I hung up on Miles Draganov.
I yelled at him, too.
Holy shit.
It felt good.
Chapter 24—Deals
During the next two weeks, I completed my thesis and hung out with Ethan. He gave me foot massages and multiple orgasms. We watched movies and talked about everything under the sun. I read books to him, went out for dinner, and I watched him and his friends ride their bikes at Gibbs Pa
rk. I avoided everyone else in my life. It wasn’t easy, especially since I had one class with Presley, but I showed up late, focused on the lecture, and raced out as soon as it was done.
Presley called and texted me constantly. At best, I would give her brief answers to confirm I was not kidnapped or dead. I knew I would eventually have to deal with her, but spending this time with Ethan had been wonderful, and I didn’t want to spoil it with her disapproval and judgment.
I had even skipped Vanessa’s luncheon last Sunday. With my father’s comment about bringing a “suitable” date fresh in my mind, I had elected not to show up at all rather than attend the gathering without Ethan. I tried calling Dad, but he didn’t answer. Vanessa had called that evening, and I did speak with her briefly, but she said Ethan was not a topic he was willing to discuss and that he was only going to speak with me when I came to my senses. I did apologize for missing her engagement.
“We’ll just see you next time,” Vanessa had said. “Miles and I will be in New York next weekend, and the next luncheon will be your graduation celebration! I’m so proud of you, and I can’t wait to show you off to everyone!”
“You really don’t have to do that.
“Of course I do, my darling. Don’t you worry about a thing though—I have it all planned out, and all you have to do is show up!”
I had been glad of that, at least. I couldn’t bring myself to think about my graduation party, not yet, anyway.
Right now, I just wanted to lie here on Ethan’s couch getting a foot massage.
“I can’t wait until studying for a test is a thing of the past.” I sipped lemonade from a straw and moaned softly as Ethan’s hands kneaded and rubbed my feet. I leaned back a little more in the pink bean bag chair. “Just one more exam, and then I am done! I sure would have enjoyed college more without the tests. I love to learn, but having to prove to someone else that I learned something annoys me.”
“I could tell how much more relaxed you were once your thesis was turned in,” Ethan said. His fingers worked their way between my toes. “And don’t complain too much. I would have liked to have been able to stay in school.”
“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean it that way,” I said. Even though Ethan kept saying we hadn’t known each other long enough to worry about such shit, I seemed to keep slipping up with comments that could certainly be taken the wrong way. We had checked out a new restaurant earlier in the week, and I had really stuck my foot in my mouth when Ethan asked me to come with him when he needed to excuse himself to the restroom. I had laughed, thinking he was making some kind of joke or maybe just coming on to me. Then it hit me—since he hadn’t been to that place before, he didn’t know which door led to the women’s room and which one led to the men’s. Of course he would need someone to point out the right one in an unfamiliar place.
Needless to say, I felt like a complete and total shit after that one.
“It’s okay,” Ethan said with a small smile. “I could try to go back to school. It just seemed like there was no way to do it like a normal person. I didn’t want to have to explain myself all the time.”
“What do you mean, ‘like a normal person’?”
“I could have gone back with a whole individual learning plan, had tutors to help me with the textbooks, and taken oral tests instead of written, but I couldn’t have really been like the other students then. The last year of high school sucked when I was taken out of class during the tests so someone could read the questions, and I could spout off the answers. I hated being singled out like that.”
“I can understand that,” I said. “I never liked being the center of attention—not at school or anywhere else.”
“But you want to be an executive, where people are going to be looking up to you all the time?”
“Want? No. But…it is what it is.”
“Why are you doing it, Ashlyn?” Ethan’s voice dropped low and his massaging fingers slowed to a calming pace.
“Granddad grew that company from nothing,” I said with a shrug. “Dad took over from him and grew it even more. Taking over from him when he retires is his dream for me. I’m supposed to carry on the Draganov Financial legacy. It’s in my blood! Just ask Dad.”
“You should do something with books,” Ethan said so quietly I almost didn’t hear him.
“What? Work in a library or something?” I laughed at the idea.
“Yes,” he said, just as quietly. “You would like that more. You don’t even like your accounting and economics classes. I can tell by your expression when you’re studying.”
“Careers aren’t the same as hobbies, Ethan,” I said. “Reading is a hobby, not something you do for the rest of your life.”