Chapter 30 #2
This moment is everything I’ve ever dreamed of and more because I’m madly, deeply in love with her, and will be until the day I die.
Dori closes the door to the refrigerator with her hands full of items. “How about you sit and I’ll make us dinner.”
“I don’t mind helping.”
“I’m staying with you to help you, not watch you cook for me.”
“But I like doing these types of things together.”
She places the produce down on the kitchen islands. “Okay, but you need to sit and prepare the salad. I’ll do the rest.”
“Then how am I supposed to bump into you and steal kisses?”
Her eyes sparkle as she smiles my way. “I’m sure you’ll figure something out.”
I slide the lettuce and cucumbers toward me from across the counter. “While I do this, talk to me about your call with Aiden. ”
“He overreacted and said by being with you, I’m ruining everything.”
“Yeah, he said something like that to me too.”
She kneels down to get a pan out of the cabinet. “He’s acting like a spoiled brat.”
“I agree, but I’m not surprised.”
“You’re not surprised he’s acting like a spoiled brat?” She rises to my level and places the pan on the gas stove. “He can be a dick, but I’ve never seen him act so immature.”
I stand and walk to the sink to wash the vegetables off. “I’m not sure what that’s about, but I knew he would hate the idea of us being together.”
“How does us being together ruin anything for him?”
“Maybe he thinks it will ruin our friendship and your relationship with him.” I turn on the water and wash the salad items.
She’s quiet as I finish up. Once I’m done, I return to the island and assemble the salad.
She seasons some chicken breasts and places them in the pan. “I think there’s more to Aiden’s reaction.”
“He’s been warning me for years to stay away. He’s throwing a tantrum because he’s not getting his way. It’s as simple as that.”
“I don’t think that’s it.” She puts a lid on the pan to cover the chicken. “His reaction seems like a personal offense. Like we did this to hurt him.”
I consider that while I chop up the cucumber. “I don’t know if we’ll ever figure out his motive. The only thing we can focus on is not letting him get between us.”
“Do you think he’ll try?”
“I do.” I glance up at her.
She’s staring at me with concern filling her eyes. “How would he do that?”
“I think he’s going to put a lot of pressure on you.”
“He’s not even talking to me right now. How do you think he’s going to convince me to break up with you if he won’t take my calls?”
“Give him time. Once he calms down enough, he’ll call you and try to get you to cave to him. He’s done things like this to you all your life.”
She turns and checks on the chicken. “And what am I supposed to do when that happens?”
I stop what I’m doing and try to gauge where her thoughts are. If Aiden gets under her skin and she finds out she was reinstated, I could very well lose her.
She asked me not to keep her in the dark about things, but Hunter said if she figures out his plan, she could react and put herself in danger.
What should I do?
Tell her and pray she doesn’t get hurt in the process.
Fuck, I hate this.
She finishes flipping the chicken breasts and then faces me. “Why did you quit talking?”
“I was just thinking.”
“About?”
“Aiden. This issue could end up being irrelevant.”
“How so?”
I glance down to hide my eyes. “You haven’t talked much about moving to Miami with me. You could change your mind, and that could...”
“Could what?”
“Derail us.”
“And what does that mean?” Her tone growing heated. “Why don’t you trust me when I tell you what I want?”
“I do trust you, but moving your entire life to be with me is a huge step. I’m just trying to be realistic.”
She turns the heat down on the stove and then marches to me. “Look at me, Jami.”
I face her as my chest tightens. “What? ”
“I said I want to move with you. There’s nothing keeping me here, so why do you doubt me?”
“It’s not that.” I pull her between my thighs and stare into her eyes. “You have a life here and have for years. I know leaving it behind won’t be easy, especially if...”
She rests her palms on my shoulders. “If what?”
I shake my head. It’s too hard to keep the fact she has her job back to myself. And the last thing I want to do is lie to her.
“Jamison Stone, I know you, and you’re holding something back.”
My stomach balls up. “Tell me the truth. What would you do if Hunter gets the board to reinstate you?”
She studies my face for a moment as I try to get a read on her. Her brow furrows, and she steps out of my arms. She walks back to the stove with her head hung low.
“Dori, talk to me. Be honest and let me know how you feel about getting your job back.”
“What difference does it make?”
“It makes a tremendous difference.”
She spins my way. “Why? Why keep pushing me to consider that possibility when it’s not an option?”
“But it is an option.”
“No, it’s not. And until it happens, I don’t want to talk about it.”
I swallow the truth, hating myself for it. “We need to discuss this. It isn’t going to go away.”
“How are you so sure?”
“I just am.”
There’s a moment of silence as she stares at me across the kitchen. I nod as if to tell her about Hunter getting her job back.
She tilts her head to the side. “What do you know about my job?”