Page 49 of Tease Me

“Have you had a vacation since you took that job?”

“No.”

“Exactly.Theyowe you time off. I don’t wantto haveto explain to your father that his only daughter can’t even make an effort on his special birthday.”

The acid in my stomach stirred, and I sighed. “All right, I’ll talk to my boss.”

“Good.”

“Okay, Mom, I’ve just finished my shift, so I’m going to sleep?—”

“There’s . . . one other thing.” The hesitation in her voice made dread inch up my spine.

I moved to my bed and sat on the edge. “What?”

“Alexander will be there.”

“There . . . there where?” I was pretty sure she didn’t mean just in Mildura, but there was no way she’d invite my cheating bastard ex-fiancé to my father’s birthday. Would she?

The silence on the phone was like a funeral parlor. “You’ve got to be kidding me. You invited that bastard to Dad’s birthday?”

“Xander and your father are friends.”

“Friends? What the hell?”

“They go fishing together.He’schanged, Jane; you should give him a chance. He’s been through such a terrible time.”

“He’sbeen through a terrible time? What the hell . . . he cheated on me.”

“Yes, and he’s really sorry for that.”

“Sorry! How can you even talk to him, let alone be friends?”

“Jane, listen to me. You and Xander?—”

“His name is Alexander.”

“Anyway, you two were together for three years. We got to knowhim. We liked him and, well, after you broke up, we continued to have him over to dinner and . . . now Xander and your father go fishing quite a bit.”

“Arggghhh,” I screamed. “I can’t believe this. How long has this been going on?”

She cleared her throat. “It never actually stopped.”

“Let me get this straight. Alexander had sex with dozens of women while we were engaged to be married, and after I broke up with him and left town, you continued to be friends.”

“Yes, and now, after what Chelsea-Lea did, he’s just so broken.”

“You’re unbelievable.” I wanted to launch down the phone and claw her tongue out. Instead, I clenched my jaw until my teeth hurt.

“Jane, please don’t. Your dad wants to see you. Don’t ruin his birthday.”

The acid in my stomach was a full-blown volcano as I seethed over how to respond.

“We love you, and we miss you.” Her statements seemed so hollow.

I was too stunned to say anything.

“Okay, you must be exhausted. Have a good sleep. I’ll ring you again next week.”

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