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The place was filled with beautiful people, but not a single one caught my eye. Maybe Tam wasn’t even here. He could have easily refused to come; in fact, I wouldn’t have put it past him at all.
My stomach dipped in disappointment, and I realised Ididwant to see him. No matter what he said, if he rejected me, at least I’d know for sure that I needed to let this go, and if things went the other way...well, then I’d have a whole lot of thinking to do.
I spotted two faces I recognised, Leo and Jodie. I caught Jodie’s eye, and she lifted her hand in a wave, a wide smile breaking across her face. She looked stunning in a long, strapless red dress—like a blonde Jessica Rabbit.
“Hallie, what are you doing here?” she greeted me, kissing me on each cheek.
“My friend, Layla, wanted to come. I told her I wouldn’t be welcome here...”
Jodie flapped a hand at me. “Don’t be crazy, of course you’re welcome.”
I couldn’t help but ask. “Is Tam here?”
She glanced over her shoulder. “Yes, he’s here somewhere.”
“Sulking,” Leo added from beside her.
“Is...is he all right?”
“He’s pining over you.”
“Me? He hasn’t even been in touch. I thought he didn’t care.”
Leo shrugged. “He tries to make himself out to be that way, but trust me, he does. He’s even more grumpy and miserable than he used to be.”
“Then why hasn’t he even phoned me?”
“He doesn’t think you’ll be interested. He said he crossed a line.”
My heart clenched. He had, that was the problem. But had I decided in my heart to forgive him for that? No, I hadn’t. Not yet anyway. How could I forgive a man who hadn’t even said he was sorry?”
“He hurt me.” Frustratingly, my vision blurred, and I glanced away.
“Tam is emotionally stunted,” Leo said, “and I think he’s got even worse since Harvey died. I’m not trying to make excuses for him, but you should know what you’re working with.”
“Has he even mentioned me?”
“Yes, when he’s been forced to.” He must have caught the expression on my face, as he quickly continued. “Tam would never talk about you willingly, Hallie, but it doesn’t mean he doesn’t care. He is who he is, and falling for you isn’t going to change that—you’re going to be in for a big letdown if you think it is.”
There was only one part of that I clung to. “Falling for me? You think he was falling for me?”
“He already has. No way would he have kept you around like he had if that wasn’t the case.”
“He was being forced to. The alliance between—”
Leo cut me off.
“Tam doesn’t give a shit about the alliance. If he kept you around for as long as he did, it’s because he wanted you there.”
I remembered how he’d blocked the way, trying to prevent me from leaving that night. Was it true? If he had really not wanted me, would he have let me go more easily, or have even got rid of me sooner? Because we’d had something between us, hadn’t we? It wasn’t just sex—though the sex was incredible.
My stupid heart was desperate to believe it.
