Page 73 of The Plus One Professional
“Recent?” she volleyed back.
“No.”
“Serious?”
I could lie and say that our relationship hadn’t been serious, but I didn’t see the point. It was what it was, but it’s over.
“Yes.”
From my peripheral vision, I saw that Billie turned her head and looked up at me. I did the same and held her eye contact.
“Any chance of rekindling?”
“No.” I didn’t expect her to believe me since my own family and friends seemed to be having such a hard time accepting the fact that what Lindsay and I shared was over. Yes, I loved her for a long time. A part of my heart would always love her, but I could never trust her.
Not because of the cheating. That wasn’t what bothered me. It was because I knew that when things got tough, she would bail. Not that I blamed her. I just couldn’t be with someone who could do that. Maybe if she’d talked to me about it, but not the way it went down.
Billie’s scrutiny was intimidating, but I had nothing to hide. If I had been lying, it would have made my balls shrivel up. She might have missed her calling as a ventriloquist interrogator. Not that there was much demand for that. It was a pretty small niche.
Finally, after what felt like an eternity, she dipped her chin in a nod. “Good.”
I felt happy that I’d passed whatever test she’d just given me. There was at least one person in this world who believed that Lindsay and I were over. I just hoped Bailey would agree. This was our last night together, and I didn’t want anything to spoil it. Especially not my ex.
29
BAILEY
The band playedoldies as I swayed to the music in Cole’s arms beneath the canopy of fairy lights on the dance floor. Even though we were surrounded by hundreds of people, whenever Cole touched me, they all disappeared.
He seemed quieter than usual after his run-in with his ex. I couldn’t tell if he was upset that he’d run into her or if he was just uncomfortable being here. Or maybe it had nothing to do with her. Mr. and Mrs. Prescott kept ‘borrowing’ me because family and friends wanted to say hi. Although it had been nice seeing everyone, it was a little unsettling that they’d all expressed some version of Mr. Prescott’s sentiment that they thought I’d be the one saying ‘I do’ to Simon. It could be that Cole had overheard people saying that, and it had made him uncomfortable.
At the weddings I’d seen him at, he socialized and made rounds talking to people. Today, he’d mainly hung out with Billie. It seemed he’d gotten my eldest sister’s stamp of approval, something Simon never had. Even when we first met, Billie thought Simon was an arrogant asshole.
Cole’s thumbs rubbed lazily against my bare lower back as we swayed to the music. I could feel the ridges of his callouses on his large hands. The sensations caused tingles to explode in my core. I tried to ignore how good just the touch of his hand on me felt as I lifted my head and met his gaze.
“How are you doing?”
“Good. How are you doing?” he countered.
“I’m fine, but I didn’t get blindsided by my ex.”
“Yes, you did. Just not today,” he pointed out.
A grin lifted on my lips. I could see why he and Billie seemed to be getting along. They both had a way of cutting right to the heart of the matter. “Did you two get a chance to talk?”
“Not really.”
I glanced over to where Lindsay was standing with her date, a good-looking guy who might have had a little too much to drink. All night, every time I saw her, she’d been staring at Cole with a look of longing and regret. It was clear she felt they had unfinished business.
They’d been a couple for so long, and I felt guilty that I was monopolizing his time. Especially since this wasn’t even an actual date. Or I guess it was since he refused to let me pay him. But it wasn’t a date that could lead anywhere.
“She looks like she wants to talk.” My eyes lifted back to Cole’s. I watched as he glanced over in her direction. He seemed unmoved by her stare. “If you want to go talk to her, you can. I mean, not that you need my permission.”
He redirected his focus to me. “I don’t have anything to say."
The cold, detached look in his eyes took me back slightly. I blinked. “Oh, okay.”
“I told you that she left and cheated on me, but I didn’t tell you how I found out.”
