Page 74 of Big & Bossy
“Mandy,” he breathed, his eyes flicking between mine wildly. They were hollow, dark circles lining the bottom edges, a hint of scruff at his cheeks. Probably working nonstop.
“Hi,” I deadpanned, hoping more than anything that he just had a comment or complaint or anything else to say that wasn’t related to us. The music faded, a slower song taking over from the last one. I could already tell where this was going without him even opening his mouth, but of course, he did it anyway.
“Dance with me?”
I fully intended to say no. But every part of me, every single stupid cell in my body, didn’t want to say that. That small part was taking over every living, breathing cell it could manage. It wanted to say yes. Because it was him.
And I was shit at ignoring my body when it came to him.
“I… I guess,” I sighed, taking his offered hand in mine. One dance. That’s it. Take the moment to engage for the last time, bring up ending the engagement, and then we’re done.
He breathed a sigh of relief as he pulled me toward the empty patch of the room. Only a handful of couples littered the tile floor, most people only in attendance for business, and as he wrapped his arm around my waist, I couldn’t help but notice the number of eyes on us. I hated how easily we slotted together. I hated how easily we moved together, danced together. He kept his mouth shut, not wanting to ruin the moment, but I wasn’t able to give him that kindness in return. Not after everything that had happened.
“Tell me, then,” I said, locking eyes with him. “Tell me your side.”
His jaw steeled. “You don’t want to hear it. If you did, you’d have answered my calls the last few weeks.”
“You know why I’ve been distant,” I snapped. “I shouldn’t have to explain myself. You should.”
He sighed as he pushed me out, spinning me around as the music picked up in the chorus. “I know I should. I’ve wanted to. I tried to.”
“I’m giving you the chance now. But this is it, Jack. Take it or leave it.” I slammed back into him, my chest going flush with his own. “Tell me what happened between you and Harry. Tell me what was keeping you from me before that.”
He took a deep breath, his chest shuddering against mine. “He cornered me in the garage by the old offices.”
“Bullshit,” I scoffed. “He said it was here. Why would he be at your old offices?”
“It’s not bullshit,” he hissed. “You want to see my location history? I can fucking give it to you.”
I reared my head back, throwing a warning stare at him.
“Sorry, sorry.” His jaw hardened again, that little tick in the muscle driving me mad. “Are you going to let me explain or are you going to pick everything apart?”
“That’s not up to you.”
“Fine.” His tongue dragged against his teeth, his eyes getting lost somewhere behind me as we spun. “He was waiting for me in the garage. Came between me and my car, told me he wasn’t letting me leave.”
I narrowed my gaze at him. “Why would he do that?”
“He didn't want me to see you,” he said, his jaw working. “Kept telling me how awful I am, how I’m only breaking you, how I clearly didn’t think this meant anything and was just going to drop you again as if I was some spineless cunt.”
He spun me out again, the movements stilted, awkward.
“He said I was chewing you up to spit you back out, and I snapped. I’m not proud of it. But he came to me looking for a fight.”
“That’s not what he said,” I scoffed. “He said it was about the extra workers.”
His feet came to a halt as he dragged his gaze back to me. “What extra workers?”
His words struck a chord in me, one I couldn’t quite place. Wait. “He said you lost your mind because he took the fall for me hiring in extra hands to get this place done in time. Is that… not…?”
There wasn’t a hint of deceit in his eyes as he searched mine for an explanation, flicking back and forth between them. “Why would I have a problem with that?”
“He said the budget was creeping up?—”
“Mandy, I gave you a fucking unlimited budget. I told you to do whatever you needed, whatever you wanted. Did I not?”
“I—”
