Crushed (Crystal Brook Billionaires) Read Online Free PDF Page A

Humanity,” he said after a beat. “Other than that, I mostly travel whenever I can.”
    “So you have a full-time position there?” she asked.
    The door banged open, and the bartender set mine and Gwen’s drinks down in front of us.
    “Thanks,” I told him, wrapping my hands around the warm mug. When I ordered it, the temperature hadn’t been quite right for a coffee cocktail, but the weather was already cooling. It wouldn’t be long before the sun set and the air became perfect.
    The bartender nodded and walked away to tend to another group of customers.
    “No,” Owen said. “I volunteer. You haven’t happened to see the cat yet, have you?”
    Gwen sipped her drink. “No. We just left the house for the first time since you were there.”
    “Ah. Well, thanks for keeping an eye out.” Owen turned to look at me, and I cringed. “How did you get into real estate, Claire?”
    Gwen took a breath, ready to answer for me, but I knew I couldn’t let her carry the entire conversation.
    “Long story,” I said. “I tried out some things and just kind of ended up there.” I nodded vigorously, like the action might add something meaty to my answer, and then took a hearty sip of my drink.
    “Claire and my fiancée work together,” Gwen said. “It’s how I met Jason.”
    I took another sip, focusing on nothing but the heavy mug in front of me. Soon I would have to chime in with something else, but until then I planned to concentrate on self-medicating.
    “Have you set a date yet?” Owen asked Gwen.
    “This October,” she answered, practically singing the words. “It will be here in Crystal Brook, in our back yard.”
    “That sounds great. And what about the honeymoon?”
    “We don’t know,” she dreamily replied, a soft look coming over her face. “We’re thinking either Italy or Ireland.”
    Apparently, Gwen was already lost in Italy. Or was it Ireland? I tossed back another portion of my drink. The mug was half empty, and I was finally starting to feel semi-decent. Maybe I was imagining it, but I swore I could feel Owen watching me out of the corner of his eye.
    Save it, buddy, I bitterly thought. If you’re on the hunt, you’re in the wrong place.
    “What about you?” Gwen asked in her most innocent voice. “Are you married?”
    Since he wasn’t wearing a ring, the answer was pretty obvious. Still, I ran my finger tip around the edge of my drink, trying to act like I was neither listening or interested in Owen’s answer.
    “No,” he said. “No. It’s been a while since I’ve even had a girlfriend.” He chuckled lightly.
    “I think I’ll get a second drink,” I announced to no one in particular.
    They both looked at me. Gwen’s eyebrows furrowed together. In front of her, her own drink sat untouched. “You just got one,” she said. “You’re not done with it yet.”
    “Well, the service here can take a while.”
    Owen stood up. “I’ll go in and get it for you. What would you like?”
    I smiled up at him but focused on looking at his forehead so we wouldn’t have to make eye contact. “A light beer. Thanks.”
    “Gwen, do you need anything?”
    “I’m good. Thanks.”
    I waited until Owen had disappeared behind the door to speak. “God, you’re being friendly.”
    She crinkled her nose. “What are you talking about?”
    “I mean, should I go ahead and call your fiancée and tell him about all the flirting you’re doing, or do you and Romeo already have plans to run away together?”
    “I’m not flirting,” she aggressively snapped at me.
    I shook my head at her. “Then why the hell did you ask a guy you just met if he has a wife?”
    “I was asking for you.”
    I stared at my sister, my gaze frozen on her face. Pain was filling up my chest, bleeding into my veins, and making me so heavy that I wouldn’t have been able to stand up if I wanted to.
    Gwen just stared back. After a couple seconds, she blinked rapidly and shook her head. “I’m sorry,” she