Who's the Boss Now

"That's true. Okay. I'll try it. What about you? Any problems or everything’s honky-dory great?"

"Alex wants to take a break because he has some stuff going on in his personal life."

"Oh, that's not good. Hurry and drink up. You have some catching up to do with us." Her mom moved up beside her and slid her arm over Jamie's shoulders.

"Yeah, but he wants to still sleep together.” Was she really telling her mother this? “I told him I’d think about it. Sleeping with him isn't like sleeping with someone I just met. I love him." Jamie's eyes filled with tears much against her will.

"Oh, don't cry." Christine walked toward her. "Just use him for sex and remind him of what he's missing. You're the best lay in New York right?"

"What? I do not need to hear this." Their mother stumbled from the kitchen, laughing again.

Jamie rolled her eyes, but took her sister's advice to heart. "Yeah, maybe you're right."

“My sister’s got a hot-ass body now.” Christine raised her glass, sloshing drink on the floor. “Damn you Alex Reid for thinking you can have your cake and eat it too. Damn you!”

“I’ll drink to that.”

Chapter 14

If anyone would have told her that she was going to spend a night getting drunk with her mother and sister, she never would have believed them. Somehow by the end of the evening she felt better... more solidified in her decisions where Alex was concerned. She had never been one to give up on anything too easy. If it required her to be a little more aggressive in the bedroom to remind him of what he was considering giving up in the name of chivalry, then so be it. She could play Annette's game.

"Bitch probably isn't even pregnant." Jamie worked on whipping up a quick breakfast of eggs and toast in her kitchenette. Sundays were usually spent lounging around or trying to get a bit of Alex's time, but today she felt the need to burn up some energy.

She took her plate and sat down at the table, letting out a long breath and forcing herself to smile. They would get through this, and be stronger because of it. She just had to keep in mind that Alex wasn't going to be too pleasant until they did. He was the type of man that could roll with the punches in the business environment, but in his personal life, he was as big of a mess as anyone.

Her phone buzzed and she answered it, seeing Mark's number on the screen. "Hey. How are you?" She put her fork down and licked at her lips.

"Good. You up for a jog and maybe some football in the park a few miles from here? I want to get out in this weather and could use a partner to come with me." He sounded ten times better than he had just yesterday. His heart was growing lighter.

"That actually sounds great. I was just thinking I needed to get out for a jog this morning. I'll change and meet you in front of the house. Not sure on the football thing though." A thought crossed her mind. “Is it just you?”

"Yes. The insufferable fool had to rush out this morning to work on something for the investor’s conference you guys have coming up."

"Why am I not surprised? I'll be up shortly."

"I look forward to it."

They hung up, and Jamie got up, cleaned up her breakfast and changed into a pair of tight spandex pants, a running shirt and her favorite tennis shoes. She stretched just before walking out into the beautiful morning.

She could see Mark as she walked around to the front of the house. He was a little bigger than Alex, more the football player type than a swimmer. He was attractive, but for some reason she couldn't see herself with anyone but her illustrious boss. It was a beautiful tragedy in the making.

"Hey there. We missed you last night. The beer was good, but the wings were better." He gave her a goofy grin, and she couldn't help but smile back.

"And the cute waitresses had nothing to with it?"

"Nope. Neither was it at all classy that half their asses were hanging out the bottom of their shorts." He pressed his hand to his mouth and widened his eyes.

Jamie chuckled and popped him in the chest. "Men. Come on before I change my mind."

"What? We were blessed with an exorbitant amount of hormones. They have to come out somewhere. Better here than church or parent-teacher conferences."

She shook her head as they started to jog toward the park. "I have no comment for that."

"Wise girl." He chuckled.

Jamie let the conversation drop between them, wanting to ask about his evening with his brother and yet not wanting to appear nearly as needy as she was for information on Alex.

"What're you thinking about?" Mark asked as they reached the park. He tossed her the football that sat snuggled under his thick arm.