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We settle into a tense silence while Max pulls out into traffic. Well, it’s tense for me. I have no idea if Jameson ever feels anything. I try to concentrate on my emails but it’s a hopeless endeavor. I’m still stuck in the conversation we didn’t finish about the photo shoot we’re going to have to do.
Jameson may think we don’t need it, but experience tells me we do. I won’t bring it up with him again because he was an asshole about it. I’ll get Vanessa to contact Shantel to schedule it in. However, the irritation I feel with him over the way he ignored what I had to say about it sits in my chest and I know it’ll sit there for many hours.
A text comes through from Natalie five minutes into the trip, providing me with a good distraction from all this.
Natalie: I saw the stuff about your mom. Are you okay?
Adeline: You know how it goes. This isn’t anything new. I’m good.
Natalie: Yeah, I know, babe, but this is your mom. They’ve never really gone there before.
She’s right; my mother and sister haven’t made it into the news too much over the years. Not the real story, anyway. Mostly, the lies printed about me focus on my sex life. Natalie is the only person who knows I’d rather those kinds of lies any day over the truth about my family.
Adeline: I’ve got my team on it. If anyone can spin this away from Mom, it’s Lara. And Simon won’t hesitate to sink his teeth into anything he can, too.
My lawyer is savage. Most don’t win against him.
Natalie: True. Okay, let me know if you need me. I’m busy this morning with patients, but I’m free this afternoon.
Adeline: Love you. Thank you.
Natalie: If you really loved me, you’d convince Simon to give up dick and come to the dark side for me.
Max brakes suddenly, jerking me forward and sending my phone flying out of my hand across the car toward Jameson.
He retrieves it and passes it back to me. “Are you okay?”
I blink.
This may be the first time he’s ever checked on my wellbeing. It throws me off enough that I stumble with my reply. I don’t answer him straight away, but finally, I say, “I’m fine.” They’re only two words, but even I can admit they come out a little coldly. Not that it matters. I doubt Jameson even notices how I say things. He certainly doesn’t notice anything else about me, so why would he pay attention to this?
He gives me a brusque nod before going back to his phone.
I return to my messages, trying to ignore the way his cologne has started to affect me. Well,startedisn’t quite accurate. I’ve been keenly aware of it from the second I joined him in the kitchen this morning. Being as close as we are now, for this length of time, is only intensifying my response.
I hate him even more for affecting me in this way.
Adeline: If you really loved me, you’d find a way to get my company back that doesn’t involve me staying married for a year.
Natalie: I see MA is still being an asshole.
Adeline: We don’t seriously think he’ll ever stop being an asshole, do we?
Natalie: I live in hope.
Adeline: I don’t bother. Well, I do hope I don’t end up in jail for murder at some point in the next twelve months.
Natalie: I have to go. I hope you have a good day. And you’ve only got 363 more nights to go. You’ve got this x
I go back to my emails. I’ve worked through two of them when Max stops the car. I frown as I glance outside. We’re not at my office which is on the way to Jameson’s. We’re parked outside a coffee shop.
“What would you like for breakfast?” Jameson asks.
I look at him. “Sorry?” I could swear he just asked me what I’d like for breakfast, but surely that’s not what he asked.
“You didn’t eat. What do you feel like?”
I glance at the coffee shop again before looking back at him. “I’m not hungry.”
