Page 41 of Playing A Risk
I’m at a loss for words. This is hardly the interaction I expected with him. No, this is even more worrisome. Something has Hunter spooked. After a few moments of my glare, he growls under his breath and trudges out of the room.
I return to my apartment and ruminate over what just went down. I’d like to believe him and move on from this war, but he mentioned he wanted the slate clean by New Year’sEve. That means he plans on having contact with Dori sometime before then.
I stare at Pierre’s contact number. Mateo and Hunter have said something about me not understanding what I’ve started. That betting chip Ava gave me has all the answers. Too bad I gave it back to Hunter.
How does that fit into the picture?
Ava is the only one who might be able to answer that. I’m about to reach out to her when my phone rings. It’s from a number I don’t recognize. My adrenaline spikes. Instantly, I think it’s Dori on her new number.
My hands shake as I answer the call. “Hello.”
“Hi, Jamison. It’s Isabella Carter. How are you?”
Disappointment covers me. “Oh, hi. I’m fine. How are you?”
“I take it I’m not the person you were hoping to hear from.” She laughs under her breath.
“Sorry. I thought you might be someone else. How can I help you?”
“I have an opportunity for you.”
“Yeah? And what would that be?” I plop down on my couch.
“I can only assume what was going on between you and Dori in the restaurant bathroom that night we all had dinner together. But if I were a betting woman, I’d say it was something to remember.”
My heart rate ramps up, remembering Dori lying back on the counter with her dress hiked up and her legs spread open for me.
Isabella continues, “I’m good at reading people, and I think you and Dori are involved, but are keeping it a secret for whatever reason, so here’s my proposal.
“Efron Worldwide is hosting its annual Christmas ball on Thursday. I was going to go with my business partner ShaneWeston, but he’s needed back at our corporate offices. Would you want to go together?”
“What makes you think I’m not already taking Dori?”
“Like I said, I think your relationship is being kept a secret. Why else would you say you care deeply for one another but won’t date so you can keep your focus on the app, only to disappear together into a restaurant bathroom?”
I shrug as if she can see me. “You have me there. Look, Dori and I have a long history, and that doesn’t bode well with Hunter. I’d appreciate it if you could keep that information to yourself.”
“Why would Hunter care and Jonah wouldn’t?”
I rise to my feet to get something to drink. “It would bother Jonah as well. I only mentioned Hunter because you two have a personal history. I’d like to believe you and I can keep those indiscretions to ourselves.”
She clicks her tongue. “I guess I do have a history with Hunter, but I don’t care who knows. I just want another chance with him. That’s where you come in.”
“So if I take you to the Christmas ball, you get the opening you need, and I get to be with Dori at the event undetected because you’ll keep Hunter entertained. How’d I do?” I go to the kitchen and grab a glass out of the cabinet.
“You hit a home run. So, would you like to go together and spend some quality time with the people we’d like to be romantically linked with?”
“I can’t blame a woman for going after what she wants. But how do you know they’ll be there?” I fill my cup with water.
“Dori mentioned it to me last week. I was under the impression she was going, and I was assuming Hunter would be there since he’s the CEO.”
“He doesn’t like big parties, so he might not be there.”
“He doesn’t like parties? Then why is he constantly pictured at them?”
“It’s part of his work requirements.”
“Is there a chance he’ll be there?”
