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Rage rapidly rising anew, I leaned down into his face. “I’m so sick of you acting like the injured party here. Did you ever even care for her? I mean, really?”
“Yes, idiot. You knew nothing about our relationship. Nothing. I loved Jillian. I made some mistakes, but that doesn’t give you the right to swoop in and steal her out from under me.”
“She’s a person, not a cookie, you asshole. Grow up. Besides, you can’t steal something you already lost. You had your chance and blew it. Just move on and leave us alone,” I growled.
Eric sneered at me in return. “You know what? Whatever. You can have her. You’re nothing more than a cheap rebound. I give it another week, tops.”
My parents called futilely after him, but he strode out without so much as a goodbye, slamming the door behind him. Good riddance. Another minute of that and I would have lost my tightly held control and strangled him.
“Well. The fourth of July picnic will be fun,” I quipped a second later, trying to lighten the funereal mood.
Neither parent cracked a smile. Sighing, I dropped into the recently vacated chair, ready to face the inevitable interrogation. I didn’t care what Eric thought of me, but I didn’t want them thinking the worst. Not if I could help it.
It was only once they started peppering me with questions that I realized I hadn’t gotten any actual answers from the slippery little weasel. I was still in the dark about what he’d said to Jillian, meaning that the entire confrontation in my parent’s office had been for naught.
CHAPTER13
Jillian
My favorite neighborhood coffee shop was packed with bustling bodies despite the sweltering heat outside, but I fought for a booth all the same. I’d been craving an iced latte something fierce, and nothing else would do now that I had committed to it. Not after spending three days holed up in my apartment with a dwindling supply of caffeine and sugar.
After my movie of the week double betrayal, I deserved my fix. And despite not wanting to talk anyone, Paige and Fiona had capitalized on my desperation, enticing me out to meet them in public, rather than just bringing me my drink like I had asked.
We had exchanged a few succinct texts the other day, in which I had given them the quick and dirty version of what had gone down between me and the brothers McIntyre. But not long after we squished into the seats with our drinks, I leaned in and let the full story tumble out.
“And of course, two minutes after Eric left, Dean strolled up, smiling and practically whistling. He didn’t even bother to deny what Eric told me, either. Can you believe that? I was such an absolute moron to get involved with him. Fool me once…” I finished, lamely.
“Damn. Those McIntyre boys should come with warning labels. They’re both nightmares. Who would ever have thought?” Paige drawled. “Honestly, I always thought Eric was dumb as a box of rocks, and about as interesting. The Dean thing is a real disappointment though.”
My stomach twinged with a surprising shock of guilt at lumping Dean in with his brother. It felt a bit unfair. But then I remembered his role in everything and got mad all over again. So mad I didn’t even bother asking my friends why they hadn’t ever told me how they really felt about my boyfriend.
It hardly mattered now. Eric was in the past, and so were their feelings about him. The Dean pain was still fresh though. And intense. And confusing.
As if sensing my inner turmoil, Fiona put her hand on mine. “Maybe this is all for the best, Hun. It was never going to work out. You were hurting and looking for comfort. Dean reminded you of Eric, so it’s only logical that you would have misplaced feelings for him. It could also have subconsciously been a weird form of payback on your part. Totally justified payback. Add in those cocktails, and I totally get why you fell for his act. Now you know who he is really is, though, and you can take some time to yourself. Time to get over both of them the healthy, alcohol-free way, and then, way down the road you can find someone worthy of you. Someone not related to either of them, preferably.”
I hid a grim smile behind my cup. That was some grade-A Fiona speak. It sounded nice and supportive in theory, but it was actually her sweet and polite way of saying ‘I told you so.’ Paige had lecherously cheered me on from the beginning, but Fiona had never approved of me and Dean together. I really needed to start listening to her one day.
“Yes, excellent plan,” Paige chimed in, tapping her chin. “I’m guessing going back to Vegas to get overthisboyfriend isn’t a smart idea, considering, but we can find a better way to cheer you up. Maybe…heading down to Tijuana…or a weekend at the spa…”
Predictably, Fiona choked indignantly on her tea, so I cut them both off before they could get going. “No…we don’t need to do anything. I’m fine. Seriously. I just need some time to relax and deal. No trips, no clubs, no parties. Please.”
“For how long? How much time do you need? I mean, you were together for like, two weeks. It was a rebound fling. You’ll be fine in no time,” Paige said, waving her hand flippantly. “And in two weeks you won’t even remember him.”
I dropped my head into my hand.Oh, if only it were that easy.
I still had some outstanding details to handle before I could close this chapter of my life for good. I couldn’t just put Dean out of my mind when I had to get our annulment handled. I had already found the forms I needed online, and started filling them out, but I would need to get Dean’s signature at some point. And that meant seeing him, talking to him, and more than likely, arguing with.
Nope...it was far from ancient history.
“Is something else wrong?” Fiona asked, seeing my defeated expression.
Okay, so maybe I hadn’t spilled theentirestory.
I looked at my two best friends in the world and made a snap decision. I loved them. I trusted them. And I needed so share the burden of my deep, dark secret. It was time.
“Umm. So…here’s the thing. Something else happened that night in Vegas. The night Dean and I first got together.”
“Oh. my. God. You’re pregnant, aren’t you?” Paige screeched. “You’re carrying one of their demon spawn, and now you’re going to be stuck with one of them forever. I thought we taught you better. You’re living my worst nightmare!”
