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Things would be okay. She didn’t need to lose Trent over this. She’d find a way. She had to.
“You must be excited about the new bar,” Angel said as she slid her lipstick back between her breasts in the catsuit.
Whitney felt a new wave of dizziness. New bar? She frowned, but she refused to acknowledge she had no idea what Angel was talking about. “Oh yeah…”
“The location along the coast right on the beach is perfect, and sure, it needs work, but with Wes’s crew, I know it will look great,” she said, turning toward Whitney.
Angel knew about a new bar location and had seen pictures? Trent had talked to Whitney about another location on the coast, had talked about expanding…but Whitney hadn’t thought he was actively considering it yet. It seemed to be a future plan, not an immediate one. And he’d found a place already? He hadn’t told her anything. This was definitely one of those things a fiancée should know, have a say in.
And Wes knew?
She fought for a deep breath as she nodded. “I’m sure it will, too.”
“See you out there,” Angel said and then left the bathroom.
Leaving Whitney with another reason to feel ill.
…
“Want to tell me what’s wrong now?” Trent said hours later as they pulled into the driveway.
“Nothing.” After her conversation with Angel in the bathroom, Whitney’s happy party mood had dampened. It was hard to have fun with the new information weighing on her mind. It wasn’t the new bar that upset her or even the fact that Trent had ultimately made a decision that big without discussing it with her. He was entitled to make career decisions on his own. She did. What bothered her most was that he’d told other people before telling her.
But she’d yet to truly reconcile her feelings and thoughts about it and wasn’t quite ready to have this conversation with him yet. Conversation in the heat of the moment, without adequate processing time, was sure to blow up into an argument.
Trent released a deep breath. “I can tell you’re upset.”
“I’m fine.” He needed to drop it.
“Damn it, Whitney, that’s threenothings and fourI’m fines since we left the bar.”
She turned in the seat to face him. Fine, if he wanted to do this now… “When were you going to tell me you bought a new bar?”
He looked at her as though she couldn’t possibly be serious. “When were you going to have time to have that conversation?”
She scoffed. “Oh, no. Don’t put this on me. I would have made time for an important discussion like that. A huge decision.” She may put her career before everyday relationship things like dinner plans and…wedding discussions, but things like this took priority.
Trent’s expression changed to one of annoyance. “Well, maybe you should make me a list of the topics that are important enough to make time for, because the wedding, and our relationship, certainly don’t warrant the attention.”
“That’s not fair. Those are…”
“What? Whitney, what are they?”
She sighed. He was right, but she refused to let him turn this around on her. He was the one still in the hot seat right now. “I just think a huge financial decision should be something we talk about.”
“I absolutely agree. But you’re the one who refuses to combine our finances, remember? I would love to share these responsibilities with you, help you with the Rejuvenation fees and paying off any lingering debt—but you refuse to do it.”
“My expenses are mine—”
“No, they damn well aren’t!” His voice raised in frustration, and he took a calming breath. “I’m sorry.” He paused and started again. “I love your mother as much as I love my own. Let me help take on the responsibility of caring for her, too.”
Whitney swallowed the lump in her throat. “It’s not that easy for me.”
His expression softened. “To rely on someone. I know. I get it. But I’m not just someone. I love the shit out of you. You’re my everything,” he said softly but with determination to make sure she believed it.
“Why did you tell Angel before you told me?” That was the part that bothered her most, and as much as she tried to reason the slight pang of jealousy away, there was no denying that Angel was a beautiful, sexy single mom who obviously adored Trent, and Trent relied on her.
He ran a hand over his hair. “She was just there the other night when I was reviewing the real estate contract. I didn’t even really think anything of it.”
