first year was buy stuff. I guess I just never throw anything away.â
âI feel your pain. It must have been real rough having all that money to spend.â
âYouâd be surprised.â His eyes darkened with some emotion she couldnât identify, and she had the sudden impression sheâd dredged up something he didnât want to confront. She couldnât decide if that was a good or a bad thing.
Probably bad.
She grabbed paper plates and napkins from the kitchenette and opened the fridge. âI suppose youâll want something to drink.â
âWhatever youâve got,â he said, looking around as if he wasnât sure where to put the food.
âI usually eat at the coffee table, so I can see thegame.â And because it happened to be the only table she owned.
âStill a sports fan, huh?â He set the pizza down and sat on the love seat.
She grabbed two beers. âTo my parentsâ dismay. My mother is always trying to drag me to Junior League meetings and Tupperware parties, when Iâd rather stay home and watch the game with Ty and my dad.â
She set the beers, napkins and plates on the table and sat next to him. Matt served them each a slice of pizza. Somehow the love seat felt a lot smaller with him sitting on it. They were so close, she could feel the heat of his thigh where it almost touched her own.
Though it was eons ago, she still remembered what it felt like to be close to him. To feel those hard planes of muscle in his chest and stomach, his weight pressing her into the cool sand. Being with Matt had been everything sheâd ever imaginedâmore than sheâd ever hoped for. It had scared her as much as it thrilled her. And the tenderness heâd shown her had been completely unexpected. Foolishly sheâd thought that meant he loved her.
After all theyâd been through together, when all was said and done, sheâd been nothing but a conquest to him. All those years of friendship had meant nothing. And now, with all that money he couldnât spend fast enough, she was sure heâd also raised his standards. She was the same unfeminine, in-your-face-girl sheâd been back in high school. She hadnât been good enough for him before, and she certainly wouldnât be now, even if she wanted to be. Which she absolutely did not.
âTy mentioned that you have a boyfriend. My being here wonât bother him?â Matt asked.
Boyfriend. Now thereâs a term she used rather loosely. It wasnât as if sheâd actually told her parents she and Alex were anything but good friends. Theyâd assumed, and sheâd never set them straight.
âNo, he wouldnât mind. Heâs not the jealous type.â Not when it came to women, anyway. Not only was Alex not her significant other, he was very gay. Flaming at times.
Matt looked down, suddenly enthralled by his pizza. âIâd like to meet him. You should bring him around the restaurant some time.â
Emily almost laughed. âYou still canât lie worth a damn, Conway.â
His head shot up, a combination of guilt and surprise on his face.
âMy brother canât stand Alex. And he probably told you that. So I seriously doubt youâre all that jazzed about meeting him.â
âYou work with him?â
âHis mother owns the nursery.â
Matt gazed around the apartment. Considering her living conditions, this guy obviously wasnât paying her enough. What furniture she did have looked hand-me-down, and with the exception of the twenty or so plants hanging throughout the apartment, it was sparsely decorated. No art hanging on the walls. No photos.
Ty hadnât been exaggerating. This boyfriend of Emilyâs did sound like a jerk. Abandoning Emily and leaving her to run his motherâs company while he was out partying was pretty low. And with a girlfriend as attractive as Emily, how could the guy notbe jealous