Free Love Takes Time (Christian Romance) by Kaci Hart Page B

5
     
    Chelsea didn’t know who this
woman was but she didn’t like it.  Then again, what woman wants to be out
with a man and have their date interrupted by a woman who was undeniably
attractive.  She was tall, and slender like a model and if her fur coat
was any indication, she was in Ryder’s class monetarily.
    Oh great. 
Competition.  This is definitely not what I was hoping for tonight. 
    “Phaedra?”
 
     
    The
terrified look on Ryder’s face further confirmed that there was most likely
something more with he and the woman who just interrupted their date that was
going pretty well before she waltzed her way in.  It got worse when he
stood up to shake her hand and she grabbed him instead, hugging him in a way
that was. . . a lot more than just friendly. 
     
    Phaedra
is it?   I don’t think I like you much.   
     
    “Yes
it’s me silly.  I knew that was you from across the room you handsome
thing.  It’s been a while but you still look as good as usual.”  She
exclaimed.
     
    “I
thought you were still in Paris last I had heard.”  
     
    “I got
back just yesterday but it’s nice to know someone so nice was checking up on me
while I was away.  You are such a cutie.  Always so concerned about
me.”  
     
    Ryder
stumbled over his words.
     
    “ Th -that’s not really what I said.”
     
    “Oh
stop being so modest.”
     
    “Okay
then.  Anyway, since you’re here, let me not be rude.  Phaedra, this
is Chelsea, Chelsea… Phaedra.”  
     
    She
watched as Phaedra turned her look in her direction while at the same time
moving her hand across his bicep.  Chelsea didn’t like that one bit. 
The other thing she didn’t like was the way Phaedra looked at her. 
Moments before, she had been smiling at Ryder but she gave Chelsea such a
dismissive, who-are-you look that really got under her skin pretty
quickly.   Chelsea knew then that Phaedra was the kind of person with
money that she was never a fan of and she was determined to be cordial while
taking in the far-from-genuine smile that was directed towards her from the
ice-queen that she had just met.
     
    “Nice
to meet you, Phaedra.”
     
    Chelsea
felt like throwing up.  In her mind she entertained the idea of doing
so.  Right all over her new female friend, of course.  The thought of
that allowed her to smile inside. 
     
    “Yes.
 So how do you know Ryder here?  Is he out on another one of his
nonstop meetings?  I swear this man does not stop working.  He is
always on the search for new young talent.  Are you interviewing to be an
intern at Chatham Holdings?”
     
    Chelsea
would have rolled her eyes but she didn’t want Ryder to think she was a drama
queen.  If she had to respond to that question though, she might have said
something she didn’t want.  She was relieved when Ryder saved her from
saying something she just might regret. 
     
    “Actually
Phaedra, Chelsea is a friend of mine.  We were in the middle of a date
that I like to think was going pretty well right before you showed up.”
     
    The
woman showed her disingenuous smile to Chelsea once again. 
     
    “Oh. 
Isn’t that nice.”
     
    Ryder
must have been able to tell that Chelsea had nothing to say to the woman so he
continued. 
     
    “Yeah
Chelsea, so Phaedra and I have known each other for years.”
     
    “That’s
an understatement.”  The woman who was too full of herself to take a hint
and leave butted in yet again.  “Chelsea, this silly guy here and I grew
up together.  I mean we were constantly around each other.  We were
practically inseparable.  I’d like to think that we still are.”  
     
    She
frowned at Chelsea with a very matter-of fact look and Chelsea was finally at
the point that she couldn’t take anymore.  
     
    “Well Pheedra --“
     
    “It’s
Phaedra.”
     
    “Right. 
So it was nice meeting you but you’ve had Ryder your whole life while I’ve only
had one night so far.”
     
    “Oh
right, of