9. Haven

9

HAVEN

There's a buzz in the room around me. It's always like this after a successful show, and today, the women are even happier than usual. We're all gathered on the stage, and we have to walk back out there and take a bow as soon as the curtain comes up. I'm waiting for it to happen, and when it does, I look at the spot I last saw King. I know it was him. There's no doubt in my mind it was him I saw, staring at me from the back of the room.

But he's no longer standing in that spot. I let my gaze move around the expansive room, but he's nowhere to be found.

The crowd is on their feet, clapping, and after a few waves, smiles, and bows, the curtain comes back down, and we're left backstage .

I move to the dressing rooms, pushing my way through the crowd of models. Everyone else is taking their time, enjoying the high of finishing what was a successful show, and I'm hoping to get ready and possibly catch another glance of King. I know it was him… but why didn't he stick around and say something or at least acknowledge me?

I sit down in front of the mirror to wipe the makeup off my face when I hear one of the other models call into the room. "All right, ladies. Who is it? Which one of you dug your claws into Ridge Beckett?"

Cathy shrills on the other side of me, "I know I saw him in the audience with Holden Gray." I look at her in the mirror, and she's fanning herself like she's trying to cool off.

People keep talking. I hear the words "Most eligible bachelor," "big league player," and "millionaire," but my mind is completely focused on the man that causes me to feel things I've never felt before.

I tune the other models out because I'm not worried about whatever or whoever they're talking about. I'm wondering what King was doing here. It was him, I know it was, and when I smiled at him, he just stared back at me like he was in shock or something. It's okay, though, because I have an appointment with him tomorrow, and I can ask him then.

"Haven, for real, how are you not freaking out? Jasper's most eligible bachelor, a millionaire in the construction industry and super-hot…and he was here in this building. How are you being soooo cool about it all? I mean look at him."

I'm about to swat her phone away when I catch sight of the man on the small screen. Instead of pushing it away, I grab it out of her hands and bring it closer. "That's King," I half-whisper.

Cathy grabs her phone back and makes a big deal of rolling her eyes at me. "His name is Ridge Beckett. I've never heard of King."

I stare in shock at her. That can't be right. King is a therapist… He's not a millionaire or some kind of tycoon. He's a therapist… he's my cuddler. Oh my, did he introduce himself as Ridge at our first session? I grab my purse and bag from under the table I'm sitting at and practically run from the room. As soon as I get outside, I lean against the brick building and pull out my phone. I start searching for Ridge Beckett, and when the first picture comes up, my stomach drops. It's him… Ridge Beckett is my King… my cuddler .

I'm about to read the article with the picture when another model comes out of the building. "Haven, you okay?"

I stuff my phone in my pocket and nod, forcing a smile to my face. "Yeah, yeah, I'm good. Thanks. Good job today, Angel."

She smiles and pulls her bag farther up her shoulder. "Yeah, you too. I'll see you in a few weeks at the shoot for Trends and Treads?"

"Yeah, you know who the photographer is?"

"Axle," she says and rolls her eyes. "Mr. Handsy himself."

"Ugh," I groan. "Okay, well at least we have some time to prepare."

She smiles. "We got each other's back. See you, Haven."

I wave at her, and when she disappears, I start walking down the block toward my small apartment on the east side. I want to stop and finish searching on my phone, but I'm forcing myself to wait until I'm home. The walk seems to take longer than normal, and the whole way, I'm thinking about the betrayal. I have a hundred questions, and I'm hoping that some of them will be answered when I can get online and try to figure this out.

As soon as I walk into my apartment, I slam my front door, drop my purse and bag, and then pick up my laptop as I sit down on my couch.

As soon as the search window loads, I type in Ridge Beckett .

Over a thousand results show up, and I go to the first one. Everything starts to flash in front of me, words jumping out at me. Millionaire. Most Eligible Bachelor. Construction Tycoon. Ridge Beckett donates fifty thousand dollars to the Children In Need Network. Ridge Beckett attends fundraiser with mystery woman. Is Ridge Beckett ready to settle down?

I look at the picture with the last headline, and it's him with a blond-haired woman in an embrace. It hits me suddenly, and I feel ill.

Page after page are stories of Ridge Beckett and his business dealings.

I look for anything that will tie him to the cuddler therapist office, and I can't find anything. I know it's a long shot, but there's a part of me still wishing that this was all not a lie. I can't be that na?ve… why would a millionaire also be working as a professional cuddler?

When I go to the images tab, I click on the first one, and it shows him with the same beautiful woman on his arm.

It shouldn't bother me, especially now, knowing he outright betrayed me, but seeing him with other women makes me sick to my stomach, and I'm disappointed in myself because it's jealousy that is raging through my veins. I can't be jealous… I'm mad… not jealous.

I keep going through the pictures. Numerous stories are dedicated to trying to figure out who the woman is. There are so many articles about him and the woman that he is pictured with. Sick to my stomach, I shove the laptop off my lap onto the couch.

He lied to me. Straight-up lied to me.

He's not a therapist, and there's nothing I can find online to tell me otherwise, so he lied to me.

I rest my head in my hands, clenching my eyes closed. I don't know why he did this. What possible reason could there be? Is it a power thing? Was this some kind of bet or something? Even though the proof is right in front of me, I can't help but think this is all a shock. This doesn't seem like the King I know. But what do I know? I fell for the lies. All I know for sure is he lied… and I might never know why.