“Well then, Samantha. Everything happens for a reason. When one door closes, another opens. He wasn’t meant to be in your life long-term, and he was only in it as a stepping stone and paving the way for you to find your soulmate,” I said.
Chapter Nine
Samantha
I stared into his eyes from across the table as he threw my words right back at me. I knew I was in trouble. The kind of trouble that, if I weren’t careful, I would end up in bed with him. He was incredibly sexy. The kind of sexy that made it hard not to imagine what he’d be like. His looks weren’t the only problem. His cologne was too. For some damn reason, it held a power over me. Clean, woodsy, warm, and very masculine. It wasn’t overpowering or obnoxious, unlike some men's cologne. I noticed it in the coffee shop, in my apartment, and more so in the back of his car. But he was trouble. I already felt it. A heartbreaker who only looked out for himself.
“I’ll take your words under advisement, Mr. Castile,” I smirked.
“I hope you do. It really isn’t healthy to be grieving the loss of someone who cheated on you. What about your daughter’s father?” he asked, which I found very bold.
“Zoey never knew her father. She never met him, spoke to him, or even saw a picture of him. I was sixteen when Igot pregnant. He was eighteen and had just graduated from high school. Instead of going to college, he enlisted in the military. He told me it was for our family’s future and it would provide stability for us. The day he left for boot camp, I never heard from him again. The only reason he enlisted is that he wanted out of taking any responsibility for his daughter.”
“Do you know that for sure?” Wes asked.
“Well.” I picked up my drink. “He enlisted a week after I told him I was pregnant and keeping the baby.”
“I’m sorry,” he said.
“Don’t be. It was for the best anyway.”
“How did you go to college to become a teacher, being a single parent? That had to be very difficult.”
“I lived with my parents, and my mom didn’t work. So, she would take care of Zoey while I went to school. Once I graduated and got a teaching job, my father retired, and they moved to Florida. Enough about me. Tell me about Weston Castile.”
“I’ll give you the short version. I’m thirty-two years old, and I’m the CEO of Castile Properties. End of story.” He picked up his glass and tipped it to his lips.
“That’s all you’re going to give me?” My brow arched. “I told you I held up a sign in the pouring rain for my cheating boyfriend.”
“There’s nothing else to tell. My parents passed away when I was eight in a plane crash, and my grandparents raised me. But, there is something you should know.”
“What?” I asked, finishing the last of my filet.
“When we leave here, there will be reporters outside photographing us. Just smile and act casual.”
“Why will there be reporters outside?” My brows furrowed.
“Well, I am the CEO and paid $200,000 for a datewith you, for the school, of course. And they’re covering the story.”
“So, it’s basically an image thing for Castile Properties?” I asked.
“I guess you could say that.”
We finished our dinner, and Weston paid the bill. I flinched when we stood, and he placed his hand on the small of my back as we left the restaurant. The moment we stepped on the pavement, flashes of light went off, while Weston smiled and held his hand up for a wave.
“We enjoyed a nice dinner and would like to continue our date in private,” he told the reporters.
What did he mean by ‘continue our date?’ Wasn’t he taking me home?
Ben opened the car door, and I slid inside with Weston next to me.
“It’s a beautiful night. How about we go back to my place, and we can have a drink on the terrace. You’ll love the view.”
“I don’t think that’s a good idea,” I nervously said.
“Okay. I’ll take you home.”
As I sat there, his scent swirling around me and taking over my senses, I did something I knew I’d regret.