“We can only hope.” Dorothy laughs nervously as her gaze jumps between Jamison and me. “But the night’s still young. Hopefully, nothing bad will happen.”
“Don’t jinx my night, Dori. I won’t stand for it.” Mel playfully slaps Dorothy’s arm.
Jamison cuts in. “Dori, I need to find a place to sit.”
“Of course, babe.” She turns to Mel. “Will you show us where that table you saved for us is?”
Dorothy fucking calls him babe?
A piece of my heart falls off.
Melanie grabs Jamison’s hand to show him the way while I stare at Dorothy, trying to erase thebabecomment from my brain.
And here I thought Jami was bad. I finish my whiskey and excuse myself. Karma obviously didn’t like me throwing my dinner date with Dorothy in Jamison’s face.
Damn, that karma payback stung like the bitch she is.
I belly up to the bar and order a double. My mind spins with ways I can win Dorothy back. But after hearing her use a pet name on Jamison, I’m not sure I stand a chance.
Did she ever use one on me?
Was I ever as important to her as she was to me?
I turn to the side, only to have them come into view at a table across the room from me. There are enough people here now I can blend in with the crowd so they don’t notice me analyzing their interaction.
She dotes on him and takes care of him until he appears comfortable, visibly softening when he does. She reaches for his hand and takes it in hers.
They share a meaningful gaze right before he reaches over and pulls her to his lips. They kiss tenderly, and my throat closes.
My dinner jab didn’t have the effect I was hoping for. The air leaks from my lungs and my chest hollows out.
If I didn’t know otherwise, I’d think they had been a couple for years. The pain of witnessing them together is like nothing I could’ve imagined. How close they are is blatantly obvious. It’s something I didn’t expect.
Everything in me wants to race over there and tear her away from his arms, then pound on him until he can’t walk. I rein it in because doing that would only sever any hope I have of getting her back.
And that can only happen if he leaves, and the board overturns her termination. I double down on mycommitment to make that happen, even though my insides twist and turn.
To distract myself, I fiddle with my phone. I go to my emails and one gives me a reason to pause.
Paternity Results.
They were supposed to be back earlier in the week, but the lab called and said they were behind. My shoulders tighten as my pulse ticks up.
Should I open this now or later?
I glance back at Dorothy and Jamison. He’s sitting at their table while Melanie stands, pointing at the bar. She walks away a few moments later. Dorothy’s nowhere to be found.
I scan the area. When I don’t see her, I figure she’s gone to the restroom. I go back to the email.
If I can tell Dorothy tonight that the baby isn’t mine, maybe she would consider coming back to me. It’s not likely, but it’s one more thing that could help me.
I open the email and read the results.
CHAPTER 18
DORI
I uncomfortably glancearound the room after finding something for Jami to eat.
