CHAPTER THIRTY-SIX
Paolo
Being with Gia at the hospital gala was really fucking bad.
Gia was talking my head off and was drinking like a fish.
I think I’d counted six or seven glasses of champagne, and we’d only been there an hour.
I thought she was supposed to be the epitome of class.
She was tossing back drinks, talking loud to whoever would listen, and braying like a donkey in labor when she laughed. People were staring at us.
Plus, she’d worn something inappropriate.
I don’t know if it’s because she knew Jelly would be here or what, but her tits were about to pop out of the top of her dress, and her ass was almost visible it was so short.
What the hell? And she’d worn layers of diamond jewelry.
Layers. Like four or five necklaces, and bangles all the way up her arm.
Was there a jewel thief in her neighborhood that I didn’t know about?
Was she scared to leave any of her jewels at home?
I saw the looks we were getting from the hospital administration, and they were not at all flattering. God. I’d say the night couldn’t get worse.
But Gia wasn’t even the worst part.
Jelly was.
She looked like a celebrity when she walked in. She had on a gorgeous blue designer gown. She wore simple jewelry. And she looked like a dream. Her hair and makeup were perfect, and I didn’t know if I’d ever seen her look better. That was saying a lot, too.
And she looked really happy.
Dammit.
This Dr. Chadwick? Well. The fucker looked like a young Brad Pitt, and he had an air about him that gave off serious nice person vibes. He was perfect for her.
With someone like that on her arm, she wouldn’t look at me twice. That was for sure.
But she had. She’d come over to say hello to me, even though I was with Gia.
“Hello, Dr. Lanetti. Hello, Gia.”
“Hey, Jelly,” I said, while Gia just stared at Dr. Chadwick.
“This is Dr. Chadwick,” Jelly said, smiling up at him. Dr. Chadwick said hello to me and gave Gia a slight nod but didn’t even really look at her.
“Well, have a great night,” she said, and hurried off.
“She was looking awful, huh?” Gia said loudly.
Jelly and Dr. Chadwick stiffened. It was clear they’d heard.
“I thought she looked incredible.”
Jelly gave me a slight smile over her shoulder. Chadwick didn’t.
“You should really watch how you talk about her now that we’re together,” Gia snapped at me.
“About that,” I said, pulling my phone out and putting it in front of her. “I have some updates to your little blackmail situation.”
“What do you mean?” she frowned at me.
“You should know this is the last time we’ll be seen in public together.”
Gia’s head snapped around as she stared at me. “I think you’re forgetting something.” She leaned in close to me, balancing her hand on my thigh and squeezing. “I’m in control.”
“I don’t think you are.” I set my phone on the table with the video pulled up and ready to go. I motioned to it. “Press play.”
She looked at it. “Fine.” She pressed play and, just like it had with me, it took her a moment to realize what she was seeing.
“Oh shit.” She jabbed at it, accidentally hitting it twice so that it paused and then started up again.
I had made sure the sound was turned up, and there were decided porn noises coming from the video.
She desperately poked at it until it stopped.
“Where did you get that?” She looked very pale.
“That doesn’t matter, does it?”
“What are you going to do with it?”
“I thought you didn’t care, remember? You wanted guys to know you were sexually adventurous, right? So, if I were to post this on social media and tag you, that would make you happy, I suppose.”
“No.” She grabbed my wrist, her hand like an iron vise. “You can’t do that. You don’t understand…”
“Or,” I got a thoughtful look on my face, “I could send it to Mama. She’d be happy to share it with your parents, I think. Don’t you?”
“That cannot happen,” she hissed, getting more and more freaked out by the moment. “If my parents see that…”
“What?” I stared straight in her eyes. “Would they take away your trust fund?”
Any remaining color drained from her face. “How did you know?”
“That doesn’t matter.” I grinned at her. “I could also send it to each and every law firm you apply to for the next ten years.”
She looked like she was going to be sick. “What do you want from me?”
I turned on her. “I want you to leave West Bay and never come back again. Ever. If my parents try to pressure you into marriage with me or any of my brothers, I need you to pass on that. Lose all interest in my family forever. Got me?”
She nodded, looking scared.
“You’re looking pale, Gia. Would you like me to go get you a drink or two?”
“That… that would be great, thanks.”
After that, Gia and I parked ourselves at a table since she seemed too drunk to dance. Everyone gave us a pretty wide berth, too. Gia wasn’t impressing anyone.
I watched as Jelly danced every dance with Dr. Chadwick. He was clearly smitten with her, and she was obviously into him. I couldn’t seem to make myself look away even though it was causing me pain.
Midway through the night, the event coordinator got up to make her speeches and hand out some awards.
I perked up. This is when Cleo said Jelly was going to get something.
“The first student award I’d like to give out tonight is for top boards in the Physician’s Assistant category. I don’t want to embarrass her, but this intern received the highest PANCE exam score that I’ve personally ever seen. Congratulations to Ray Ann “Jelly” Pinkoe!”
Clapping and cheers went up all over the ballroom.
“Oh my God,” Gia said way too loudly. “What a fucking nerd.”
People at adjoining tables gave her displeased looks.
“What? You’re probably all nerds, too.”
“I’m sorry,” I said quietly, “she’s had a bit too much to drink.”
The looks on their faces didn’t improve much.
Several more awards were given. Then came a couple of the big ones.
“Now for our three most prestigious awards. The internship awards for medical doctors, nurses, and physician’s assistants will now be given out.”
“Let’s go,” Gia whined. “This is soooo boring.”
“I want to hear this.”
“And for physician’s assistant the award goes to Jelly Pinkoe!”
I clapped louder and longer than anyone. I was so fucking proud of her, even if I had no right to be.
Jelly stepped up behind the podium. “Thank you so much. I won’t take up much of your time.
I just want to thank all the doctors, nurses, and hospital staff who have given me advice, taken me under their wings, and just treated me with such kindness over the past several months.
This is an experience I’ll never forget.
And I’d like to thank my friends,” she gestured to the audience where Nia, Daisy, Nadine, Carmen, and several of the other Cinnamon House girls were seated.
I saw tons of male attention going out to that table, and I couldn’t blame them.
In the history of hospital galas, I didn’t think there could possibly have been a more attractive table of women in attendance.
I don’t know how I missed them, but I had.
“It’s somewhat of a cliché at this point, but it’s so very true in my situation,” Jelly continued. “You can’t choose the family that you have. But friends truly are the family you choose. I’m blessed with great ones. Thank you.”
Everyone clapped again, and I could tell that if she wanted a job at the hospital, she’d have no trouble whatsoever getting hired in any of the departments. Now that Gia’s blackmail threat had been neutralized? The sky was the limit for Jelly.
I was glad for her. I really was.
But I was also kicking myself for having had her and not being able to keep her.
Nadine happened to be walking past me at that moment. “Oh, hey, Paolo. How are you?” Nadine was well within her rights to treat me like crap on behalf of Jelly. But she was too nice for that.
“Doing alright.”
Gia had laid her head down on the table and was softly snoring.
Nadine made a face. “Is that the girl you dumped Jelly for?”
“It didn’t exactly go down like that, but yeah. I guess so.”
“Yikes. Well, that was not a good choice, but I’m guessing you already know that.”
“I do.”
She nodded. “Right, well it’s good to see you.” She gave me a blinding smile and started to walk off.
“Wait.”
She stopped and turned back to me.
“Does he treat her well?”
She frowned. “Does who treat her well?”
“Dr. Chadwick.” I motioned to the dance floor where he and Jelly appeared to be doing a choreographed routine to a song from the Grease soundtrack.
Nadine laughed. “Oh, yeah. They have so much fun together.”
I winced inwardly and it must’ve shown on my face.
“You’re not over her,” Nadine said, looking at my face.
“Not even a little bit,” I admitted.
“Well, honey. She’s not over you, either.”
I gestured again to the couple everyone was watching basically have a party on the dance floor. “Could’ve fooled me.”
Nadine leaned close to my ear. “Honey, Dr. Chadwick is gay. He’s just not out yet. He trusts Jelly with his secret, and they’ve become great friends. But that’s it. They love each other, but they are not in love with each other.”
I stood up and threw my arms around her.
“Oh! Paolo,” she said from somewhere deep in my chest area, “you might be crushing me a bit, and I’m afraid you’re going to have my face on the front of your shirt.”
I pushed her back away from me, keeping my hands on her shoulders.
I did indeed have Nadine’s face on my shirt.
I looked at the makeup stains. “Don’t worry.
It looks better that way. I’m just sorry I crushed you.
But thank you. Thank you so much for telling me that.
Nadine, do I have any hope of getting her back? ”
“That depends. Do you know how to grovel?”
“I can grovel.” I had never groveled for a woman. Ever. But Jelly was… everything. And I had to get her back.
“Then I’d be prepared to do a good bit of that. You know, Jelly hasn’t had a lot of people in her corner in her life. She thought you were one of those people, and then you let her down. It’s going to take some time for her to be able to forgive that.”
“I know. And thanks again, Nadine.”
“Okay, honey. Now, I’ve really got to pee and go fix my face.”
“Noted.” I tried to hide my smile. Nadine was nothing if not straight forward.
If I’d heard nothing else from that whole conversation, I’d heard one thing: I had hope.