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He was relaxed last night, something I’ve not witnessed before. I was relaxed too. I don’t know what it is about his mother, but just being in her presence calms me. Being with her last night helped me shed the stirred-up emotions I’ve been feeling since the wedding.
I don’t know Reese well, but I already know she’s the kind of mother I always wished I had. Hell, the woman stayed married to a man who didn’t make her happy for her children. While I don’t necessarily think mothers should feel the need to do that, it’s a lot more than my mother ever did for me. I was lucky if my mother even got out of bed to get me ready for school when I was too young to do that myself.
Last night, I decided that while my relationship with her son is fake, my relationship with her doesn’t need to be. She has a beautiful energy that makes me feel good, and I want to reciprocate, so when she brought up the topic of my mother, I chose to be honest with her. I don’t talk about my family with anyone but Natalie; it felt good to open up to Reese.
“Adeline?” Jameson says, his voice filled with a level of patience not common from him. “Coffee?”
“Yes, I want coffee. But please, husband dear, enlighten me as to your thoughts on this. Reading your mind is not a specialty of mine yet.”
He arches his brows. “Yet?”
“Yes, yet.”
He gets to work on my coffee as he says, “I look forward to the day a woman can read my mind. It’ll make my life a lot fucking easier.”
“I wouldn’t be so sure of that. Not with this woman, anyway.”
He meets my gaze. “I don’t doubt that.”
“Are you going to tell me what you’re thinking about the shit Thomas has made up, or am I going to have to beat it out of you?”
His lips quirk, and God help him if he shows any hint of amusement. I’m not above inflicting physical pain today. It might make me feel better.
For once, Jameson plays the smart card. He reins his amusement in and says, “I don’t give a fuck about the shit Thomas has made up.” He narrows his eyes at me. “Do you?”
I do, but there’s no way I’ll ever tell him that.
“No, but I thought for sure you’d be pissed off over it.”
“Why?”
I let out a frustrated breath. “Honestly, dealing with you is hard work. You’re so contradictory.”
“How the hell am I contradictory?”
“You’re focused on us looking like we’re in love and on how we appear in public, so I’m unsure why this isn’t triggering concern for you.”
“I only care how we appear as a couple to Bill,” he says, sliding the mug of coffee across the marble countertop to me. “This kind of gossip about you won’t matter. He knows your profile attracts all kinds of trash talk that’s not true, so he won’t bother to listen to it.”
“Well, just so you know and can prepare yourself for it, this story won’t go away quickly. And it’ll likely grow before it fades. Thomas won’t be the only one they ask to share intimate details.”
He nods. “I’ve asked Gabriel to look into this and keep abreast of it.” He pauses before adding, “For you. Not for me.”
Gabriel’s the guy who gets Jameson any information he asks for. God knows how he gets it. I’ve heard stories that Jameson will go to great lengths to get what he wants and doesn’t hesitate to be ruthless when needed, so I can only imagine the lengths Gabriel goes to.
“What do you mean, ‘for me?’” I’m quite capable of looking after myself. I don’t need Jameson’s help, and I certainly don’t want to owe him for anything.
Frustration creeps across his face. “I simply asked him to keep us updated on the situation.”
“I can keep myself updated.” I may not have a Gabriel, but I have a team who manage my public profile. And I can get a Gabriel if I so choose.
More of that frustration rolls on in as he says, “‘Thank you, Jameson’ is the appropriate thing here, Adeline.”
“No, it’s not. The appropriate thing here is for you to look after your own shit and to let me look after mine.”
“From where I’m standing, your shit isn’t getting looked after too well.”
My eyes widen.
