I tilt my head and study her. “He made a comment about you warning him I was in a terrible mood.”
Her eyes round. “I did no such thing. I didn’t even see him until we approached them.”
“He said you told him that while you two were at dinner the other night. He probably said it, thinking it would get us into a fight.”
Her face pales. “Jami, it wasn’t like that.”
“What wasn’t like that?”
“Dinner with him. It wasn’t romantic. I went to tell him our relationship was over. He asked me how you were, and I said you were grumpy because you were still in the hospital.”
“Why didn’t you tell me about going out with him?”
She blinks a few times. “I… Honestly, I don’t know. I could say because I didn’t want you to worry, but it seems like that would be a little too late.”
There’s a part of me that isn’t buying her excuse. I fold my arms as I shift my weight from one leg to the other.
“Did you think it would bother me to know you were out with Hunter?”
“I don’t know.”
“Yes, you do. Your answer isn’t going to get me angry. I’m just trying to understand.”
Her shoulders roll forward. “I didn’t tell you because I thought you would focus on that when you needed to rest.”
“That’s fair, but I would’ve rather known. I don’t like Hunter gloating over something you hid from me. It makes it seem like we don’t trust each other.”
“That’s understandable.” After a brief second, her brows narrow. “Why would he tell you about me having dinner withhim and sharing with him you were in a bad mood? How would that even come up?”
Her naivety leaves me shaking my head. “He will always find a way to fit things into our conversations that he wants me to know about you. It’s how he works. How do you not know this by now?”
A fleeting memory of the day heslippedand told me how Dori welcomed him home in the best way possible flits on the screen of my mind.
I almost bring it up, but decide better of it. It will only upset us both, and that’s his goal. I’m not going to let him ruin us.
“I just thought...” She takes a deep sigh. “I thought he had changed.”
“Just because he came clean with you about every ruthless thing he’s done to sabotage our relationship doesn’t mean he’s changed.”
She gives me a pointed stare. “You went after him too.”
“Oh, no you don’t. You don’t get to put that on me when he was the one who came at me first.”
“But you engaged with him.”
“I never would’ve gone after him, but I’m not the type of guy to step aside and let someone walk all over me. I may not be ruthless, but I am a fighter. How do you think I’ve gotten where I am today?”
A few beats pass as the last few months come rushing back. They were brutal, but now we’re here. As much as I hate most of what occurred, I guess that’s the way it was supposed to go.
“Jami, why didn’t you come to me and tell me about his threats?” Her expression shatters with hurt. “Why didn’t you trust me with what he was doing? None of this would be happening if you had.”
“I’ve always done things on my own. It’s hard to let others help me fix things.”
“That has to stop if this is going to work. I need you to trust me.”
Shit.
I haven’t considered that Dori and I have a lot to work through before she can trust me. Her being here and helping me doesn’t make our issues disappear. It just makes it easier to work through them together.
