Breaking Through (The Breaking Series Book 3) by Juliana Haygert Page A

she’ll find a way.”
    “Maybe. Until then, my parents are happy she’s mostly in Brazil.”
    “She has been traveling quite a lot, huh?” Without actually saying the words out loud, we all knew what Gabi was doing. She was my age and should already be in college. But she didn’t want to go to college; she wanted to play polo. So, while polo was still in limbo in Brazil, she decided to take a gap year and travel the world—with several stops in Brazil, since it was the only condition her parents had imposed.
    “She has to my parents’ dismay.” Then, surprising me, Gui changed subjects. “I heard about your internship. Congratulations.”
    “Thanks.”
    “I also heard you’re looking for a furnished apartment to rent.”
    “I am.”
    “So it happens there’s one in this building.”
    “There is? How haven’t I seen it at the realtors?”
    “Because the owner didn’t put it up for rent yet. He’s getting a few things done around the apartment, and it should be ready in a week or two.”
    That was perfect! I still had one more week of finals—probably enough time for the owner to finish the repairs. And if after that he still needed one more week, or even two to finish it, I could stay at Hannah’s or Bia’s until the apartment was ready. Then I looked around and realized something. “Wait. Your apartment is huge. I won’t rent a four-bedroom apartment just for me.”
    “There are four different floor plans in this building,” he said. “His is a nice sized two bedroom.”
    “Now I’m interested. Do you think he would show me the apartment, even with the repairs going on?”
    He fished his cell phone. “I can see about that right now.”
    “No, no. You don’t need to.”
    “Just give me a second.” He typed away on his phone. Then it dinged a couple of times. “He can leave the keys here tomorrow morning. I can show it to you then.”
    “You’re going to show me the apartment?”
    “Why not? I know the guy, I know the apartment, and I’ll be around.”
    I considered that for a moment. Why not? The wheels in my mind spun, and I think a trickle of fear ran through my veins. Letting Gui show me the apartment meant I would be alone with him in a closed space. I took a deep breath.
    Come on, Hilary. This is Gui! Leo’s cousin. You can trust him. Can’t you?
    I could.
    “All right,” I said. “What time should I come over?”
    “Ten sound good?”
    “It does.” It actually did. At eleven, I had to meet my mother at the club for lunch with her friends. I shuddered just thinking about that torturous event.
    “It’s a date.” He froze, eyes wide, realizing what he said. “I mean, not a date as in—”
    “I know what you meant.” My cheeks flamed, probably from embarrassment and anger at the same time.
    “Okay, good,” he said quickly.
    I took a few steps back and leaned on the counter behind me, putting more distance between Gui and me, because the way he had said it, the way he corrected himself so quickly, just made me wonder how terrible it was for him to imagine himself out on a date with me. Was I that disgusting? That bad looking? That repulsive?
    The air in the kitchen thickened.
    In my head, I was trying to come up with a plan of how to go to another part of the apartment, or leave and go home all together.
    I was saved when Bia stood from the couch. “Let’s go to that new club that opened a couple of weeks ago?”
    “Which one?” Ri asked.
    Gui turned on his stool, facing the living room. “The Suite?”
    “Yeah, that one,” Bia said. “It’s only ten minutes from here.”
    Hannah sighed. “I’m not really in the mood.”
    “Oh, come on,” Lauren said. “We should all go for once. It will be fun.”
    “Yes! Please!” Bia interceded.
    Leo nodded to Hannah and she relented. “Okay, but we aren’t staying until three in the morning.”
    “Pedro? Iris? You in?” Bia asked. They shared a quick glance then nodded. Then she turned to the kitchen. “Gui?