Page 63 of Playing My Rivals

Hunter scoffs. “Of course, the first thing you do is defend him.”

“Stop. This was truly all my doing, so please don’t take this out on Jami.” I place my phone in my lap and lean over my legs to give Hunter my full attention.

He raises his eyebrows and throws me an unimpressed sneer. “Jami? That’s interesting.”

This is not starting off well, but I press on. “I’ve always called him Jami until he started working at Efron Worldwide. Let me give you the background and then you can decide if it’s all that interesting.”

My gaze moves to Jami, who’s keeping his eyes trained on Hunter. If I know Jami like I do, he’s calculating Hunter’s every move and word.

Which, in this case, is a good thing for me. My feelings for both of these men are too deep to think something horrible could go wrong. I see the best in them.

Hunter’s pained-filled eyes connect with mine. “Well, go on. Let me hear whatever it is you need to say.”

I swear I can see the love he has for me painted on his face. It gives me some hope and strength to continue on.

“As you know, Jamison gave me the locket. Before you get upset about that and only focus on that part, there’s a lot more to the story. Once you hear it, I think you’ll see it wasn’t meant to step on your toes.”

Hunter turns to Jamison with every muscle flexed. “Let me be the judge of that.”

“I will,” I say quickly to get his attention back on me.

No matter what, Hunter loves me and I need to use that to my benefit right now.

He releases a low growl and faces me. “Get on with it, then. I don’t have all day.”

“First and foremost, Jamison and I are not in some twisted scheme to take down your company. When he started at Efron Worldwide, I was blindsided that his company was the one you had contracted with.”

I pause to give Hunter some time to take it in. “Jamison and I have been friends since I was a kid. His family has been a part of my life for a long time.”

Hunter’s facial features tighten. “And this is supposed to make me feel better? If it’s no big deal, then why did you lie to me about it?”

“I freaked out. When I saw him in the office, the first thing I thought about was what happened a few years ago with those people who were going after your company. I panicked and thought you would think the same thing about us and fire us both on the spot.”

I hurry through my words. “Once you left to change your suit, I begged Jamison to keep our past from you. He told me it was a terrible idea, but you know me. When I want something, I dig my heels in.”

“I’m supposed to believe it’s no big deal, and that you were blindsided when he showed up? You’re friends, so how did you not know?” Hunter eyes us suspiciously.

“We weren’t speaking to each other. Well, that’s not all the way true. We had talked maybe three or four times before that day and our jobs didn’t come up.” I shake my head. “I should’ve put JST together with him, but I didn’t.”

“Why weren’t you speaking to each other?” Hunter’s shoulder relax but his facial features remain tight.

Jamison steps in. “I had done something hurtful, and she was done being my friend. We hadn’t been talking for a while. That day in the conference room, everything came to a head. We were forced to speak again, but she stayed angry with me until that day I gave her the necklace.”

Hunter's head whips in Jamison's direction. “Which was inappropriate.”

“If I had known she was seeing you, I wouldn’t have done it.” Jami swallows hard. “It doesn’t mean what you think it does. The same weekend she lost her baby, I lost my parents in a car accident. The anniversary of those losses happened to be that weekend.

“I thought giving it to her would mend the fences between us. If we were going to be working so closely together, I didn’t want her hating me.”

Hunter’s eyes remain on Jamison as he tries to accept what we’re saying. “Have you two ever slept together?”

The question sends me spinning. At the same time, Jami and I both instantly and adamantly say, “No.”

Hunter studies our expressions. His shoulders soften, but before he can say anything, my phone rings.

I silence it just as Jamison addresses Hunter again. “Dori and my relationship stems from the fact her brother is my best friend. He isn’t fond?—”

“Dori? Now you call her Dori?” Hunter’s words come out clipped and accusatory.

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