Tous les chapitres de : Chapitre 11 - Chapitre 20

I had a date on Friday.A real date.With Adrian Wood.Every time I remembered that fact, my heart did a little somersault, followed by a second somersault, and then a third one that probably wasn't medically advisable.It was ridiculous. I was a grown woman with a respectable career, a decent wardrobe, and enough experience dealing with difficult clients to survive almost any professional crisis.Yet the thought of having dinner with one handsome man had turned me into a nervous teenager.I blamed Adrian.Obviously.If he weren't so charming, I wouldn't have this problem.If he weren't so handsome, I wouldn't keep checking my phone to see whether he'd sent another message.And if he hadn't smiled at me like that when he asked me out, I wouldn't have spent half the night imagining different conversations we might have during our date.It wasn't my fault.Not even a little.The following morning, I stood in front of my closet and stared at my clothes.I had a problem.A serious problem.

The next morning, I woke up in a good mood.That alone should have been enough to warn me that something terrible was about to happen.I stretched beneath my blanket, reached for my phone, and checked my messages.No emergency emails. No angry calls from my boss. No unexpected bank notifications informing me that I had somehow spent another fifty thousand dollars while asleep.And, most importantly, there was a message from Adrian.Good morning, Lara. Hope you slept well.I smiled at my screen.Then I typed a reply.Good morning! I did. Hope you did too.I stared at the message for a moment before sending it.Was the exclamation mark too enthusiastic?Should I have written I slept well instead of I did?Was Hope you did too too casual?I stared at the screen for another five seconds.Then I shook my head.Good grief.It was a text message, not a job application.I sent it.Adrian replied a few minutes later.I did. Still thinking about last night. I'd love to see you again soon.I pre

There was something wrong with Toby.I knew it.I had known it since the moment I walked through the front door last night and found him standing in the living room like an underpaid security guard waiting for his shift to end.At first, I'd thought he'd eaten something questionable.Then I'd considered the possibility that he'd finally realized how much money he was costing me and had decided to become a responsible adult.But after he asked whether I'd kissed Adrian, I dismissed both theories.Toby becoming responsible was unlikely.Toby voluntarily discussing my romantic life was suspicious.And Toby looking unhappy because I'd kissed a man I liked?That was a whole different level of suspicious.Unfortunately, I had no evidence.Yet.Which was why, on Sunday morning, I decided to conduct a little investigation.Nothing dramatic.Nothing illegal.Just a few innocent questions designed to determine whether the man sharing my apartment had suddenly developed a personality disorder.I

“TOBY!”My voice echoed through the apartment.A neighbor's dog started barking.Somewhere upstairs, someone thumped on the floor.Toby looked at the ceiling, then back at me.“Wow. Your voice carries.”I slowly turned my head toward him.“Do you want to die?”“No.”“Then stop talking.”He pressed his lips together.I looked down at the shipping label again.Laptop.A laptop.A brand-new laptop.Not groceries. Not a toothbrush. Not even another one of those ridiculous six-packs of ice cream.A laptop.I turned toward him so slowly that he took a step backward.“Why,” I asked, “is there a laptop in that box?”Toby cleared his throat.“Because I ordered one.”“I can read, Toby. I'm asking why.”“Oh.” He scratched his cheek. “Because I need a computer.”I stared at him.He stared back.Then I laughed.I couldn't help it.I laughed so hard that I had to put one hand on the counter to steady myself.Toby frowned.“What's so funny?”I looked at him, still laughing.“You need a computer?”“Y

I woke up on Sunday morning with two thoughts in my head. First, Adrian had kissed me good night. Second, Toby had bought me something with my money. One of those thoughts made me smile. The other made me consider changing my credit card number, moving to another country, and pretending I'd never heard the name Toby in my life. Unfortunately, both thoughts were connected to my current reality. I was dating a man I genuinely liked, and I was living with a man who treated my bank account like a magical wishing well. I rolled onto my back and stared at the ceiling. Perhaps this was what people meant when they said life was full of surprises. If so, I would like to unsubscribe. My phone buzzed on the bedside table. I grabbed it immediately. Adrian: Good morning! Hope you slept well. A smile spread across my face. Me: I did. How about you? Adrian: Pretty well. Although I may have spent too long thinking about last night. I sat up. Oh. Oh, no. Was it possible to blush befo