“I’m Joseph; we were having a conversation before you-.”
“One that is ultimately over now,” Nathan cut in, “Your girlfriend is waiting for you inside and she looks like someone kicked her puppy. I suggest you go in and attend to her. I can take care of things here.”
Joseph turned to me, almost as if he was expecting me to tell Nathan off but I kept my mouth shut and dealt him the harshest glare I could think of. He scoffed and turned on his heels then stormed into the store.
As soon as he left, all the bravado left me and my knees buckled. I felt the same overwhelming feeling rush over my body and tears pricked the back of my eyelids. Suddenly, I was turned and Nathan tilted my chin up so he was looking at me.
“You have been flour bombed and egged in the middle of the street,” he began, “Are you really going to let him be the reason you break down in public?”
I shook my head and he brushed his thumb across my cheek, wiping away a stray tear.
“Good, now we are going to walk back to the inn as if nothing happened. Can you do that?” I nodded, “That’s my girl.”
CHAPTER 21: DAY 2 IN HELL
Nathan held all our bags and on a normal day, I would try to take one from him but my mind was whirling from all the information I had absorbed. By the time we got back to the inn, I was both annoyed and embarrassed.
I was annoyed that seeing Joseph still hurt me. I was annoyed that Bailey was pregnant and that he was defending her even though they were both wrong. I was embarrassed that I almost cried over the situation and I was embarrassed that both Joseph and Nathan almost saw me cry over it.
I took my key from Bea, ignoring her question about how the walk was because I knew that anything that would come out of my mouth would be pure venom and I stomped up the stairs. I slammed the door behind me hoping to hear the satisfactory bang but Nathan nudged the door open with his body just before it could slam shut.
He placed the bags on the bed and I waited for him to leave but instead, he took of his shoes and sat on the bed like it was his room.
“The door is that way,” I gestured to it.
“The view of your balcony from the bed is amazing. It’s a lot better than mine if I’m being honest.”
“Why don’t you do us both a favor and pitch yourself over it.”
He brushed off my comment with a dismissive wave of his hand then he crossed his legs and placed his hands beneath his head as he made himself comfortable in my bed.
“Get the fuck off my bed,” I walked up to him and pulled his feet off the bed and instead of arguing with me, he simply put them back off, “I’m not kidding, get out.”
“I’ll leave when you tell me what’s going on.”
If looks could kill he would be six feet under and rotting from the death glare I was sending his way. Lesser men would have cowered but he pretended like I wasn’t even there and sat up straight in my bed.
“I know that was Joseph Greene; the lawyer with whom you had a scandal last month. According to him, you barely knew each other but that didn’t look like a reunion of acquaintances.”
“My personal life is none of your concern.”
“It is when you’re almost crying in the middle of the street because of some rich prick who looks like he came out of a Kleenex ad.” I had never heard Nathan raise his voice until that moment, “You don’t cry over anything and you were one word away from breaking down.”
“I was shocked to see him,” I lied, “That is what happened now, get out of my room.”
“I heard the conversation.”
My world stopped hearing those four words and I had to take a deep inhale to calm myself. My first instinct was to call him a liar and force him out but I knew that wouldn’t work on Nathan. He is far too stubborn and it would only make him want to ask more questions.
Instead, I stood up straight, squared my shoulders and crossed my arms then I forced every bit of emotion off my face so I was staring down at him blankly. It helped that he was sitting up on the bed and I was standing, that way I could pretend I was in charge.
“So what?” I asked, “We were engaged, big fucking deal. He fell in love with someone else and they’re happy together.”
“Maybe if you keep saying that to yourself then it’ll make you feel better.”
I scoffed in exasperation as his words hit their mark. Suddenly I was tired and I didn’t want to fight with him anymore. I just wanted him to leave but I knew he wouldn’t so I decided that I would.
I turned around to leave but he grabbed me by the elbow keeping me in place. He stood to his feet and I hated the height difference and the fact that I had to look up at him so I didn’t. I kept my eyes directly on his chest so I wouldn’t have to look him in the eyes.
