Page 99 of Hard to Get

“I told them not to.”

“Of course.”

“Oh hey, I can play Forgotten City. Can you get the game controller?” He directs me to get things set up. “Want to play with me?”

I purse my lips. I could try to do some work. Nah. “Sure. Let me take the dogs out first.”

I do that, and then we pass the morning in a secret underground city during the Roman Empire. I’ve never played this game before, but it’s cool. I end up passing the whole day with him. Felicity calls about a couple of things, sounding confused that I’ve taken the whole day off.

When I take the dogs for another walk, Jayden complains, “I want to come with you.”

“Do you have a wheelchair?”

He scowls at me.

Nope, not a good patient.

By evening, he thinks he can do the stairs. I make sure he’s set up in his bedroom with pillows and ice packs and meds and a jug of water.

“Thank you.” He takes my hand. “Sorry I’ve been a grouch. I appreciate your help, really.”

“You don’t like needing help.”

His smile is lopsided. “Nope.”

“I’ll go home now.”

“I don’t think I should be left alone.”

I side-eye him. “Really?”

“My foot still hurts.”

“Ah. Well.” I lean over to smooch his lips. “I can’t fix your foot. But I can give you a blow job and make you forget about it for a while.”

“That’s what I’m talking about.”

25

STELLA

“I thought you were bringing Troy to the wedding.”

I’m at the rehearsal dinner for Harrison and Meredith’s wedding. I’m not in the wedding party, but they invited me anyway. The dinner is being held at Rocky Brewpub in Gastown, not far from the wedding venue, in a private room.

“I was. Then I impulsively invited Jayden so I told Troy he was off the hook. He was only doing it as a favour to me.”

Harrison nods. “Well, as long as you have someone to come with.”

“I don’t need someone to come with.” Then I sigh. If that was true, why did I invite Troy to begin with? It was because I didn’t want to come to the wedding alone. Sure, I could attend the wedding alone, but most things are more fun with a companion.

“Does this mean things are serious between you and Jayden?” Harrison asks.

I scoff. “No. We’re just having fun.”

“Bringing him to family wedding seems like more than that.”

It does. I sigh. “Maybe I shouldn’t have invited him.”