both looked up to see Hawke enter the kitchen. He wore a suit that reeked of expense, and the watch on his wrist looked more expensive than a car. His black wedding ring suited his exterior—cold and hard.
This was the second time he walked in on Francesca and I. If I were him, I’d be irritated. I wouldn’t want my wife spending time with her ex—no matter what the circumstance was.
After he took me in he walked further into the room, his shiny dress shoes looking brand new. He walked up to Francesca then leaned down to kiss her. The kiss was short but full of longing, like he’d kiss her longer and harder if I weren’t around. Without saying a single word he grabbed a chair and pulled it next to Francesca’s. He took a seat and rested his hand on her thigh.
He didn’t say hello to me but he didn’t seem hostile either. He was pretty much indifferent.
Francesca turned back to me. “What do you think?”
“I don’t know…”
“I think it’s worth the shot,” she pressed. “And you lose every shot you don’t take.”
“You sound like a motivation poster inside a classroom…” Now wasn’t the time to make jokes, but my depression was steering the wheel.
“The road to love is never easy,” she said. “You should only take it if you really want the reward at the end. If you want Rose, I think you should do this. But if it seems hopeless then you should keep what’s left of your heart and move on.”
I did want her. Even though she pissed me off like crazy, I still wanted her.
“So, how about it?” Francesca asked.
I turned to Hawke, giving her my answer.
She smiled then turned to him. “We need your help.”
“We?” he asked in surprise. “I doubt I can be much help to whatever scheme you’ve planned.”
“Actually, I think you’re the perfect person.” She grabbed his hand that was resting on her thigh.
“Why do I doubt that?” He turned his gaze on her, and despite his coldness his look was warm.
“Never doubt me, babe.”
He brought her hand to his lips and gently kissed the knuckle. “What do you want me to do?”
“It’s kind of complicated,” Francesca said. “So pay attention.”
He squeezed her thigh. “I think I can manage, Muffin.”
Work
Rose
I went back to the office because it was too difficult to stay home alone. The place no longer had Kyle’s smell so it was depressing. I returned to restless nights and lack of sleep.
The office was safe because Kyle had only visited once—when we first started talking. His presence hadn’t stained the place and the air was still clean. It was one of the few places I could be without being haunted by his ghost.
The door to the office opened and a tall man walked inside. He was six-two with a powerful body that hinted at his strength. He wore a black suit with a gray tie, looking like a successful executive. His eyes were startling blue, similar to Kyle’s. He had dark hair and a light covering of facial hair.
He was good-looking, to say the least .
He wore a black wedding ring on his left hand, and I couldn’t help but think how lucky his wife was.
He approached my desk with perfect posture, his eyes glued to my face in an intense way. The moment he walked inside he brought dark clouds with him. The place suddenly became very cold. “Hawke—nice to meet you.” He extended his hand.
“Hi…” I shook it then quickly pulled my hand away. “Rose.”
He took a seat in the armchair and rested his ankle on the opposite knee. “I’m building a new office just a block over. I have some ideas in mind and I’m looking for an architect to bring my design to life. Are you available?”
Actually, things were pretty slow at the moment. I hadn’t been directing much traffic to my business since I’d been under the weather. A lot of things had hit me at once. “I am. But I’d like to understand the scope of the project first.”
“Well, it’s going to be a third story building. I wanted it designed with
This was the second time he walked in on Francesca and I. If I were him, I’d be irritated. I wouldn’t want my wife spending time with her ex—no matter what the circumstance was.
After he took me in he walked further into the room, his shiny dress shoes looking brand new. He walked up to Francesca then leaned down to kiss her. The kiss was short but full of longing, like he’d kiss her longer and harder if I weren’t around. Without saying a single word he grabbed a chair and pulled it next to Francesca’s. He took a seat and rested his hand on her thigh.
He didn’t say hello to me but he didn’t seem hostile either. He was pretty much indifferent.
Francesca turned back to me. “What do you think?”
“I don’t know…”
“I think it’s worth the shot,” she pressed. “And you lose every shot you don’t take.”
“You sound like a motivation poster inside a classroom…” Now wasn’t the time to make jokes, but my depression was steering the wheel.
“The road to love is never easy,” she said. “You should only take it if you really want the reward at the end. If you want Rose, I think you should do this. But if it seems hopeless then you should keep what’s left of your heart and move on.”
I did want her. Even though she pissed me off like crazy, I still wanted her.
“So, how about it?” Francesca asked.
I turned to Hawke, giving her my answer.
She smiled then turned to him. “We need your help.”
“We?” he asked in surprise. “I doubt I can be much help to whatever scheme you’ve planned.”
“Actually, I think you’re the perfect person.” She grabbed his hand that was resting on her thigh.
“Why do I doubt that?” He turned his gaze on her, and despite his coldness his look was warm.
“Never doubt me, babe.”
He brought her hand to his lips and gently kissed the knuckle. “What do you want me to do?”
“It’s kind of complicated,” Francesca said. “So pay attention.”
He squeezed her thigh. “I think I can manage, Muffin.”
Work
Rose
I went back to the office because it was too difficult to stay home alone. The place no longer had Kyle’s smell so it was depressing. I returned to restless nights and lack of sleep.
The office was safe because Kyle had only visited once—when we first started talking. His presence hadn’t stained the place and the air was still clean. It was one of the few places I could be without being haunted by his ghost.
The door to the office opened and a tall man walked inside. He was six-two with a powerful body that hinted at his strength. He wore a black suit with a gray tie, looking like a successful executive. His eyes were startling blue, similar to Kyle’s. He had dark hair and a light covering of facial hair.
He was good-looking, to say the least .
He wore a black wedding ring on his left hand, and I couldn’t help but think how lucky his wife was.
He approached my desk with perfect posture, his eyes glued to my face in an intense way. The moment he walked inside he brought dark clouds with him. The place suddenly became very cold. “Hawke—nice to meet you.” He extended his hand.
“Hi…” I shook it then quickly pulled my hand away. “Rose.”
He took a seat in the armchair and rested his ankle on the opposite knee. “I’m building a new office just a block over. I have some ideas in mind and I’m looking for an architect to bring my design to life. Are you available?”
Actually, things were pretty slow at the moment. I hadn’t been directing much traffic to my business since I’d been under the weather. A lot of things had hit me at once. “I am. But I’d like to understand the scope of the project first.”
“Well, it’s going to be a third story building. I wanted it designed with
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