Romance Me: A Collection Of Standalone & First In Series Books Read online

  "None of your business," Izzy snapped.

  "Look," Clara said. "I don't know why you wouldn't want such a deal, but I'm willing to take him off your hands."

  The idea caused a familiar feeling in Izzy's gut. Jealousy? She thought that was insane. There was nothing, but a broken friendship between herself and Drew. There wasn't any reason to be jealous.

  Visions of Clara rubbing her hands all over Drew's chest caused Izzy to steam in anger. Clara Morris, as the story in the office goes, would stop at nothing from making a sale. The woman defined sleazy and Izzy refused to let Clara get to Drew. "Back off," Izzy snapped.

  Clara placed her hand over her chest and acted innocent. "I'm sorry, it's just, well you don't seem happy about the arrangement."

  "I'm fine, Clara. Stay away from Drew Walker." From that moment on, whether she liked it or not, Izzy accepted her duty to be his agent.

  Clara stormed out of the cubicle. Izzy sat and looked at her belongings. A few minutes before she wanted to run away, now she had work to do. Izzy turned to her computer and looked for listings, printing them out, and began making a file for Drew.

  A FEW MINUTES LATER, her cell phone buzzed. Izzy looked at the caller ID before answering. "Hey Gemma," she answered.

  "Oh, my God," Gemma said. "Is it true?"

  "Is what true?"

  "Don't tease me," Gemma spoke fast. "You're having dinner with Drew tonight?"

  Izzy shook her head in disbelief. She wondered how her sister heard already. "How do you know?"

  Her reply confirmed the news for Gemma. "He stopped by after seeing you. You two will make such a good team."

  Izzy didn't think of them as being a team. "Trust me, I didn't have any say in the matter."

  "What is your problem Izzy?" Gemma burst through the phone line. "Can't you see the man is going out on a limb to be near you?"

  "Look," Izzy stated. "It's business, nothing else."

  Izzy felt bad for stomping on her sister's hopes, but couldn't allow her to think something wonderful would happen between her and Drew. Those days were gone. Believing the things Gemma said would be the worst thing Izzy could do for herself.

  "Baby steps," Gemma said. "I'm so glad you changed your mind."

  Izzy growled and didn't care who heard. "I didn't change my mind, they forced me. Don't get excited. We're having dinner to talk about his finances and see what he's looking for."

  "I know what he's looking for," Gemma laughed.

  Izzy couldn't see her sister's face, but she knew the elder girl blushed. "Stop, Gem," Izzy turned red herself, not from blushing but from anger. "I think you're looking in to this the wrong way. Maybe Aunt Laura got to you. It's a business relationship and nothing more. It'll never be anything more and I hope you can understand that."

  She hung up the phone and threw it into her bag. Izzy tossed the new file into her briefcase and then returned her attention to the computer screen. She would not show 320 Sycamore to Drew, not if she could help it.

  Chapter 4

  IZZY GRITTED HER TEETH as she parked her car at Salvatore's. Drew couldn't have picked a different place to have dinner? She thought. Nobody ever ate at the Italian restaurant without the appropriate dress attire. It made Izzy uncomfortable.

  She stepped out of her car and wobbled over toward the door. Heels and Izzy didn't get along too well. Izzy paused and looked at herself in the reflection before entering. She wore a black mini-dress with a red shawl to cover her shoulders. Izzy looked down at her knees. "Stop shaking," she instructed them. She turned to get a good look at herself and smiled. Izzy didn't dress up too often, besides the usual office attire, and worried that she didn’t look good. Her shapely legs told her she'd been wrong.

  Drew sat at the bar and waited for her. Izzy took a deep breath as she noticed people look at her. They seemed to approve her wardrobe. Izzy hoped that Drew would be the opposite, she didn't want to attract him. She walked up to the bar as he turned to address her. From the look of his eyes, she could tell it pleased him too. Oh great, Izzy thought.

  "Have a seat," Drew said after giving her a friendly kiss on the cheek.

  "Can't we get a table?" Izzy didn’t want to have drinks with him.

  Drew ignored her and turned his attention to the bartender. "Can we get a whiskey sour over here?"

  Izzy said nothing while they watched the bartender prepare the drink. He sat it down on a coaster in front of her. "You remembered?" Izzy asked as she traced her finger around the edge of the glass.

  "I remember a lot of things," Drew said.

  She didn't know whether to be glad or furious. If he remembered so much, why was he torturing her by forcing her into working with him? If Drew wanted her to bring up the past, Izzy ignored his request. She took a long sip of her drink, realizing she hadn't had one in ages.

  "Walker, table for two." The hostess called out.

  Izzy took her glass and swiveled around in her stool. Drew placed his hand on her elbow as she got down. Part of her wanted to push him away, the other part was glad he held onto her. Stupid heels, she mumbled to herself.

  They walked to the back of the dining area. The lighting was dim and candles burned on each table. Izzy took her seat and noticed a rose placed by the setting. She looked puzzled, the other tables didn't have single roses on them. "What's this?"

  "They must have known someone as beautiful as you would sit here." Drew smiled at her before taking a sip of his drink.

  Inside, Izzy gleamed. He still thought she was beautiful, but she wouldn't give him the satisfaction of knowing he got to her. Instead, she tossed the flower aside and got to business.

  She asked him a series of questions about his finances, type of home he wanted, but avoided asking him if he had a family to live with him. Izzy gulped as she assumed the answer, but then felt her heartbeat as she remembered Gemma telling her he was single.

  Dinner arrived, and they were quiet as they ate. Drew would try to start a conversation but Izzy shot him down. He gave it another try. "So, you're still single?"

  Izzy's mouth gaped. How did she know he couldn't stop himself from getting personal? "Gemma, and my aunt, both have big mouths."

  "Isabella-"

  "Izzy," she reminded him for the millionth time.

  Drew placed his fork down and looked directly in her eyes. "I'm just trying to make small talk."

  Izzy sighed. She should have known he wanted nothing more from her than a friendship. They tried once, and it didn't work out. Izzy refused to give in. She picked up the pile of papers and said, "So when do you want to start looking at these?"

  Drew paused before answering her. He waved the waiter over and asked for the check. After squaring that away, he turned to her. "I'm free anytime. How about tomorrow morning?"

  "Ten o'clock?" Izzy didn't want to continue the charade. She almost wished she could hand him over to Clara Morris, but she remained reasonable.

  "Sounds good," he told her. "I can drive."

  Izzy offered to help pay for dinner, but Drew refused. They walked out to the parking lot in silence. Drew opened her car door for her, but she didn't watch where he went after she sat inside.

  She drove home, tears fell down her face. Izzy didn't know if she was strong enough to work side by side with him. The past was too painful, yet he acted like it never happened. Izzy lowered her head onto the steering wheel and prayed that he'd pick the first house he saw.

  IZZY'S HEELS WENT FLYING as she kicked them off. The soft carpet felt like heaven on her sore feet. She limped over to the couch and fell onto it. A buzz went off in her purse. Izzy reached in and found her cell phone.

  "Well?" A text from Gemma.

  "I don't want to talk about it," Izzy replied then turned the phone off.

  Chapter 5

  DREW ARRIVED AT NINE o'clock, bright eyed and bushy tailed, ready to house hunt. Izzy, however, dragged her feet and almost didn't make it to work in time. She tossed and turned throughout the night, thinking about h
im. As much as she tried not to, hearing him call her beautiful, echoed through her mind.

  Izzy looked at her watch when she noticed him walking inside the office. "You're an hour early," she said as Drew approached her cubicle.

  "I was excited," he said. "Couldn't wait any longer."

  Clara walked by wearing a sheer shirt, hardly professional. "Good morning, Mr. Walker."

  Drew's head turned as his eyes followed her down the hallway. "Morning," he replied, but returned his eyes to Izzy. "Are you ready?"

  Izzy moaned, she wanted time to look up more information for him. The green monster she felt the day before crept back inside her stomach. "Fine," she sighed. She knew Drew Walker caused attention, and she agreed to get him out of there.

  They walked out to his truck. Izzy couldn't believe he drove the same one he had when they were together. Drew unlocked the door for her. She jumped up onto the seat as he made his way toward the driver's side. Izzy swallowed hard as she looked around.

  She placed her coffee cup in the holder and remembered putting her cup in there, many times before. The seatbelt had a rough spot that always scratched her arm when putting it on. Izzy's instinct told her to pull it so that the fabric landed on her shirt instead of her skin. Her head shook, and she wondered if she fell into a time warp.

  "Where to?" Drew started the ignition and waited to find out which direction to drive into.

  "Go up to Union," she started. "Then take a left."

  As Drew drove, she couldn't help but notice his arm resting on the console between them. His hand dangled down. Something inside of Izzy wanted to reach over and take it in hers. She'd done it before and the vision flashed before her. His fingers entwined with hers, and his thumb gently rubbed her knuckles. Izzy once thought they'd remain like that forever, but they didn't hold hands for long.

  She pulled her left hand onto her lap and held it with her right, to prevent it from giving in to her desires. Their romantic days were over. Izzy would not allow herself to think foolishly for matters of the heart. Drew only wanted a house, not her. If he did, he had a horrible way of showing it, she thought.

  After a few minutes of bumper to bumper traffic, they arrived at the first house. Drew pulled into the driveway. The truck just came to a stop when Izzy opened her door and jumped out. She buckled over in pain along the passenger side. "You can do this," she said beneath her breath as she wiped away a tear trying to form in her eye.

  Izzy stood and straightened herself before Drew saw her moment of weakness. She faked another smile, something she mastered over the weekend, as he walked to her side of the truck.

  "You say something?" Drew asked.

  "No," Izzy shook her head and walked toward the house.

  She opened the front door and held it while he walked passed her. Izzy knew the house, had shown it to other clients. She hoped he would want it, only so she wouldn't have to continue to work with him. But, Izzy knew the home was small and sat on the market for a long time. The chances of Drew wanting it were slim. Izzy moaned.

  They walked around. Drew made comments on different aspects of the house, some he liked, others he didn't. Izzy couldn't hold back any longer. Her curiosity got to her. "I don't think I asked before," she started. "How many bedrooms do you need? Is there a wife and children you'll live with?" Izzy gulped and couldn't believe she had the nerve to ask. Gemma kept telling her he was single, but Izzy heard it before and wouldn't make the mistake of believing it again.

  Drew said nothing at first. He inched closer to Izzy and held her chin. "Isabella-"

  Izzy pulled away and walked into another room. She'd been stupid to ask him when she honestly didn't want to know. He followed her and didn't finish answering. She turned toward him and raised her hands in the air. "Well, what do you think?"

  Drew shook his head and walked out the front door. Izzy knew she hit a nerve with him, but didn't care. She needed him to know they could never be friends again. Izzy jumped inside the truck and gave him the address to the next house.

  The pair looked at four houses that day, and Drew shown no interest in any of them. Other than house related conversation, they kept quiet. Izzy was fine with the arrangement, but wondered what went through Drew's mind.

  Later that afternoon, he dropped her off at the office. As she walked toward her car, Drew followed. "I'm sorry," he said to her as she unlocked the door. "It's clear you don't want a friendship, and I promise to keep this strictly professional from now on."

  Izzy picked up the hurt in his voice, but ignored it. She shook his hand and told him she'd see him again in the morning. A lump formed in her throat and Izzy knew she had to drive away from him before she cried.

  IZZY'S CELL PHONE SOUNDED right after she got home. "Hello," she answered.

  "So, how'd your day go?" Gemma asked.

  "Since when do you ask me about my day," Izzy knew her sister hated it when she answered a question with another. Gemma wanted to meddle, just like Aunt Laura, but Izzy wouldn't let her.

  "Oh, come on," her sister begged. "You worked with Drew all day. Tell me about it."

  "Nothing to say," Izzy said. She laid across her couch and let her shoes fall to the floor. "I told you, there is nothing between him and I. This is business, nothing else." Izzy swallowed her guilt as she spoke to Gemma. Throughout their lives, they told each other everything, but Izzy never told Gemma about her past with Drew. She told no one.

  Through the receiver, she could hear Gemma sigh. "The man is gorgeous, has a solid career, and he is crazy about you."

  Izzy laughed. Drew wasn't crazy about her, she thought. He wanted to be friends again, that much she knew, but crazy he wasn't. "He is not," she answered.

  "I can see the way he looks at you, Izzy."

  Izzy rolled her eyes. Her sister could believe his charming behavior, but she wouldn't. "Drop it," she insisted. "Drew is a client and nothing else."

  "Fine," Gemma said.

  Izzy knew she hadn't heard the last from her sister about the topic.

  Chapter 6

  BY THE END OF THE WEEK, Izzy and Drew walked through more houses than she could remember. They were no closer to finding one he liked then they were on the first day. Izzy spent long hours in the office trying to find listings that would please him. There didn't seem to be any good enough.

  "See you tomorrow?" Drew questioned.

  "Oh, no, I'm sorry." Izzy didn't want to be near him anymore and needed a break. "I've been with you all week and pushed other clients aside. Plus, I still have paperwork to do for the Johnson closing." Drew looked sad, but she continued. "How about Monday?" She wondered if two days would be enough time away.

  Drew reached out and shook her hand. "No problem," he said before he took a slow walk to his truck.

  Izzy let out a sigh of relief. What she needed the most was a girl's night with her sister. She called Gemma the night before and set everything up. Izzy drove home and prepared herself for a fun night.

  A COUPLE HOURS LATER, Izzy arrived at her sister's house. "Where is everyone," she asked.

  Gemma wasted no time in pouring two glasses of wine. "Jake took the kids to his parent's place for the night. We have the house to ourselves."

  "Great," Izzy said. She took the glass from Gemma and took a large sip. "Mmm," she licked her lips. "So, what are we going to do?"

  Gemma took her by the hand and walked her into the living room. She had DVD's that she'd rented, make-up, brushes, and nail polish on the table. "An old-fashioned girls' night," Gemma beamed. "With wine."

  Izzy laughed and took another sip. Whatever kind of wine her sister bought, it tasted good. "With a lot of wine," she corrected Gemma. Izzy needed a good night and told herself not to think about work, not to think about Drew.

  Not long after, the doorbell rang, and Gemma answered. Izzy could smell the pizza and wings before Gemma returned. They ate, watched movies, and gave each other makeovers. Izzy should have known the night wouldn't stay fun for long.

&nbs
p; She pulled Gemma's foot onto her lap and painted her toenails. Gemma stretched out and picked up her phone. "Texting Jake already?"

  Gemma looked up and grinned. "Actually, I texted Drew."

  "What?"

  "I set him up on a date and wanted to know how it went." Gemma kept a straight face while talking to her sister and Izzy had no reason to think Gemma lied.

  "With who?" She couldn't help but ask. Izzy hated how fast she could go from not caring about Drew, to feeling jealous.

  "He wants to settle down," Gemma informed Izzy. "I hoped to set you two up, but you made it obvious that you're not interested."

  "Who?" Izzy grew irate.

  "You wouldn't know her," Gemma said "She works with Jake."

  Suddenly everything Izzy tried to keep inside, came rushing out. She blamed the wine, but she knew she still cared. Izzy cried. "We have a past," she blurted out. "I'm sorry that I never told you. I couldn't bare it if anyone knew how much he hurt me."

  "When," Gemma sat up and embraced her sister.

  "A long time ago, when I lived in Chicago," Izzy told Gemma. "He lived in Indiana, but came to Chicago after we connected online. Things were great for a while, he came to see me just about every weekend."

  Gemma didn't allow her sister to continue. "It wasn't just a one-time thing?"

  "No," Izzy cried more at the thought. She thought he loved her, but she'd been wrong. Izzy wiped her eyes and straightened out. "It didn't work out. And, now you know why I can't see what you see in Drew."

  Gemma held Izzy's hand and took in everything her sister said. "You're jealous?"

  "What? Of who?" Izzy shouted.

  "I set him up with someone and you're jealous, right?"