Page 54 of This Thing Between Us

“Henry, it’s nice to see you again.”

Chapter 19

Jack

I didn’t bother offeringmy hand to Henry. As I moved closer to Whitney, I noticed him take a step back lifting his arms in capitulation.

Whitney bristled at my side.

I never minded Henry in school. He always seemed nice, but I recognized the look in his eye. Whitney was a beautiful woman and had always been friendly with Henry, who frankly, looked better now than he did in high school. Still, best to not fill him with false hope.

“Can we take that tour now?” I said stiffly, keeping a hand on Whitney’s lower back as we walked out of the government building.

Henry walked a few steps ahead of us.

“What the hell do you think you are doing?” Whitney whispered over her shoulder.

I leaned in until my tongue was close enough to lick her ear.

“I don’t trust the look he’s giving you,” I told her honestly, this visceral feeling that Henry couldn’t have Whitney pulsing through me.

I staggered, realizing I’d never behaved like this before. I’d never been so overcome with a desire to protect what was mine then when I saw Henry gaze longingly at Whitney.

His weight loss gave him a self-confidence he didn’t possess back in high school.

I didn’t want him to get all cocky and assume that Whitney was on the market. Even though she was.

I needed to get myself under control.

We walked out of the building and across to the town’s square. Whitney glanced at the park bench she’d sat at just a few days ago after the accident.

It was still hard to believe that she came back to town after all these years.

Suddenly, the sky darkened as clouds quickly rolled in.

Henry looked up. “Looks like we are going to have a storm soon.”

“That’s what I am worried about,” Whitney said, explaining her fear about using this space given the unpredictable weather.

Henry listened patiently, his hands in his pockets as the three of us stood under the awning.

“That’s definitely a possibility, but we could offer the city hall ballroom as a backup just in case. I can show you if you’d like.”

I spoke up. “That won’t be necessary.”

“Actually, I’d like to see it,” Whitney said, shooting daggers at me with her eyes.

I shook my head. “The donors really wouldn’t want to have to move the location at the last minute, especially to something as drab as the city hall ballroom.

Henry coughed. “Actually, it’s quite nice, I assure you,” he said directly to Whitney, completely ignoring me. “The city renovated it a few years back,” he explained.

Whitney stepped away from me, reaching for Henry’s arm.

“Show me please.”

A look of triumph crossed Henry’s face.

My nostrils flared. We went as a group to tour the ballroom. It didn’t take a scientist to know that the backup plan didn’t inspire confidence in Whitney.

---