Sex and the Billionaire Crime Boss - Season 3

Ch. 6: Moving On

I really did not feel like going to the gym this morning, but Martina nagged me until I gave in, promising that the endorphins released by exercise would make me feel better.

They honestly didn't.

Lack of sleep didn't help either, since I was on the phone with Martina replaying my conversation with Max after I'd had dinner, spent time with my grandparents pretending everything was normal, and finally was able to excuse myself and go up to my room. The last thing I needed was my grandmother questioning whether "Laura" wasn't feeling well, or my grandfather cornering me to ask why I left the office for a meeting before lunchtime and never came back.

Max had driven back to the gallery, stopping on the way to pick up some deli sandwiches for lunch despite the fact that I had no appetite, and we'd gone into his office to review the final contracts for both the purchase and sale agreements transferring the remaining stock from his former partners to Max, and then reselling it to the overseas "investor."

Max actually let his old partners retain 1% so he can still technically list them as not only Board members but shareholders, given the advantage to the gallery of their reputation in the art world. Since it's a private transaction, no one outside the parties themselves will actually know the extent of their interest.

After we finished, he'd driven me back to the office parking garage and dropped me at my car, waiting until I was safely inside and drove away.

There was no mention of ever seeing each other again.

It's pathetic how much I hope some issue will come up where Gino wants more of my advice about his club in New York, since Max is supposed to be the intermediary who would reach out to me.

Martina and I are in our usual spots in the row of exercise bikes, with no one on either side of us at the moment to overhear our conversation. I wouldn't say the gym is empty at 5:30 in the morning, but it's certainly not nearly as crowded as it is when the after-work people show up.

I find I like the partial solitude.

"Hey," Martina says. "Isn't that the guy who was checking you out last time we were here?"

I glance over and yeah, it's the guy in the red t-shirt. Well, actually today it's a black t-shirt, but it's the same guy.

"Yes," I say, "that's him."

"So, you should talk to him. I think he's shy."

"Why, because he's not bothering us?"

"No, because last time he went into the juice bar around the same time we did and I was sure he was going to come up with some excuse to come over and talk to you, but he didn't."

"I don't know."

I'm thinking about the first time I met Max. On the plane from Philadelphia. He certainly wasn't shy. I remember how he leaned closer, put his mouth on mine.

Just the thought of that kiss makes my lips tingle.

"Look," Martina persists, "I understand you're still hung up on Max and that it turns out he wasn't having sex with that woman after all, but Hadley, you broke up with him for good reasons, and then he broke up with you for the same reasons - twice. Maybe the best way to get through this is to see someone else."

"I can't even think about getting involved with someone else right now."

"I'm not saying marry the guy. I'm not even saying sleep with him. But it wouldn't kill you to go on, like, a coffee date. To just open the possibility of moving on with someone else."