Happily Ever After? (Sleeping Handsome Sequel) by Jean Haus Read Free Book Online Page A

trainee. She asked questions and
even had me show her some of the reps. Bryce, one of the managers,
was there the whole time. I was actually more worried about him and
his little clipboard more than anything else. Amanda’s performance
really helped. I hate to say this but she seemed nice, even asked
about Drake. From what you shared about her, I know that seems
impossible. Maybe she’s changed? Anyway, I got a perfect score on
the review. More important, I’m hoping this doesn’t upset you too
much. It really was just a work thing.
    By the way, your hat came
today. It was a perfect gift.
    Now I can’t wait for
winter.
    Missing you,
    Z
    What I’ve left unsaid—saying it just
seemed too cruel—is going to be the dilemma. And Paige isn’t dumb.
She’s going to know my hands were all over Amanda. It goes with the
territory. I’m just hoping she doesn’t let the past interfere with
the future.
    With us.

~9~
    Paige

    Oh hell no.
    Upsetting?
    You think?
    Wanting to throw my laptop across the
room, I stand up and get away from the desk. I end up pacing the
short length of the sitting room. My fists clench at my
sides.
    He thinks she’s nice?
Thinks she has changed? Thinks she’s after Drake? What a moron. Men
are so clueless. She’s after you
idiot. What does he think? She stole
guys—okay they were never really mine—from me by being a bitch?
This is major. She just made her first move.
    On my oblivious boyfriend.
    I’m so livid. I can feel my nails
about to break the skin of my palms. Unclenching my fists, I lean
on the wide windowsill and force myself to breathe. I’m about to
burst into tears. Thousands of miles away from Zach, I feel
helpless. The rooftops below me are a blur.
    I trust him. I trust him. I trust
him.
    But what if?
    She has done it before. She always won
when it came to guys. She always won when it came to anything.
Period.
    I sigh and wipe wet frustration from
my face.
    Even though I trust him, the thought
of her near him, the thought of his hands on her has me freakin’
furious. The image of them together with his palm on her
stomach—his fingers feeling the tightening of her muscles—as she
crunches underneath his touch has me wanting to scrape my frontal
lobe. Gross. To both.
    The sound of a knock on my door pulls
me from the vicious circle of my thoughts.
    I just stand there. A louder knock
sounds and I force myself across the soft beige carpet. Passing the
mirror, I check for sings of turmoil. The tears and smears of
makeup—I’m still a little shocked at how much they pile on me each
day—are gone after another wipe. And a calm, cordial expression
helps distract from my red and slightly puffy eyes.
    I’m not surprised to see Bret waiting
in the hallway. We really have become friends the last few weeks.
Even riding together every day to and from the set.
    “ Hey,” he says. “We’re all
going to this new restaurant…” He studies my face as he steps into
my room. “Something wrong? You okay?”
    I close the door. “Just—just some
issues with my boyfriend.”
    He puts a hand on my shoulder. “Do you
want to talk about it?”
    “ No.” I shake my head
roughly. “No. I don’t. Reliving it and all that.”
    He clears his throat and gives me a
gentle look from those green eyes. “So you probably don’t want to
go out.”
    I’m about to say I don’t,
I’m supposed to call Zach later, but the thought of talking to him
has my stomach rolling. I’m upset. Very upset. I need some time,
how much I don’t know, before talking to him. Because it would be
very, very ugly at the moment. She seemed
somewhat nice… After everything I told him,
how can he think that? Does he even listen to me? Why couldn’t he
just tell his manager something to get out of the review? He had to
know instantly that I would be upset. Usually he’s so in tune to my
feelings. Usually he goes out of his way for me. So why not this
time?
    I give Bret a weak smile. “I’ll go. I
can meet you in