by Liz Durano
Besides, wasn’t that what I wanted out of this whole thing—to get my job back?
I just never counted on falling for Kodi, not when I knew his reputation long before he slid that garter up my leg... made me feel so beautiful with just a look, a touch, a kiss.
But Kodi never did promise me anything more than a pretend engagement to help make sure I got my job back. Two weeks or until the hospital called... wasn’t that the deal?
And he delivered.
Or rather, his father did.
I’m just upholding my part of the deal.
Chapter Fourteen
I knew the moment I entered my townhouse that Dad got to her. Why I couldn’t have excused myself from my interviews and meetings the rest of the afternoon I can only blame on the work ethic I’d learned through the years.
But I also never expected Dad to stoop so low as to intimidate Roxy into leaving... in my own home. What he said to her, I don’t know but it was enough to get Roxy packing her things and loading them in a cab. She even took her sewing machine with her, leaving only her turntable and two records. The engagement ring she left on the kitchen counter next to a note that simply said two words.
Thank you.
Thank you for what? For giving her her own hashtag and allowing me to make a fool out of her? Or is it for allowing my father to intimidate her with his threats?
I admit my plan was crazy. “Let’s fight fire with fire, Roxy Let’s get engaged!”
Maybe it was my jet lag talking or maybe it was me saving face for putting her in such a predicament. Why couldn’t I have insisted she stay in the townhouse while I picked up the Jeep? Then her so-called walk of shame could only have extended a few steps from the front door to the Jeep.
But if I did, then none of this would be happening. I wouldn’t be standing in my own living room staring at the turntable with the two records she’d wanted to play for me. Last night wouldn’t have happened either.
I try calling Roxy but my call goes straight to voicemail. Did she get her job back? Is that why her phone’s off? Of course, I’m not about to go to the hospital and see for myself. I can’t even call, not when I’ll probably be just another anonymous caller looking for #walkofshameRoxy. I also don’t want to scare her any more than my father already did.
So I text her. Just three words which is all I need to say to her right now.
I miss you.
Chapter Fifteen
“You never even said goodbye.”
Roxy removes her earphones and looks at me as I get out of my Jeep. She’s wearing purple scrubs under her coat and after spending the evening at hospital, she looks tired. There are bags under her eyes.
“What are you doing here?” She tucks her earbuds into her purse.
“We need to talk.” I can almost feel Mr. Reyes glaring at me from his window. He’s only been watching me since I parked my car in front of the apartment building twenty minutes ago.
As if noticing Mr. Reyes, Roxy waves at him and wishes him a good morning before turning to face me again, her smile disappearing.
“I got my job back,” she says. “It only took twenty-four hours, which I think is a record.”
“Because my father pulled some strings.”
She shrugs. “Does it matter if he did or not? I got my job back. That was our deal.”
“What my father had no right to wait for you in my apartment and talk to you the way he did,” I say slowly. “I don’t even know what he said but the end does not justify the means.”
“Does it really matter, Kodi? I got my job back and that’s what this whole thing was all about.”
“Your reputation was what this whole thing was all about, Roxy,” I say. “But even with that, you and know things have changed between us.”
“We agreed to pretend, Kodi,” she says quietly. “And that’s what we did.”
“Not the other night we didn’t.” My voice turns hoarse when I speak, the memory of her kiss coming back to me, the feel of her body against mine, the moment when we both shattered together... both of us vulnerable, open.
Her shoulders sag. “That’s the thing, Kodi. We may not have pretended then, but we come from different worlds. Sooner or later, it’s not going to last.”
“Says who? My dad?” I ask. “Of course, he’s going to say that, but that’s him. But I don’t want to hear about what he thinks. I want to hear what Roxy Porter thinks, the woman who’s comfortable in her own skin, the one who’s not afraid to be herself.”
“Oh, really? You mean the woman they call Hashtag WalkofShameRoxy? Or the one that goes by Hashtag OneNightStandRoxy?” She looks away. “I just want to go on with my life and pretend none of this happened.”
My stomach clenches. “You mean us, too?”
“You barely know me, Kodi,” she says. “You know nothing about me.”
I take a step toward her, grateful that she doesn’t step back. She’s already skittish as it is. It’s as if the last eighteen hours since I left her undid everything that came before.
“I know this much.” I cradle her face in my hands and lower my head, pressing my mouth against hers gently. The kiss is hesitant at first, but I feel her lips part. A sigh. A tear.
“Give me a chance, Roxy,” I whisper as I pull away, brushing the tear away with my thumb. “I know things happened so fast between us but that doesn’t mean we simply throw it all away just because one person doesn’t approve. Or the world, for that matter.”
“I guess I’m just tired, that’s all.”
I swallow hard. “You mean, of me?”
She sniffs, then chuckles. “No, I meant I’m just tired, Kodi, like tired-tired. I’ve been up for twenty-four hours straight.”
“Oh.” I step away, suddenly feeling like an idiot even if it makes two of us. I barely slept last night but then, I wasn’t saving lives like Roxy was. “I should let you sleep then.”
She holds out her hand, cocking her head toward the front door. “You can always keep me company,” she says softly, “in case some idiot decides to order me pizza or something while I’m sleeping.”
I exhale in relief before taking her hand and bringing it to my lips. “In that case, I’d love to.”
As we make our way to her apartment, Roxy pauses in front of her door.
“Maybe you can even stay in my place until this all boils over for good,” I say as I peel away the two failed delivery notices from her front door.
“Maybe.” She unlocks her door and walks in, quickly turning off the alarm system on the wall next to the door.
“Sorry about that,” I mutter as I shut the door behind me.
“Considering rent in this place is pretty cheap, you’d think someone important lives here,” she says wryly.
“Someone sure does,” I say, gathering her in my arms. “And I hear some guy’s crazy about her, too. He can’t stop thinking about her.”
I let out a pent-up breath as she wraps her arms around my neck. “Really?”
“Yeah. Really,” I say. “Only she doesn’t believe it one bit.”
Roxy’s expression turns thoughtful as her gaze moves down my face and settling on my mouth. “Do you think you can convince her?”
“I’ll sure try.”
“That’s good to know.” Her gaze moves back up and we lock gazes. “When does he plan to start this... convincing?”
“Right now,” I reply as her lips widen in a smile, her eyes sparkling. “Right this very minute.”
She stands on her tiptoes and kisses me, her lips soft and warm. “You really do like me, don’t you, Kodi Donovan?”
I kiss the tip of her nose. “Oh, yes, I do, Roxy Porter.”
“Then you better get started convincing me then,” she says, giggling. “We’ll work on the rest later.”
Thank you so much for reading Her Lucky Charm which I wrote for Steamy Sensations Holiday Love (Ten holidays. Ten Authors. Ten Steamy Romances). Check out the other stories in this collection by clicking o
n the image below.
Like the rest of my characters in A Different Kind of Love series, Roxy and Kodi will be popping up in other books in the future just like Caitlin, Campbell, Jordan and Addison!
If you’d like to learn more about my upcoming books, please join my mailing list at lizdurano.com/subscribe
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Her Lucky Charm Copyright © 2019 by Liz Durano
Published by Velvet Madrid
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or scanned in any printed or electronic form without permission. Please do not participate in or encourage piracy of copyrighted materials in violation of the author's rights.
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events, and incidents are either the products of the author's imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events or establishments is purely coincidental.
v. 2019_03_15
About Liz
Liz grew up devouring fairy tales and her mother’s book collection (don’t tell her!) that included Harold Robbins, James Clavell, and Colleen McCullough. Although she studied Journalism in college, she discovered that she preferred writing fiction and so these days, that’s what she does. She writes women’s fiction and romance and lives in Southern California with her family and a Chihuahua mix who keeps guard of her writing space.
You can follow Liz’s book adventures by visiting lizdurano.com or follow her on Facebook at @lizduranobooks.
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