Page 54 of Best Mistake Ever
‘What the fuck? Are you serious?’
He takes a couple of strides away from me, as if repelled by my words.
‘I know. I get that it must sound completely crazy. But she was terrified you’d fire her if she wasn’t able to do her job so I said I’d step in and help.’
‘By impersonating your sister.’
I swallow again. My throat feels like it’s been rubbed with sandpaper and I’m painfully aware of hot, panicky tears beginning to form in my eyes.
He’s angry. So angry, he’s trembling. His eyes are dark and full of distaste. Something I’ve not encountered before, from anyone.
It’s actually quite horrifying.
Icy dread sinks through me and my stomach rolls. Where has the playful, jokey Jonah gone?
‘I was just trying to help,’ I repeat weakly.
‘You lied to me.’ He folds his arms across his chest, his shoulders so tense now, I can see the cords of muscles moving under his skin.
‘Not deliberately. At least… I guess, yes. Okay, I did lie. But to help my sister out. Not to hurt you in any way.’
‘Yeah, well, you did hurt me. How am I supposed to believe anything you say now? You betrayed my trust. I told you things about me… really personal things. And all the time, you were pretending to be someone you’re not.’
‘I wasn’t. I’ve always been me. Just not the me you thought I was.’ It sounds completely lame when I say it, but I don’t care. I can’t bear the thought of him being angry with me.
‘That makes absolutely no sense and you know it.’
‘I’m sorry. I never meant for any of this to happen.’
‘Really? Because it all sounds very well planned to me.’
‘No. It wasn’t like that. I promise you. I was trying to help.’
‘Trying to help yourself. Trying to get close to me and use me for all you could get. You and your bloody incompetent sister. Well, that’s the end of it. You’re fired.’ He shakes his head.‘Dee’s fired and you’re trespassing. I want you off my property immediately and I never want to see you here again.’
‘Jonah, no. Please. Wait!’
But it’s no use. He’s already striding purposefully away from me, his back ramrod straight and his hands bunched into fists.
I stare after him, at a total loss about what to do. How can I possibly salvage this now? Not only have I hurt Jonah but I’ve also got Dee fired from the job she’s desperate to keep.
All because I couldn’t keep my feelings for Jonah in check.
What have I done?
14
JONAH
It’s been one long night, then one long day of hell.
I tip the last dregs of whisky from the bottle into my tumbler and knock it back, no longer feeling the burn of the alcohol.
What the hell was I thinking? Allowing myself to get tangled up in feelings for another woman when it went so badly the last time I let myself go there.
Fucking idiot.
Inevitably, I seem to be right back where I started after Tessa left, only this time it feels different. Worse.
