Page 80 of The Wrong Side Of Us

Once in the office, Nathan wrapped his arm around my waist and held my hand up so they could see. Thomas’ eyes widened, and a wide smile spread across his face. Jessica, on the other hand, seemed surprised and…disappointed.

“She said yes,” Nathan said proudly. “Evelyn has accepted to be my wife.”

My former professor grinned, congratulating both Nathan and me with a warm hug. He was sincere, genuinely happy for us. Jessica was smiling…but it didn’t meet her eyes.

She had heartbroken written all over her face.

“I had no clue you were going to propose already,” Lanthorn said.

“Neither did I,” Nathan said, smiling down at me. “But it was time. It’s been time for a while, I think.”

“It’s a surprise for everyone. Congratulations to both of you,” Jessica chimed in. She sighed, running a hand through her hair. “I’ve got to get back to work, but really…congratulations.”

She then embraced Nathan quickly, too quickly to be considered a hug. It was as if the contact stung.

She had feelings for him.

More than she was willing to admit.

***

I waited in the office for Nathan to come back with our food. I was starving…well, not quite. But I was truly hungry. I closed my eyes, rolling around in the chair, which I found much too entertaining.

“You are like a child.” I stopped, turning my attention to the woman that stood at the door. Jessica smiled, shaking her head.

“A bit,” I replied. “Did you need something?”

“Just getting paperwork for a purchase.”

I nodded, hesitating before asking the following question. “Have you talked to Derek?”

Jessica’s brows pulled together. “Not since that day that we saw him at the bar. Why?”

“I messaged him earlier, and he hasn’t replied.”

Jessica raised an eyebrow, her blue eyes accusing. “Don’t you think that you’re way out of line messaging another man while Nathan is parading you around like a perfect little girlfriend?”

I scoffed.

There it fucking is.

“Can’t even hide it, can you?” I asked, tilting my head to the side. “Have you told him about your feelings?”

Jessica pressed her lips together, glaring at me. She was so angry she couldn’t hide it anymore.

“I appreciate the fact that you’ve kept quiet, Jessica, but you can go ahead and tell him,” I said, standing up from the chair. Her eyes traveled down my body, gaze hardening when they landed on my pregnant belly.

“Why would I tell him? He’s with you. You snagged him up good, got pregnant, and now he’s proposed. My feelings don’t matter.”

“For your own good,” I said. “You’re keeping it all to yourself. Nathan loves me, I know that, but maybe telling him will allow you to move on.”

Jessica considered my words, glancing out towards the window. “Even when you were over here and he was in Pennsylvania, I could tell when he’d talked to you. So, you see, my feelings don’t matter.”

Nathan interrupted our conversation when he opened the door, holding up a bag of Chick-Fil-A with a handsome smile.

“Ready for lunch?”

I understood Jessica. It was difficult not to like Nathan. It was difficult not to fall for him. But the more I thought about the little that I knew about Jessica, the more I realized that perhaps she wasn’t in love with him but loved the idea of him. Any woman would be lucky to have a man like him by their side.

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