I would stop and see what you've done with the place."

"I've done what I can." I opened the bag and pulled out an expensive candle. I inhaled the scent of it. "Oh, strawberries! It smells so good."

"It looks like you in here," Cate said with a smile, her eyes scanning the room.

"Thanks," I replied, stepping back to admire the painting. It was a whimsical landscape, full of vibrant colors. "I'm really starting to feel at home."

Cate walked around, inspecting the few pieces of furniture I had managed to fit into the small space. "It suits you. You're not afraid to live here?"

I laughed. "It's not really dangerous. It's just not as fancy as your building."

"Have you met any of your neighbors?"

"A couple," I said. "They seem nice enough. One woman invited me to some cooking party."

"That's cool. Are you going to go?"

"Probably not," I said. "I have a lot on my plate."

"Like what? I think you've finished unpacking and decorating. There wasn't a lot to do."

"I am working on some fundraisers for that trip to Florida," I told her.

"You didn't ask Roan?"

"No. I'm not going to ask him. I don't want to. It feels wrong. The kids need to try and work for it."

"How are you planning to fund that?"

"I was thinking of holding an auction at the school instead of just asking for donations," I explained. "It could be a fun way to get everyone involved. The kids can collect items from local businesses. Maybe they even have stuff at home. I'm hoping the parents will get involved. You know whenever the kids are involved, the parents are more inclined to write big checks."

"You're hoping Roan will write a big check," she teased.

I frowned at her. "That's not it, Cate. We've already talked about this. You're more obsessed with him than I am."

She shrugged, a teasing glint in her eyes. "I'm just saying, if he happens to be generous?—"

"Cate!" I interrupted her exasperatedly and she laughed, holding up her hands in surrender.

"Okay, okay," she conceded.

"I'm sure Roan will be moved to donate, but I'm not going to ask."

"So, have you still been hanging out with Mr. Billionaire Dad?"

I sighed, feeling a mix of emotions. "We went on a date a couple days ago. Although I don't think it was the date he was hoping for."

"He didn't get in your pants?" she said while rolling her eyes.

"He didn't actually try," I said. "He came over and helped me unpack. And then we went to the international food festival at the park."

Her lip curled. "You took him to the food festival?"

"Stop it. Since when did you get all high and mighty? You used to love food trucks."

"That was before I could afford to eat at a place with actual walls."

I made a face at her, sticking out my tongue. "It's not all about the money, Cate. We had fun."

"Did he eat?"

"Yes." I laughed. "And he enjoyed it."

"And then what happened?" she asked.

"And he walked me home." I shrugged.

"Alaina," she prompted. "Did you let him in?"

"No. I invited him, but he declined. He gave me a quick kiss on the cheek and then he left."

"Ohhhh." She nodded with understanding. "That's why you're down."

"I'm not down."

"I can tell you're bummed," she said. "I told you he was a player."

"Would a player help me unpack and eat food from a booth and then not fuck me?"

She shrugged. "Maybe."

"We had a really nice time, but I haven't heard from him since," I admitted. "I'm sure he's busy with work."

Cate shrugged, not looking surprised. "Guys like him always put work in front of everything else. You need to guard your heart, Alaina."

"My heart is just fine," I assured her, though I wasn't entirely convinced myself.

"You're lying," she said. "You like him. I just wish I could keep you from getting hurt. I suppose you're just going to have to learn the hard way."

"If that's the case, then so be it." I shrugged. "But I truly doubt this thing goes anywhere."

"Let's go out," she said.

"Out?"

"It's my treat," she said. "No food trucks. We'll go out to dinner."

"I should work on my lesson plan," I told her.

"Please," she pouted. "I want to go to the Adler at Night exhibit. Go with me. I don't want to go alone."

I had heard about the after dark exhibits at the museum. "Fine," I said. "Let me change."

"Please do." She laughed.

I rolled my eyes again. "I swear, you're becoming snobbier every day," I teased before heading to my closet. I rummaged through my clothes, picking out a casual but chic outfit that was only a little snazzy.

When I stepped out of the bathroom, I held out my arms, knowing Cate was going to have an opinion about my outfit.

Cate appraised me and gave me a thumbs-up. "You look great. Let's go." She was already dressed in something that probably cost more than my whole apartment. But she looked good, as always.

We went to a nice restaurant. It was a sleek and modern place. The menu was a fusion of French and Asian cuisines, dotted with words I couldn't pronounce. Cate ordered for the both of us, conversing with the waiter effortlessly while I sank back in my chair, trying not to look as out of place as I felt. It was hard to imagine we came from the same place.

We ate, and Cate chatted nonstop about her latest marketing proposal, the new yoga studio she'd discovered, and the latest gossip from her circle of friends. I listened, laughing at her stories, but my mind kept wandering back to Roan. Cate and I were sisters, and she was my best friend, but we moved in different circles. Thankfully, we could still have these times together.

After dinner we made our way to the Adler Planetarium for the nighttime exhibit. We wandered through exhibits showcasing celestial bodies and space exploration history. It was fascinating and beautiful, but nothing compared to the telescope viewing deck.

This was definitely Cate's scene—glamorous, cultured, and full of interesting people dressed in nice clothing. I imagined this was the type of place Roan would visit. When I really thought about it, Cate was much better suited for Roan than I was. Too bad she hated him.

"Are you having fun?" Cate asked.

"Yes, this is really pretty," I said.

"And no kids." She laughed. "You can actually enjoy the exhibits."

"It's nice," I agreed. "But I don't mind sharing museums with kids. I like to see it through their eyes. The excitement and curiosity. That's what makes it fun."

She waved her hand. "You have to say that. You're a teacher."

"Not true. I like being around kids."

"Alright, alright."

Later, while we were looking at an exhibit, my phone buzzed with a text from Roan.

What are you up to tomorrow?

I stared at the screen, unsure of what to do. Cate's words about guarding my heart echoed in my mind. Should I even reply? Did he really care, or was he just fitting me into a spare moment between his business dealings? Or other women.

Cate noticed me looking at the phone. "Who's that?" she asked, peeking over my shoulder.

"Roan," I admitted, showing her the text.

"See?" she said, shaking her head. "Work for two days straight, then a casual text? He's playing games, Alaina."

"Can you stop your relentless negativity for like two minutes? Holy shit, Cate."

Cate shrugged. "I just don't want you to become his booty call."

I scoffed. "I can't even with you right now."

But instead of texting him back, I put my phone back in my pocket.

"Let's go get some ice cream," I suggested. "Not froyo or a smoothie. I want real ice cream. Or are you going to talk shit about that too?"

Cate chuckled and linked her arm through mine, guiding us out of the exhibit. "Ice cream sounds good."

The ice-cream parlor we found was an old-fashioned one, complete with a red-and-white striped canopy and the faint tinkling of a vintage music box inside. Inside, there was a case full of tubs displaying every flavor you could imagine, from basic vanilla to wild concoctions like lavender and honey or bacon and maple syrup.

I chose chocolate chip cookie dough, my childhood favorite, and Cate went for the more sophisticated salted caramel. We took our cones outside to sit on a bench and watch the world pass by while we enjoyed our treats.

"It's cold and we're eating ice cream," Cate said.

"That's when ice cream tastes the best." I grinned.

"You always said that." She shook her head. "I remember you coming home from school in the dead of winter and wanting ice cream."

"It has a way of making everything better," I said. "You know it's true."

"It does make things better."

After finishing our ice cream, she took me home. "Thanks for tonight," I said. "I had fun."

"Me too. Goodnight."

I went inside and took Beau for a quick walk before getting into my pajamas and crawling into bed. I plugged my phone into the charger and couldn't resist looking at his message again. I thought about texting him back but put the phone down.

I needed to keep my distance. Cate kept losing her mind when it came to Roan but she wasn't totally wrong. I was falling for him. I couldn't be the woman that waited for him to shower me with some attention. If I was going to have a boyfriend, I wanted the real thing. I didn't want to compete with other women or his job.

Cate knew men like him. She worked with them day in and day out. She dated his type. I had to take her advice.

I turned off the light and closed my eyes, hoping the next day would be less confusing.