Page 58 of Dance With Me
There was no turning back, though. The decision had been made. He’d return here eventually, and life would go on the same as before, but his heart was heavy as he thought about Joe and what they’d lost before it had even begun. He blinked back his tears and started the long drive to his parents’ house, his heart broken once again. Only this time, he wasn’t sure it would mend.
Chapter Thirty-One
Joe
Joe called out to Seb, hoping he’d stop, but he kept right on running, out of the building. He followed him out of the door but lost him in the crowds. He had no choice but to return to his office and confront Clare.
He tried calling as he walked back to the office, but Seb didn’t answer, so he left him a frantic message, pleading with him to come back, to call him—anything. He stood outside the office and tried again, another message. Again, another message. Again, this time he got a message saying the number was not available. Seb’d blocked him. Joe thumped the wall. How the hell had this happened? He felt like crying but knew that he had to face this with Clare head-on.
He was furious with her. Actually, he was beyond that. He was shaking with barely controlled rage.
As he stepped back into the office, Clare was sitting on the sofa Seb had been sitting on mere minutes before, a smirk on her face. He pointed at her, his words not coming. He turned away from her, unable to contain his emotions.
Hazel was standing by the window, her contempt for Clare clear. She moved towards him and placed her hand on his arm. “I’ll be just outside if you need me,” she whispered. He nodded and clenched his fists, ready to have it out with his ex-fiancée. He could understand that she was upset seeing him and Seb together, but there was no way he could forgive the way she’d threatened Seb, threatened them both.
“I don’t even know what to say to you right now, Clare. You’ve no right to storm in here and demand that I marry you because you’re pregnant. How far along are you anyway?”
“I’m about eight weeks, give or take a week.” She had ‘looking the wounded party’ down to a fine art, yet it didn’t affect Joe in the slightest. He was too worried about Seb at this point.
“Are you sure it’s mine? Because I honestly can’t remember the last time we were that intimate.” He glared at her, noticing the uncertainty on her face. “Any chance you think we might have had, you’ve just fucking blown out of the water, and as for living at my house? I think maybe you should find yourself somewhere else to stay. I’m sure you’ve got a ‘friend’ that could put you up. You’ve spent enough time with them lately. I’ll give you the benefit of the doubt about the baby until such time as you can prove who the father is because let me tell you now, Clare, I don’t think it’s mine.”
And he really didn’t. The more he thought about it, the more difficult it was to remember a time when they had been together that way. Certainly not in the last two months that he could remember. It was always possible that she was doing this just to get him back, knowing that if she was pregnant and the baby was his, Joe would support her even if they didn’t get married. Those were thoughts for another day, though.
He needed to find out where Seb had gone and why he’d blocked his number. As soon as he was finished here with Clare, he’d go to his apartment to see him.
Clare stood up and moved towards him. “I meant what I said, Joe. I will tell everyone about your sordid little affair. I’m sure the senior partners would love to know what sort of company you keep and that you’re not just into women. How will they react when they know what you’re really into?”
Joe shrugged. “Do your worst, Clare. Everybody here is aware of my sexuality. It’s never been a secret, so as for threatening my career like that? Be my guest. When they find out what a manipulative bitch you’ve become, they’ll be taking my side. And as for Seb, you leave him out of this.”
“No way. He deserves everything coming his way. How dare you think you can show me up like this? It’s his fault you’re calling the wedding off. Give me one good reason why I shouldn’t make him suffer.”
“I’m warning you, Clare. Seb had nothing to do with my decision. It was all you, sweetheart.” He spat out the last word as if it had left a bitter taste in his mouth. “I can’t even stand to look at you right now. You have a week to find somewhere else to stay.”
“You can’t kick me out. I’m carrying your child,” she shouted. “It’s my house too. I have a right to live there.”
“Really, Clare? Shall we take a look at the mortgage and see whose name is on it?” Joe was thrilled that he’d held off putting Clare’s name on the mortgage and deeds until after the wedding. “I think you’ll find it’s mine, not yours. As I said, you have a week, and then I want you out.”
“This isn’t over, Joe. I’m not going to just drop it. Even if we never get married, I’ll make sure you pay every single fucking penny for this baby, and lover boy had better watch out if he even thinks about getting in my way.”
“Get out. I don’t want to see your conniving face in my office again. Do you hear me?” He spoke the words quietly, but they dripped with vehemence.
Clare looked at him, a worried expression on her face. She turned on her heel and stormed out of the room. Joe sagged against the wall, his tears threatening to break free.
Hazel stepped into the room. She took one look at his face and pulled him down into a hug. “I’m so sorry, Joe. This is all my fault. I should have stopped her.”
“This isn’t on you, Hazel. Please, you have nothing to be sorry for. I only wish I’d been able to catch hold of Seb before he disappeared. He blocked my number. I can’t contact him.”
As he admitted this to Hazel, the dam finally burst and he cried into her neck.
“I need to go and find him. Tell him we can still try.” He got his phone out and tried the number again. Nothing.
“Go on and find him. I’ll rearrange your afternoon, but you need to find your man. I can see how you feel for him. It’s as clear as day, and I’m sure he feels the same way too.” Hazel shooed him out, and he picked up his phone and keys and ran from the office, ignoring the stares of those around him as he left.
His first thought was to try the apartment, but as he pulled up outside, he couldn’t see Seb’s car anywhere. He parked the car and ran to the door, his car door hanging open, the engine still running.
He knocked and knocked, but there wasn’t a sound to be heard, not even Rocco barking. He just hoped he hadn’t missed him.
He jumped back into his car and raced across the city to the dance studio. No car there either.Where the fuck is he?Joe rushed into The Coffee Mill. The owner, Hayden, turned towards the open door as he barged in.
