Page 94 of Playing the Game
DORI
Jami reaches for me,but I move to the other side of the kitchen island. “Jami, you’re scaring me. What would you need from me that could be troublesome?”
“I know you, Dori. Sometimes, I think better than you know yourself. What I’m about to ask for won’t sit well with you.”
“What are you getting at?”
“It means I don’t want you to pack your bags and leave like you’re going to want to.”
“I just told you I wouldn’t run away from our problems.” Cold prickles cover me. “This is reminding me a little too much of how I felt when you were hiding themessyou were in from me.”
“No, sweetness. It’s nothing like that. You know all there is to know about my personal life.” His eyes soften around the edges.
The muscles in my neck loosen. “Okay, then I promise to stay and not run away.”
“Good. Now that we have that settled, here’s where I stand. This relationship we’re building can’t have any other people living in its confines.”
I’ve already told him my focus is on him, so I’m confused. “What are you talking about?”
“Hunter. I know you’ll do whatever you want, but I won’t be involved in a love triangle anymore. It’s the only requirement I have of you.”
I place my hand on my heart. “I already told you I’ve ended it with him. He knows I’m in a relationship with you.”
“That’s great, but part of my boundary with this is you not spending alone time with him. He has a way of twisting things when you do.”
“You’re upset I went to dinner with him, aren’t you?”
“I’m not because I know what it was about, but I’m telling you this now so we don’t have any issues pop up. You’re asking me to communicate with you, and this is me doing that.”
“That’s easy, Jami.”
“So we’re clear. You’re saying you can agree to my request?”
I nod. He smiles and beckons me back to him with a crook of his finger.
I round the island, take his hands in mine, and give him a peck on the lips. “You have my word. I won’t go anywhere with him alone.”
“What about your job? He’s working to reinstate you, and you just got done telling me you’re sad about not being there. What if he gets what he wants and offers your job back?” Jami studies me.
What would I do?
I could maybe handle a long-distance relationship, but Jami had a point when he mentioned the possibility of being photographed with other women. It didn’t sit well with me when Hunter did it, and with Jami, I have a sense it would be worse.
I also had issues with my relationship with Hunter because he always traveled. That made me feel like there was an invisible wall between us.
I swallow the heaviness of that question. “Until that happens, I don’t want to discuss it.”
Jami huffs and releases my hands. “Dori, you don’t get to have it both ways. If you want us to be close by communicating with each other, you can’t turn around and shut me out. It doesn’t work that way.”
“I know, but I don’t think we should focus on something that hasn’t occurred. I don’t want to create problems that don’t need to be there.”
“So you’re saying there will be an issue if he succeeds with his plan?”
“Um...” My throat squeezes. “Jami, please don’t start a fight with me about something that hasn’t happened.”
“I’m not trying to fight. I’m communicating with you. You say you want that, so help me understand where your thoughts are. Give me a chance to show you I can support you through tough issues. It’s the only way you’ll learn to trust that I’m putting you first.”
He has a point, but I’ve never been good at this part. My knee-jerk reaction is to ignore it or hide. If our relationship is going to work, I have to be open.
