Chapter 31
CHAPTER 31
HUNTER
My blood boils. I’m so livid I can barely see straight. Dorothy holding my hand for dear life is the only thing controlling my temper.
Jamison walks over to an ottoman on the other side of his couch and sits before us. “After yesterday’s launch went well, I took my elation too far and put Dori in a difficult situation. Dori, I’m sorry. Hunter, you have my word it won’t happen again.”
“Like your word means anything to me.” I glower.
He squares his shoulders. “It should because you know I’ve kept my word to you on a few occasions that could’ve blown you out of the water.”
I dip my head in acknowledgment. “And I did the same for you.”
“Yes, that’s true, but I only went after you because you came at me.” His chest puffs out.
“Oh, Jamison. That’s where you’re wrong. You started this war, not me.” I shift to get closer to him, but Dorothy squeezes my hand.
His brows narrow. “And how exactly did I do that?”
“By sleeping with Dorothy. You knew we would get back together and you didn’t give a shit.” I release her hand, my fingers itching to take him down.
Damn, I want to pummel him, but that will ruin everything I’ve been working on. I breathe in a deep, calming breath.
Dorothy pushes to get up. “Both of you, stop it. I’m not going to rehash this.”
“Wait, Dori. I got off track. Let me say what I need to say.” Jamison gestures for her to stay seated.
She nods and relaxes back down. “Please make it quick.”
“I wanted to let you both know that once Efron’s tech team has what they need of me, I’ll be leaving. As in moving to Miami.” His gaze bounces between us.
Dorothy covers her mouth with her palm, but I settle in because something tells me this conversation will give me everything I want.
“This love triangle is taking its toll. All of us are behaving in unhealthy ways. Hunter, you and I used to be friends. I respect you as a businessman and maybe once I’m gone, we’ll find a way to be allies like we spoke of before.
“As for you, Dori. Well, this is where it ends for…us.” He chokes on the last word and lowers his head.
I’m stunned. I never thought he’d give up and hand her over to me. It gives me hope that she and I can find our way. If Isabella wasn’t pregnant, I’d have no doubts.
I glance at Dorothy. She’s pale and her glossy eyes are glued to Jamison. The ticking of a clock hanging on a wall behind him fills the room. I can’t help but note the metaphor. Jamison’s time is running out, and he knows it.
He raises his head and connects to my stare as if he’s reading my mind.
“Hunter, I love her enough to let her go so she can have the happiness she deserves. If I stay here, it only makes it hard on her—we’ll only make it harder on her. Look at what we’ve done in less than a year. We’ve been destroying her heart, and it’s time to stop.”
Dorothy holds her breath and stills herself. She doesn’t say a word. I take her hand and get ready to stand.
Jamison’s body subtly shakes. “Don’t take her for granted like I did. She deserves better.”
“I’ll love her the right way. You can trust that.” I cringe inside, knowing I’m going to do my best to keep this promise, but I’m still going to hurt her.
“Just know if you fuck up again, I won’t hesitate to come back for her. And I won’t lose her if that happens. I’ll fight for her until I die.” He stands and soaks her in with agony pouring from his eyes like he knows he’s letting the love of his life go once and for all.
“You won’t get that chance, Jamison.” I pull her up so we can leave. Their gazes lock.
He stares lovingly into her eyes. “I know you’ll look back on this and think I walked away from you and didn’t fight. But the way I see it, Dori, is my love for you isn’t made up of anger and war. Me loving you has always been about you finding your own way and supporting you as best as I can.”
He takes a step toward her but stops. “If you hate me for that, I understand. But I won’t let our love get tainted by jealousy and division. My love for you is good and trusts you to make your own perfect choice.
“You’ve been telling me you love Hunter for a while. I forgot what loving you means and ignored your pleas. My beautiful, sweet temptress, I heard you yesterday with clear ears. I’m giving you the respect you deserve and won’t stand in your way.”
Her tears fall in streams. If I didn’t think she needed to hear Jamison’s declaration, I would’ve stopped it from being said. But his words are the very thing I’ve waited for.
Relief blankets me. “If you’re done now, I’d like to take her home. ”
“Yeah, I’ve said what I need to say. I’ll be working from home from now on, but I’ll be in to clean out my desk this week. I’ll let you know once that’s done.” He shuffles to the door and opens it for us.
“Very well, Jamison.” I lead her out.
I glance over my shoulder to find him shining a sad smile at her with a nod, saying his final goodbye. It should feel like a victory, but she’s devastated. The emotion surrounds her as if it were tangible. Her step falters, so I stop.
She inhales deeply, wipes her tears away, and rolls back her shoulders. Through a shaky breath, she says, “Thanks for taking care of me last night. I wish you nothing but success. Goodbye, Jamison.”
“Goodbye, Dori.” He waits for her to move.
I think they’re going to share an embrace, but she sidesteps around me and strides down the hall. Jamison hands me her belongings and shuts the door. The story of Jamison and Dorothy, now forever closed.
Yesterday, I let Dorothy sleep off her hangover—at least, that’s what I told myself. I prepared her a bubble bath. After I gave her a massage, she nodded off. I kissed her cheek and covered her up so she could rest.
My mind twisted with ways to break my news to her as I worked in my office most of the day. And when I came out to get something to eat, I heard her crying in my bedroom.
She was mourning the loss of Jamison and I couldn’t bring myself to hold her through it. Not because I didn’t want to, but because I knew I’d end up telling her about Isabella.
I flip the covers over and swing my legs off the side of the bed. I peek over my shoulder to where the most beautiful woman in the world lies. No matter how hard I try to avoid hurting Dorothy more than she already is, I know I have to today.
“I love you, beauty, and I always will,” I whisper and leave to shower.
When I come out, she’s not in bed. For a brief second, panic rises in my chest.
Did she leave me to go stop Jamison?
I get dressed and set out to find her. The smell of bacon lingering in the hallway tells me she’s in the kitchen and my heart rate decreases.
“Good morning, handsome. Here’s your coffee.” She slides a mug across the island as I make my way onto a stool. “I hope you don’t mind that I’m making breakfast. I’m starving.”
“Considering the last time you ate was Friday at lunch, I’m not surprised.”
“I ate yesterday.”
“A bowl of chicken noodle soup is hardly a meal.”
She shrugs and puts more bacon on the griddle. “What’s the plan for today?”
I study her and try to gauge her mood. She’s smiling, but her eyes don’t have their usual shine. She’s hiding her sadness.
When she cut off ties with Jamison over Christmas, she had this same haunted expression hanging off her more times than I’d like to admit.
I force down the thought and take a sip of my coffee. After I place my mug down, I spin off my stool.
There’s got to be a way around telling her about Isabella.
The natural light illuminates the room, but it’s overcast and gray, matching my mood. I go to her favorite sofa and sit, resting my elbows on my legs. I run my hands over my face and try to find the words.
Nothing I say will come out poetic like Jamison’s tortured goodbye speech did. No, my speech will be me begging her to stay.
A better man would’ve stopped Jamison and told Dorothy about Isabella before he had the chance to break her heart. But not me.
Not only did I let it happen. I sat and witnessed the demise. My stomach bottoms out.
The weight of her body sitting beside me brings my gaze to hers. I focus on my love for her.
“You’re incredibly beautiful.” I lean over and kiss her pouty lips.
“And you’re incredibly somewhere else. Do you want to tell me about it?”
“Yeah, I think I better.” I suck in a breath of bravery and lose it on my exhale. “I know you said you were being paranoid when you thought someone was following you, but I need you to be sure.”
She nods. “It’s hard to say. I swear a guy was following me, but maybe he was on his way into the dive bar just like I was. He came in behind me and had a few drinks.
“At first, that’s why I stayed. I was waiting for him to see if he left before me. I lost track of him and the time when I started taking shots.”
“Not one of your finest moments,” I say dryly.
“Sorry, babe. It had been a rough day.”
And today’s going to be another one.
She takes hold of my chin and turns my head to hers. “I’m sorry I turned off my phone. Sometimes, I need time to think so I don’t react and say something I’ll regret.”
“It’s not that.” My chest heats as my stomach knots. “Beauty, we need to talk.”
“If this is about what happened with Jami, you heard him. It’s over between us. There’s nothing more to worry about.”
I push off the couch because I can’t face her when I tell her. “It’s not that either. ”
“Okay, then. What is it? Is it about my contract? Shit. Did someone go to the board and turn me in?” She jumps to her feet and tugs on my arm.
“No, beauty. Your job is still intact.”
“Is this about your mom?”
All the pressure of her questions erupts like a volcano.
My mind sputters out of control. “No. Yes. Fuck, it’s all of it.”
“I’ve put you through too much. I told you once that Jami will always have a piece of my heart, but I’m going to work on releasing that for good.”
She pads to the window and wraps her arms around her waist. “You deserve to have all my heart, and I vow to give it to you soon. Just give me a little time because it still stings a little. You know?”
I rub the back of my aching neck. “I’m sure it does, but?—”
“Don’t say it, Hunter. Please.” She spins to me. “I’m already losing Melanie. I can’t lose you on top of it all. It’ll be too much and I’ll break. Give me time and I promise I’ll make this up to you.”
I close my eyes and sink into myself. This is going to rip her to shreds.
The screeching of my fire alarm startles me as it blares throughout my penthouse. Dorothy runs by me.
“Shit, Hunter. The bacon’s on fire. Do you have baking soda?” She yanks the electrical cord out of the socket.
I rush to her. “Just throw water on it.”
“Hell, no. That will set the whole kitchen on fire. I need an extinguisher or baking soda.”
“There’s one in the utility closet.” I take off in search of it, my blood racing.
I find it and run back to her. “Do you know how to use one of these things?”
“No. Don’t you? ”
“Fuck, no. I barely cook.” My hands shake as I skim over a picture that explains what to do if needed.
I pull on the hose and point it at the griddle. The dry chemical powder sprays all over the counter, smothering the fire.
She scratches her head as she assesses the damage. “I guess that’s one way of getting you to stop breaking up with me.”
It’s so typical of her to find some remnant of humor in a situation like this that I can’t help but laugh.
I place down the extinguisher and take her in my arms. “You, my love, are going to be the death of me.”
“It wasn’t on purpose.”
“I know. I’m playing with you.” I peer into her eyes as I pray today won’t be the last day I hold her like this. “As crazy as this sounds, I’ll cherish this moment for as long as I live.”
My lips find hers, and I seal my vow with a meaningful kiss. The fire alarm quiets.
She pulls away, her eyes flitting around my face. “Why did that sound like you were saying goodbye?”
“Let’s go talk in the other room. It’s too smokey here, and it’s probably dangerous to be inhaling this.” I shudder with nervousness.
“Okay.” She holds her head high and walks to the sofa.
I follow her. The muscles in my chest tighten, making it hard to breathe.
I get to where she is and sit beside her. “The first thing you need to know is this has nothing to do with me breaking up with you. That’s not even something I’m considering.”
Her expression softens, and she instantly relaxes. I take a second to memorize her this way. She’ll always be my beautiful angel.
I brace myself for her wrath that’s sure to follow. “Despite having wild success with the launch, Friday was quite a mess. We haven’t talked about it and we need to. ”
“I know. I’ve just been waiting for the right time.”
My heart rattles.
Does she already know about Isabella?
My brows crease. “Waiting for what?”
“For you to ask me why I went into the closet with Jami.”
I take a deep breath, then force myself to speak the unbearable truth. “I know why you went with him. You love him and I won’t deny that fact any longer. But that’s not what this is about.”
“You’re confusing me, Hunter. If it isn’t about Jami, what’s it about?”
“Do you remember why I left you with him?” I’m stalling, but I’m having a difficult time getting this out.
I give her a second to recall the time I’m speaking of. I see the moment it hits her.
Her face drains of color. “Isabella needed to speak to you. Oh my god, I completely forgot about that.”
I suck in my lower lip and bite down on it to divert the pain of breaking my lover’s heart. My eyes begin to sting. I’ve never cried over a woman, but that’s about to change. All my dreams of building a glorious life with Dorothy fade away.
Devastation takes over and a tear escapes. It slides over my cheek and down my jaw. “I’m sorry, beauty. I’m so fucking sorry.”
Her eyes snap to mine. “What are you sorry for?”
I pause and then, wishing with every fiber of my being I wasn’t, say, “Isabella’s pregnant. She’s keeping it and…she says it’s mine.”