"Yeah, I'm fine." She pressed her hands to his chest and rubbed softly. "I need a vacation. Promise me we can take a few days off soon and start planning the wedding. It would be great to have a time table. It would give us something to look forward to, or at least me."
"Me too, baby." He leaned down and brushed his lips by hers. "Although, after last night, I think the thing I'm looking most forward to is tonight."
She chuckled. "Oh? You think you're getting a repeat?"
"I'm hoping so. It's all I've thought about half the day." He ran his hand over the curve of her rear and squeezed as the phone buzzed behind him.
Kristen's voice filled up the office. "Mr. Reid, I have Milla Wynn on line one. Would you like to take the call or should I—"
"I'll take it. Thank you, Kristen." He brushed his hand down Jamie's neck and pulled her in for one more kiss. "I love you. Have a great day today, and don't be a stranger. Tell that boss of yours to back the heck up."
"Never. I like him right on top of me." She gave him a cheeky grin before turning, grabbing her things, and moving to her office. Alex almost always had a good day, but it was his outlook on things. She would work hard to do the same; besides, she needed all the "good" she could get.
She was having dinner with her family that night.
*
Jamie lifted to her toes to try to locate the key that usually rested on the doorjamb of her parents’ front door, but came up empty. She knocked and rang the doorbell, which she hated doing. It felt too much like she was some stranger rather than their daughter.
Her dad answered the door, and by the tight grimace on his face it looked like the party had most likely started without her.
"Hi, Pumpkin." He opened his arms and gave her a hug before nodding toward the kitchen. "Your mother is in rare form tonight. She's upset about you hanging up on her. Go fix it."
"Right." Jamie dropped her purse on the dining room table before walking into the kitchen. Her mother had her back to her and seemed to be looking out into the backyard through the small window above the sink. Her apron was tied around her narrow waist, and her black pencil skirt fit her perfectly. Why she dressed up even though she wasn't working any more was odd, but just something she'd been doing for years. "Mom?"
She whipped around and her expression soured immediately. "Is there a reason you hung up on me this morning? Did your father and I teach you nothing in the way of manners?"
"I was in an elevator full of people, Mom. Your voice was carrying and the last thing I needed was for the people I work for to know that my family had laid me out for the slaughter once again." Jamie ran her fingers through her hair and wondered why the hell she thought coming over here was a good idea. It wasn't. It never was.
"Poor pitiful you." Her mother made a fake crying sound. "Regardless of why Stephen felt the need to do something so stupid, it's still publicity. We've had four calls today from various new papers and magazines asking about you and Alex. It's actually kind of fun. Nice to be recognized for being someone important."
Jamie bit her tongue as she watched her mother move around the kitchen, lost to her fantasy of being a beauty queen for the world to adore.
"He degraded Jamie, and he's going to retract those statements." Her father walked into the kitchen and crossed his arms over his chest. "You're being ridiculous about this."
"Dad’s right, Mom. Alex met with our lawyers today over all of it, and we'll be filing a slander suit against Stephen and the magazine in the next few days." Jamie pulled out her phone, but kept her eyes on her mother as she whipped around again.
"What? That's stupid. Any publicity is good publicity. Don't you know how this works? So what if you're a sex-starved whatever he called you? It makes Alex look like a great guy to stoop down to your level and lift you up. You're going to have a great story to tell one day. Stop ruining it for yourself, for us." Her mother moved to stand across the breakfast bar for her and slapped the countertop. "It's going to work out just fine."
"No, it's not, and you're being ridiculous. Dad's right." Jamie lifted her phone to her face, checking for Alex's text that he promised her he'd send. She wanted an update on his meeting with the lawyers, but the day simply got away from him. They hadn't been able to do much more than exchange a quick kiss before she headed toward her parents’. "Where is Stephen?"
"Not here. I kicked him out after everything happened." Jamie's father
moved behind her and squeezed her shoulders. "Suing him is the best course of action. This place is turning into a three-ring circus. Your sister hasn't been over in a few days, and honestly, I'm getting worried about her."
"You two are just ignorant. I don't see what the big deal is. Really." Jamie's mother shrugged, wiped her hands on a towel, and walked out of the room. "Christina's just upset, as she should be. Stephen tells the world the truth, and he's degraded because of it."
"I'm going home." Jamie got up and turned to face her father. "You should have divorced her. She's fucking crazy."
"Watch your language, but I'm starting to agree with you." He shook his head. "I don't know what's gotten into her. What Stephen did was wrong, no matter the reason for it. He's sick, and you keep on top of Alex to make sure he presses charges. If he doesn't, then I will."
"Thanks, Dad." Jamie hugged him tightly before walking to the door. No dinner or real conversation, and yet it was time to go. She'd not been welcomed there by anyone but her father anyway.
"Hey. He doesn't have a tape, right? I mean... if he does, I just want to prepare myself for what could happen." Her dad opened the door and gave her a sad smile.
"No, unless he recorded us when I was unaware. He was my boyfriend, Dad. We slept together. Am I really having this conversation?" She turned and walked to her car, lifting her hand as he called after her, wishing her a good evening and offering encouragement.
She called Alex on her way home, and was relieved to have him answer the phone.