AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“She’s also married,” Jaxson said, although he tried to keep the irony out of his voice as he walked to his car.
“Yeah, but it’s not a good marriage. She wants out.”
That’s what they all said. Of course, not a good time to say that out loud to his brother. He was still on delicate ground with him.
“What defines not a good marriage? Is her husband abusive? Like, how did you even meet her?” Jaxson ran a hand down his face, pausing outside his car. “Please tell me you haven’t slept with her. If she wants out, then fine. Wait for her to divorce this guy, and then make a move.”
Mase huffed. “Do you think I’m that despicable? That I’d sleep with a married woman?”
“You just said you loved her. You’ve never said that about a woman before. What am I supposed to think?”
“You know what, Jax? Never mind. You go worry aboutyourstory, and I’ll worry about mine. I don’t need your help.”
This time when Jaxson looked at his phone, it confirmed Mase had hung up on him.
That was a first.
He and his brother were only two years apart. Mase was older. They got along well. Minus the parts during childhood where every sibling always argued and got on each other’s nerves. But, for the most part, as adults, they didn’t argue. They didn’t fight and hang up on each other.
What the hell was going on?
One second his life was semi-okay, going through the motions because he had no other choice. The next, he’s getting the woman of his dreams in his arms, just for it to do a complete 180 on him—at least his suspicions said so. His best friend was cold-shouldering him, and now his brother was so upset, he hung up.
And he still had a murder investigation to solve. One that woke him up way too early, so he was working on barely any fumes.
He was afraid to get in his car and continue the day. How much worse could it get?
* * *
Ugh,Mia felt sick to her stomach. Being at work wasn’t helping to distract her from anything going on in her life. Normally, she could immerse herself into a project, forgetting about anything else until she stepped outside the theater doors.
Not today.
She was so close to feigning a headache or stomach ache or hell, even cramps, it didn’t matter. Anything to get out of this place where she could analyze, worry, and wallow in her self-pity in the comfort of her apartment. A place that now would remind her of Jaxson in every corner.
Ugggggh! Maybe it wasn’t wise to leave work. That didn’t sound appealing either. She was trying to purge him from her system. Erase all the beautiful moments from her mind so when she broke things off tonight she’d be able to do it.
Because it was the right thing to do.
“Hey, girlie, you okay?” Jezebelle said as she sidled into the room and took a seat across from her at the conference table.
Mia was attempting to work on some last-minute changes to the outfit for two of the costumes for the main hero in the play.Attemptingbeing the keyword. She had had her pencil poised for the last ten minutes, yet her hand hadn’t moved yet.
“Good. I’m…” she paused, unsure she wanted to give a hint of her problems, even work-related ones. Because the two outfits she had already created were perfect. But sometimes, some people were too much of prima donnas and had to get their way, regardless of who it upset. Mia, being one not fond of confrontation, usually made changes rather than arguing, unless someone above her insisted it stay the way it was.
“Just a million miles away. You know I’m always here for you if you need to talk.”
Yeah, Mia was never a fan of that, although she always appreciated the gesture when someone suggested it. Gabby was her best friend and she didn’t even like to talk to her about things. The real, tough, damaging things that she couldn’t always dispel from her memories. Oh, the things she could purge from her system if she had the guts to do so.
“Thanks, Jez. It’s all good.”
Jezebelle nodded, then a sneaky smile lit up her face. “You look a bit…pale. You should call it a day. I’m not quite feeling up to the weather either.”
For the first time since arriving at work, Mia smiled.
“Is that so? I do feel…a bit off.”
“You definitely do. Some vitamin C is what you need. We should both go get some.”
