Page 75 of (Un)Expected

My teeth mashed at the simplistic version of our history. Not that I would want to share our dirty laundry with the rest of the world, but it still stung a little. We were together for over a year, and now, it’s as if we passed each other in the hall on the way to our offices.

I smiled up at Adam, hoping to soothe some annoyance radiating off him. “I interned at his company’s headquarters during my last year of college. When I graduated, Mr. Gibson graciously offered me a full-time position. I worked there for almost a year before I decided to move on.”

A thud on the opposite side of the table pulled my attention from Adam. The ice in Nate’s glass continued to clink from how hard he had hit it on the table as he gave the other guest a placating smile before turning back to me. “Alexandria made quite an impression during her tenure.” He sighed, as if speaking to a petulant child. “And you know better, Alexandria. I’ll always be Nate to you.”

This motherfucker. He was goading me. I knew he was. He was trying to poke and prod me until I made a scene and ruined the event. I’d seen it unfold too often to let it happen to me.

Yes, his presence had jarred me, but I would not let him break me. Not ever again. I wasn’t the same girl who bowed down to his every word, desperate to please him, the girl who would do anything to hold onto his love for a little bit longer.

The new version of me had teeth, and I wasn’t afraid to use them.

“So Nate…how’s your wife?”

Adam arched a brow at me, a slow, proud smile on his face. “Oh, you’re married, Nate? I didn’t realize. Will she be joining us for dinner?”

“No.” His jaw tightened imperceptibly. “Sandra’s well, Alexandria. Thank you for asking. She’s currently vacationing in Aspen. I’ll be joining her at the end of the week.”

“How lovely for you,” I said, giving him my most saccharine smile.

“How long have you been married?” Adam asked.

“Almost two years.”

“Closer to three now, right, Nate?” I asked, cocking my brow. “I thought I heard you got married four months after I left the company.”

Nate took another long sip then slowly nodded his head. “Yes, that’s right. Good memory, Alexandria.”

I slowly sipped my drink, feeling better by the moment. I didn’t know if it was having Adam at my side or the way Nate tensed at my questions, but I felt invincible.

Adam’s head volleyed between the two of us, trying to decipher the subtext in our conversation. I squeezed his hand, a silent promise to fill him in later. Well, the Cliff Notes version. There was no reason to expose him to Nate's darker side.

The first course was served, and the conversation steered into safer territory. The rest of the group spoke excitedly about the hospital's improvements, including everything the children had requested. By the time the servers cleared our plates, I’d started to relax, even laughing along with the conversation.

When an attendant came up behind us, whispering that it was time for Adam to give his speech, my blood ran cold. He stood, pressing a chaste kiss to my cheek before he walked up to the podium.

The lights dimmed, save for a spotlight pointing to the stage, illuminating one of the board members from the charity. She highlighted Adam’s contributions to the hospital, emphasizing how much time heput in at the ward itself. The accompanying pictures of him in his superhero costume made the entire crowd melt with adoration.

The entire introduction made me beam with pride. Adam was such a good man, and not everyone got to see this side of him. I might not love the situation we found ourselves in, but I would never regret it. I was lucky to call Adam my friend.

“I see you’ve moved on,” Nate whispered in my ear as the crowd began to clap for Adam.

I didn’t give him the satisfaction of answering. Instead, I kept my eyes focused on Adam. Watching his speech, I was captivated by the emotion and sentiment in his words. He spoke eloquently about the work the hospital wanted to take on, how much there was still left to do. He ended his speech by calling out the names of some of the children he’d gotten to know during his visits and spoke about their experiences during their stays. By the time he wrapped up his speech, almost everyone in the room had tears in their eyes.

Save for the fuming man at my side.

“Don’t fucking ignore me, Alex,” Nate hissed, his words shaky with rage and alcohol. When I continued to focus on Adam, he reached down and grabbed my thigh. “What the hell are you doing here? With him, of all people.”

I tried shoving his hand off my leg, but that spurned him even further. He reached under the split I had loved so much earlier and gripped my bare skin. “I already told you,” I whispered. “He’s my boyfriend. Now, get your hands off me before I scream.”

“Go ahead, princess,” he said. “Let everyone here know that you’re another classless gold-digger. I should have known you’d pull some stunt like this.”

My head snapped to his, eyes narrowing in a dangerous glare. “What stunt?”

“Showing up here with another man,” Nate hissed, his nails now leaving marks on my skin. “If you wanted my attention so badly, all you had to do was ask.”

The room broke out in applause, and I hated Nate a little bitmore for distracting me during Adam’s moment. When he looked away, I took his thumb and wrenched it as far back as possible.

“Don’t flatter yourself, asshole,” I said through gritted teeth. “You are thelastperson I ever wanted to see again.” I leaned a little closer, ensuring he could feel the venom lacing each of my words. “And if you ever fucking touch me again, I willruinyou.”

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