Chapter 24 He Might Be The Perfect Choice
1/2
Chapter 24 He Might Be The Perfect Choice
Rosalie tossed and turned all night. At some point, she slipped into a ridiculous dream where Julian had her pinned to the mattress with that wicked smile and almost…
She jolted awake to full daylight.
On her drive to work, a familiar figure by the roadside nearly made her step on the wrong pedal.
Julian, in a black tee and work pants, was jogging along the road, sweat dampening his hairline and tracing the lines of muscle beneath his workout top.
The sight brought back last night’s scenes that turned her cheeks red, especially the part where…
A blaring horn snapped her out of it. She yanked the wheel, tires bumping the edge of the median before she corrected and shot forward.
In the rearview, Julian shrank to a speck, still running at an easy, steady pace.
Was he running to work?
Rosalie frowned. Did he not even own a car? And yet, he had handed her his bank card without a second
thought.
Something about that sat wrong with her.
Fine. He was her husband on paper, and he had pulled her out of a burning building. She wasn’t going to watch him scrape by.
When she had a minute, she would sort out a decent ride for him. Consider the favor returned and leave it
at that.
In this lifetime, she had no intention of pouring herself out for any man.
At Vertex Tech, the week of triage finally started to show results. The company had a pulse again.
“Ms. Ashford, details for tomorrow night’s business gala.” Her assistant, Richard Hoffman, came in with a
stack of folders.
“If we land Vista Furnishings’ systems contract at the event, Vertex Tech lives to fight another day!”
Vista Furnishings ranked among the country’s home-goods leaders.
Rosalie flipped through the brief. She remembered this gala. In her previous life, Lucian had taken her.
Her gaze stalled on a logo-Yarwood Group.
Even after stepping back from the fray in her previous life, she knew that name.
Chapter 24 He Might Be The Perfect Choice
2/2
The Yarwood Group had been Lucian’s toughest rival.
It turned out the gala was hosted by the Yarwood Group, and Vista Furnishings was just another company under its sprawling umbrella.
Rosalie closed the folder. “Richard, get us on the list. I’ll be there.”
“Got it. One more thing.” Richard hesitated. “At an event like this, it helps to bring a date.”
At a gala filled with the powerful and influential, someone young and beautiful like Rosalie was an easy
target. Having a man at her side could at least fend off some unwanted trouble.
Rosalie knew Richard was right. And the first person who came to mind was Julian, with his cool, handsome face and toned body.
If all she needed was a wall at her back, he might be the perfect choice.
After work, Rosalie didn’t head to her apartment. She drove to the Ashford residence instead.
If she were getting Julian a car, she had options in the garage.
Her eyes skimmed the lineup and stopped on three sports cars at the end bay.
A red Ferrari that Lucian had given her when she got her license. A silver Porsche he gifted when she
went full-time at Stellar Group. And a black Aston Martin he drove up in the night he proposed, its trunk
stuffed with roses.
Her brows knotted. “Hilda.”
Hilda hurried in. “Yes, Ms. Ashford?”
Rosalie pointed at the sports cars and said, “Why are these cars still here? I told you to clear out everything tied to Lucian.”
Act Fast: Free Bonus Time is Running Out!
Claim
pter 25 You And Julian Are Living Together?
1/2
hapter 25 You And Julian Are Living Together?
da stared at the three sports cars gleaming under the garage lights, her eyes full of reluctance. “You ted on these cars, Ms. Ashford. You even expanded the garage so they’d have room.”
e sighed to herself. Rosalie and Lucian had once been such a good match, but look at how they ended
e’re done,” Rosalie said. “Please get rid of them as soon as you can.”
e crossed to the key cabinet on the far wall and pulled down a single fob. It belonged to the white ntley Abigail had given her for her birthday last year.
rning to the driver, Rosalie said, “Edward, bring the Bentley around and follow my car.”
ey drove to her apartment building.
salie had just parked when she spotted Julian’s tall frame coming out of the corner convenience store
th a box of mac and cheese in hand. He took the elevator up without a glance.
e blinked. Was it because he gave her his bank card that he was now so broke he could only afford
ac and cheese for dinner?
that thought, she headed into the convenience store.
st then, her phone rang as she was picking out produce.
fore Ursula’s chatter hit full volume, Rosalie spoke first. “Ursie, does Julian have any food allergies?
ything he won’t eat?”
e other end went quiet. “Uh… not that I know of. Why?”
why. Just asking.”
h…” Ursula dragged the word out, clearly not buying it. “By the way, I stopped by your place to surprise u, and your mom said you’d moved out. Why didn’t you tell me?”
e been buried. I was going to invite you over once I got settled.”
hat’s more like it,” Ursula huffed, instantly mollified. “Text me the address. I’m coming now!”
salie glanced at the cart she’d already filled. “Come on over. Julian lives upstairs from me. I’ll ask him
wn so we can all eat.”
ere was a brief silence on the line. Then, Ursula’s voice jumped an octave as she screeched, “What?
and Julian are living together?”
salie rubbed at her temples, feeling a headache coming on. “We aren’t living together. What are you king about?”
