The Best Mate He Trusted Wanted Me More Chapter 07

The Best Mate He Trusted Wanted Me More Chapter 07

He stuck his hand in my face, frowning deeply.

“Where’s my present?”

I blinked.

First time I’d ever seen someone ask for a gift so naturally.

“My boyfriend and I are a package deal. Julian already gave you mine.”

I went back to watching TV.

“Cook or leave.”

He looked genuinely offended.

“I’ve been running around for you for days. No gift, and I still have to cook?”

He grabbed an apron anyway and stomped into the kitchen.

The reader feed was losing it.

“He really fell for her and no one is staging an intervention? Embarrassing.”

“Birthday boy skipped his own party to cook for her. That’s not service. That’s commitment issues.”

“He used to call Clara a simp. Turns out he was just doing research.”

My phone buzzed on the table.

I dropped the chips and grabbed it. Julian.

“Clara, Rowan’s birthday ended early. Something came up. Have you eaten yet? I’ll pick something up and bring it…”

Before he could finish, Rowan walked out of the kitchen holding something.

“Clara, do you have an extra lighter?”

The living room went completely quiet.

The reader feed detonated.

“That was calculated.”

“Drama just walked in and asked for a lighter.”

Julian’s voice went low.

“Clara. Is someone there?”

I shot a glare at the man who looked way too calm and answered.

“Yeah. Just the handyman.”

Julian didn’t push. He said he’d be home soon.

I hung up and rubbed my forehead.

“You did that on purpose.”

Rowan looked innocent.

“How was I supposed to know you were on the phone?”

His phone buzzed.

We both stared at the screen.

He answered.

I could hear Julian on the other end, completely different from the man who’d spoken to me. He was breathing hard, like he was running.

“Rowan. I think Clara’s seeing someone else.”

Rowan looked up at me. His ears went red.

“Don’t jump to conclusions.”

The reader feed was back.

“He heard ‘another man’ and immediately clocked in. Sir, nobody hired you.”

“Why is he acting guilty? He hasn’t even kissed her. He’s basically a private chef with feelings.”

“That blush is doing way too much for someone who’s still stuck in chef mode.”

Julian’s voice cracked.

“She’s been different lately. I come home late, she doesn’t text. She doesn’t ask for lunch photos. She spaces out at night. She has to be thinking about someone else.”

Both of us stared at each other.

Rowan’s face was redder than I’d ever seen it.

I was stunned too.

I wasn’t spacing out.

I was enjoying the moment, okay?

What was Julian even thinking?

And the man in front of me was taking this way too seriously.

“Your uncle knows a private investigator, right? Run a check for me.”

Julian hung up.

The silence was excruciating.

I watched Rowan’s face, half smug and half desperate to hide it, and realized things were spinning out of control.

“Leave. Don’t come back.”

I rubbed my forehead.

He was good-looking, sure.

But I wasn’t done with Julian’s face yet.

I’d only started this to teach him a lesson. He’d been toxic and provocative, and I wanted to knock him down a peg.

But Rowan didn’t move.

I looked up and jumped.

Seriously?

Now his eyes were red too.

“I knew it. I was right all along. You’re the kind of woman who uses people and tosses them aside.”

I stared at the ceiling.

The reader feed was done.

“He invented a whole relationship, got hurt by it, then accused her of using him. Impressive.”

“Clara hasn’t even flirted with him. He cooked two meals and caught feelings. Send him my way.”

I didn’t know where the “use and toss aside” accusation even came from.

Nothing had happened between us.

But Julian would be home soon, and I wasn’t ready to break up yet, so I nodded.

“Uh-huh. Go.”