Less Than Three: A Romantic Comedy by Maggie Dallen

Author:Maggie Dallen [Dallen, Maggie]
Language: eng
Format: azw3
Published: 2016-05-15T04:00:00+00:00

Chapter Nine

ALEX HAD TAKEN Jess up on her offer to invite anyone and everyone he wanted to the cocktail party she was throwing in his honor. Which meant, he’d invited the entire fifty-person New York City branch of Newsom Industries. Which meant, the party was all anyone could talk about that week.

“So who are you bringing as your date?” Raj was half buried in the break room refrigerator looking for the last can of orange soda.

“No one. This is a networking event for me, remember? I’m only going to make nice with the board members.”

It was a partial truth. If Alex had his way, his charming public speaking coach would be his date. But they’d both agreed that would be a terrible idea. He could only imagine Jess’s reaction if he showed up to the party that she was hosting with another woman on his arm.

He’d managed to evade Jess since their meeting at the country club. It hadn’t been too hard since he had legitimately been working around the clock. Between catching up on the company’s current status with his grandfather and Lacey’s barrage of lessons and practice speeches, he hadn’t had time to socialize with anyone. He’d only seen her when she’d stopped into the office to say hello or bring him lunch and even then, their little chats had been interrupted by urgent phone calls and meetings.

He wasn’t a monster. He’d felt guilty every time he’d seen Jess—kissed her on the cheek, let her believe that there was a chance they would get together. Not that he thought her heart would be broken if she knew the truth—that he would rather date a tarantula than get involved with her again—but because he knew he was leading her on.

He’d heard enough gossip from their mutual friends and could read between the lines when talking to Jess to know that she’d recently been dumped by the man of her dreams. A guy who was her social equivalent, wealthy and handsome, by all accounts. It wasn’t exactly great for his ego to realize that he was her backup plan—the guy she could count on to love her if all else failed. But he could still understand that she was disappointed with life—with the hand she’d been dealt.

And now he was playing her just like she’d always played him. He supposed it was karma, but that logic didn’t thaw the guilt that ate at him every time she was near.

It wasn’t like he was professing his love or making promises he didn’t intend to keep. But he wasn’t being upfront with her either. He was letting her believe what she wanted to believe because it served his purpose.

He should be better than this.

But it was almost over now. He just had to make it through the weekend with no confrontations or upsets, and he might just stand a chance at defeating Marcus for the position of president. Step one, get through tomorrow night’s party.

“What about you, man? Are you bringing anyone?” Alex asked.

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