Bad Boy Rebound(31)

Kara frowned. “Shit…”

I nodded.

“But technically that was before you.”

“Yet he said they were done,” I said, a little pissed off that she was playing devil’s advocate. “That they’d been broken up for months.”

She tucked a wayward strand of hair behind her ear. “I mean, I understand it’s going to take time for you to trust anyone again…but don’t let her stop you from going after what you want.”

“But what is it that I want? I was in a seven-year relationship with a guy that I thought I would marry. He was screwing around on me for months before I discovered it.” I ran a hand down my face. “It’s not easy for me to trust. I don’t know if it will ever be easy for me to trust anyone again.”

“Consider this…what if she told you that because she knew you were a threat, and she knew you’d be pissed off?”

As much as I wanted to believe that, I also knew men. And given Brax’s reputation, Heather was probably telling the truth. “Do you know of any nice guys?”

She seemed to seriously contemplate the question. “My brother has a cousin who works in stocks and bonds…but he’s no Brax Mitchell.”

Therein lay the problem. I needed to stay single and be single.

My phone pinged, signaling a text.

I looked down. It was from Brax.

WHERE ARE YOU?

“It’s him, isn’t it?” Kara asked, a smug expression on her face.

I nodded, surprised at how relieved I felt considering how angry I was.

AT A FRIEND’S HOUSE. I’LL BE HOME SOON.

WHICH FRIEND?

I smirked and debated on whether or not to answer right away. Ultimately, I answered. KARA.

Kara laughed. “If you want my suggestion, and I have to believe that’s why you’re here—then say nothing. Play it out, have fun, but don’t let your heart get stepped on.”

I’d only been in love once before, and I’d given my heart and virginity to that man. I didn’t give it up lightly and when I did, I gave a piece of myself to that person. Like it or not, I had taken that step when I’d slept with Brax. “Okay, I might just do that.”

Kara clapped her hands together. “Yes! Hey, who knows, you could be the one that sticks for him. The one woman who will make him an honest man.”

Yeah, I wished. “He’s twenty-two. I seriously doubt he’s going to settle down at such a young age.”

“I was married at nineteen, and you weren’t much older when you got engaged.”

Point taken.

“And look at your brother.” She leaned back in the chair, tilting it on two legs. “He’s been with the same chick forever.”



That was true.

“Enjoy the rebound, Mandy. Think of what you’ve been through. How many girls would love to be in your shoes—having crazy good sex with a hot guy who makes you feel beautiful and desirable?” She flashed a wicked grin. “Think of what ol’ Rick would say right now.”

“His name was Ross.”

She rolled her eyes. “What would Ross say and think if he could see you now?”

Whether I chose to admit it or not, there was a part of me that felt a certain level of satisfaction being with Brax, especially considering how broken I had been after leaving Arizona.

“You want me to drive you home…especially since your bad boy is waiting for you?”

“No, but thanks.”

She gave me a conspiratorial wink. “Let him wait a bit, huh?”

I nodded. I said my goodbyes to the kids and jogged toward my house. Kara was right. I deserved to be happy, and if that happiness came by sleeping with a twenty-two-year-old heartbreaker, then so be it. A rebound, maybe that’s all Brax was. Maybe that’s exactly how I had to look at this relationship—a no-strings-attached affair with zero commitment. If I could guard my heart against getting hurt, then it was a win-win, right?

I picked up my pace, my heart pounding with each stride down the sidewalk of my hometown, the memory of Heather’s visit replaying in my mind. I wish the mental images would go away.

As much as I tried to act like I was footloose and fancy free about it all, I realized I wasn’t. My heart had already started to get involved. I wasn’t the one-night stand type. Maybe it had happened the second I had opened the door and seen him for the first time in over a decade.

Shit!

Cranking the volume higher on my iPhone, I picked up the pace.

With my heart racing, I turned the corner into my driveway and stopped short when I saw the object of my desire sitting in the rocking chair on my front porch.





CHAPTER 9

Amanda



Damn, he looked good. The navy t-shirt clung to Brax’s muscular body, his dark hair a bit unruly, like he’d run his fingers through it in frustration.