Page 115 of Playing With Secrets
I silently thank Jamison. “What all did Isabella tell you?”
“Enough, so now it’s your turn.” Dorothy sits on the couch, analyzing me.
Strangely, she doesn’t appear as angry as I would expect. I take it as a sign she doesn’t know when it happened. Otherwise, she’d be furious. That means Jamison was able to shut down the conversation before it was too late.
I try to find a way to explain my night with Isabella. They say keeping lies as close to the truth as possible is the best way to do it, so I go that route.
Damn, my therapist is going to have a heyday with me when I tell her about this.
“Isabella and I met in a club. We spent some time together that night and nothing more. That morning in my office was the first time I had seen her since then.”
“Did you know she was going to be working with us?”
I laugh at the ridiculousness of that question. “No. She never mentioned anything about Efron Worldwide. She only said she knew who I was.”
“She’s pretty happy to be in your presence again.”
I turn to get my wine. “She means nothing to me. If I was interested in her, I would’ve called her after. Since I didn’t, I’m sure she’s aware I have no further intentions with her.”
“I wouldn’t be so sure.”
“Why do you say that?” I take a drink and brace myself for Dorothy’s answer.
“Isabella asked us all to put in a good word with you for her. I think she’d like to have more than a one-night stand.” Dorothy smirks. “You obviously left a lasting impression.”
Yeah, because I was thinking she was you the whole time.
“What can I say? I have no control over how she feels.” I return my glass to the table.
“Are you still attracted to her?”
“Isabella’s an attractive woman, but I’m not interested in her. I don’t know how many times I have to say this, but I loveyou. There’s no one else I’m interested in. Now, can we focus on us and forget about our pasts?”
My skin overheats, so I pull on my shirt. All this talk about Jamison and Isabella has me getting agitated.
Even though Dorothy and I weren’t together when she was with Jamison or when Isabella spent the night, it’s like walking on thin ice. One of us is going to fall through and drown.
I need a few additional weeks of therapy to strategize on how to deal with this situation involving Dorothy and to learn how to swim in case I am the one who breaks the ice and falls in.
“Hunter, your face is getting red, like you’re upset. I don’t want this to escalate.” Dorothy eyes me warily.
“I’m not escalating, but I don’t like talking about things that happened in the past. We agreed to move forward and I don’t see that happening. So yeah, I’m frustrated.” With a jittery sensation growing in my stomach, I stand and take my wineglass into the kitchen.
“I’m sorry you feel that way. I’m just asking you to put yourself in my shoes.” She follows me with her gaze.
“I have put myself in your shoes? The way I see it is if you felt the same about me as I do about you, then you would do whatever it takes to be together. Taking our relationship to the board would be worth the risk.”
Plus, it’ll take one of the threats that Ava and my mom have over my head out of commission. The pictures of Dorothy and me together would be a lost cause.
She releases an irritated sigh. “The issue with that is it’s not your dream job you’re walking away from. If they fire me, then what? It’s not like jobs like mine are available all over the city. If I get fired, I’ll likely have to move somewhere else to find something similar.”
My behavior is currently upsetting her, and it’s clear that we’re at a standstill in terms of resolving our issues. I can’tpush the marriage idea until I figure out what Mommy Dearest wants, so I’m stuck.
My biggest fear is I won’t know what that is until long after Dorothy leaves me and moves on with Jamison.
“It appears we’re at a crossroads.” I find her gaze, a piercing green that holds untold truths. “Just tell me, beauty. Am I wasting my time?”
CHAPTER 28
