Chapter 13

Julia:

It's been a week since I started living with Rome. The only time I saw him was when he attended to my bruise and at dinner time sometimes. It was much better now. Thanks to him, only a tiny scar remained, and he told me it would fade over time.

I was really grateful for all that he was doing for me. One moment, I was crashing into his expensive-looking car, and the next, I was living with him.

I wouldn't call us friends, though, because he was just always so mean and moody. Currently, I was sitting in a diner in Livingston having lunch with Jimmy and Josh.

Even Jimmy wasn't so mean to me anymore. He was actually a really nice guy. So far, I'd found out that he was thirty-two, and he married his high school sweetheart three years ago. He said he would have married her sooner, but something had happened that prevented him from doing so.

On the other hand, Josh was twenty-eight and had a crush on an interior designer; he mentioned it was the same one who designed Rome's house.

"So, when are you planning on asking her out?" I asked before taking a bite of my fish sandwich.

Josh leaned back in his seat and sipped on his drink. "I already did a few times, but she turned me down. She's my best friend, so I don't want to take the chance again and ruin our friendship."

I wondered why any woman would turn him down. He was smart, funny, kind, got along well with everyone, and was rich. Didn't women usually go after a man who could carry his own?

"That's her loss, then," I said, hoping he felt better.

"What about you? Are you interested in anyone?" Jimmy asked. He was sitting next to me, eating waffles and bacon. The waitress had given him an odd look when he ordered it, but I couldn't see why. Breakfast food was good at any time, and I wouldn't mind having it for lunch and dinner as well.

I thought about it even though there wasn't much to think about. My very first relationship started out good but ended up badly. Right now, I just needed to focus on bettering myself.

"No, my last relationship didn't go so well," I said, avoiding eye contact with them, especially Josh, who sat across from me. None of them had asked about my bruise, and I was thankful for that, but at the same time, I wondered what Rome told Josh. "Besides, the single life is actually easier."

"When you're in a relationship, there doesn't have to be pressure." Josh's blue eyes met mine. "As long as there are mutual feelings involved, then you and your spouse will be able to work through anything."

"I agree, man. Melanie says I get on her nerves sometimes, and she drives me crazy most days, but we love each other regardless, and we're willing to work on any problems that might occur because we know that we can't survive without each other." Jimmy chuckled. "The longest I've ever stayed mad at her was for two days, and I still checked up on her."

I couldn't help but smile. That seemed cute.

"So, tell us more about yourself, Julia. The only thing we know is that you were born in Greengrove and your name," Jimmy said.

Josh agreed. "Yeah, why are you so secretive?"

I chuckled. "A girl has to be mysterious. How else is she going to keep the men interested?"

"Your pretty face, of course."

"Gorgeous face, you mean," Josh said, raising his drink to Jimmy, making me blush. "And her amazing cooking. Rome and I had the desserts you made the other night."

"I feel left out," Jimmy joked.

It was just chocolate fudge that I made the first day Rome asked me to cook dinner. I didn't even remember to ask if he liked it, although I'm sure he would give me the same reply he did when I asked him about the dinner.

"I'll make lunch for you one day, Jim."

"I'm looking forward to it."

I finished my sandwich before deciding to tell them something about myself. "I'll be twenty-four on September 13—"

"That's a few months from now," Josh said, picking up his phone that was on the table. "I'll add it to my calendar. Continue, Junebug."

"Junebug?" I asked as Jimmy chuckled from next to me.

"Yes, it's my new nickname for you. Carry on."

I smiled and continued, "I'm Trinidadian and Brazilian since that's where my parents were born. They moved here together seven months before I was born. I live for horror movies and seafood."

Both men seemed like they were waiting for me to say more. I raised a brow at them. "That's all you're getting, for now, boys."

Rome:

"Sir, everything is already finalized for your trip to Manhattan," my secretary said, following after me.

"Just email me the information, Ms. Tarzana," I said, entering my office and closing the door in her face.

I walked over to my desk and started going over some of the complaints. I tried my best to maintain a prestigious hotel, but you just could not satisfy some people. They found problems with the smallest things, like this ridiculous one. "Not enough soap in the rooms" was written on the small piece of orange paper. How were five soaps not enough?

The jar didn't have many complaints, and whatever they wrote was just absurd.

I tossed it in the trash can and decided to check my emails. I would be traveling to New York for a two-day board meeting with the Mayor. I couldn't say I was looking forward to it. After I returned, there was this charity event that was mandatory for me to participate in. It was one where they bid on different people, and the money went towards a good cause. Each year, they chose a different charity to give the money to, and each year, I paid someone off to make the highest bidding on me. I had plenty of women bidding on me, but the last thing I wanted to do was be theirs for twenty-four hours.

The last thing I wanted to do was get to know them or have them get to know me. An hour was the most I would spend with a woman, and I'd put her out before she tried to learn anything about me.

I wondered who I would pay off this time. The last time I used my old secretary, but I ended up firing her. I should have known better not to hire her in the first place, much less to have her bid on me.

She didn't want the job. In fact, her only intention was to give me a job, and giving her the money to bid on me was just an invitation to her. One, I had no idea I was giving out, so I fired her and hired someone who was actually in need of the money.

I leaned back in my chair and considered it. A name came to mind, but I did not want to ask her. I had a feeling that if I did, she would be like a freaking leash around my neck for the twenty-four hours.