Finding Forever (Living Again #4) by L. L. Collins Read Free Book Online

scouting for new talent. I’ve even thought about starting my own agency, using my business degree.”
    Lacey stepped up to order, not responding to his statement. He wondered what the change in her demeanor meant, and if she disliked the line of work he was in. It sure as hell wouldn’t be the first or last time someone looked down on him for it.

 
     
    Lacey sat down at the table, watching Brant at the register. He refused to let her pay for lunch. So he was a model. A model that spent his days, and probably nights, surrounded by beautiful women throwing themselves at him. He was also in the public eye all the time, and was rather famous. He traveled frequently, and was probably going to hit it big. Every single thing about that made her want to run as far away as possible. This was just like the saying, when something seems too good to be true, it usually is. Ever since meeting him yesterday, he had been nothing but a gentleman. She should’ve known the bottom would fall out, and she’d be thrust back into reality. She didn’t need to be dating anyone, if that’s even what he wanted with her. He was used to women throwing themselves at his feet, she was sure.
    She had seen what the spotlight had done to her best friend and her husband. While Sam was living her dream, it came with a huge price, including almost taking her life. Lacey couldn’t take the chance of any more loss, anything else to destroy her faith in humanity. So she would have this lunch with Brant, finish taking care of his dog, and he would forget all about her and this silly crush he had on her.
    “What happened, Lacey?” Brant set down his tray across from her and slid into his seat, his blue eyes searching hers. Damn, she couldn’t get anything past him. How could someone she had only known since yesterday read her so well?
    She picked up her sandwich and took a bite, buying herself a few more seconds. She didn’t want to seem like a jerk and say that she wouldn’t date him because of what he did for a living. Really, she was proud of him for following his dreams. Just like Sam, she only wished the best for him. She just knew that it wasn’t something she was prepared to live through, no matter how much she liked being around him.
    “What do you mean?” She decided that hurting him wasn’t the way to end this. She would just let things naturally fade away, and he’d easily find another pretty girl who would want all the same things as him.
    He studied her a moment, and she felt the heat creeping up her face. The way he looked at her, it was like he was infiltrating her very thoughts and feelings. Why did she have the feeling that he knew exactly what she was doing?
    “Something just happened. It’s like I watched a wall come down around you. What is it? I’m used to being judged over being a model, so go ahead. Spit it out.”
    She blinked. He sounded almost angry at her. “Brant, I’m not judging you at all. I’m very proud of your accomplishments, and following your dreams. I’m sorry if you think that I was closing down. I was just thinking about… everything. I haven’t been on a date, or lunch, or whatever, in a really long time. Then yesterday, you show up and kind of create a whirlwind around me. It’s just a lot to take in.”
    Brant chewed, watching her. “I get it. I’m sorry, I just get a little testy about my career. Many people, including my own family, don’t think what I do is a career. They see what I do as frivolous, meaningless.”
    “That’s silly,” Lacey said, and meant it. It would be like saying what Sam did was frivolous and meaningless, and she looked up to her best friend so much for realizing her dreams.
    Brant shrugged. “But true. So wait just a minute. You haven’t been on a date in a long time? Why is that? I can’t imagine you not having a line of guys a mile long to date you.”
    Lacey inhaled, a piece of her bread going down her throat and making her cough. Brant looked at her,