Listen to Me (Fusion 1)
“I don’t remember not loving him,” she replies honestly. She sits up and takes the napkin Kat offers her to blow her nose. “And I’m ridiculous. I love a man who doesn’t love me back. He thinks of me like a sister.”
I’m not so sure of that.
But rather than say that out loud, I just sit next to her and let her vent. “I mean, how pathetic am I? I’ll tell you.” Cami points at Kat, on a roll now, still crying. “I was so desperate to forget him, I married someone completely wrong for me. I ruined a perfectly good man’s life.”
“I think ruined is a bit strong,” Mia says, earning a glare from Cami.
“Brian is a great man, and I broke his heart, all because I’m in love with your stupid fighter-pilot brother.”
“Hey, it’s not my fault,” Mia says and shakes her head. “I think my brother is stupid too.”
“I think you should go home for the day,” Kat says, taking a bite of Cami’s cake. “Or go get a massage or something.”
“She’s right,” I say with a nod. “Go be sad for a few hours, and then pull yourself back together. You deserve a day to yourself.”
“Absolutely,” Mia says.
Cami just shrugs and wipes her nose on the back of her hand. “I guess. I won’t get any more work done today anyway.”
“Someone will drop dinner off to you later,” Mia says, but Cami shakes her head.
“I’ll order in Chinese and watch movies.”
“Atta girl.”
“Speaking of men who suck,” Mia says, turning to me. “How are you doing?”
I look around like she’s talking to someone behind me. “Me?”
“She hasn’t seen it?” Mia asks the others, who shake their heads.
“Landon got here just as I was going to show her,” Kat says quietly.
“Show me what?”
“So, I follow the old Hard Knox page on Facebook,” Kat says and pulls her phone out of her pocket, taps the screen, and hands it to me. “And they posted this this morning.”
My heart stops as I stare at a photo of Jake on a red carpet, dressed in a sexy black suit. Unfortunately, his lips are planted on the cheek of Karina, a famous singer who has her hand on his chest, leaning her ample bosom against him.
Don’t they look just motherfucking cozy?
Rather than throw the phone across the bar the way I want to, I pass it back to Kat and turn to walk away.
“Addie?” Mia calls out.
“I’m fine,” I reply with a wave of my hand and keep walking.
Except, I’m not fine. I’m not even in the realm of fine. I’m pissed and I’m hurt and I’ve just been reminded, again, that I can’t count on men. They aren’t loyal. They aren’t trustworthy.
Even my own father doesn’t want to take the time to talk to me.
The only person I can count on is me, and it’s about time I got my head out of my pants and remembered that.
“UH, ADDIE,” RILEY says as she comes into our office less than an hour later, “Jeremy is in the bar asking for you.”
“What?” I scowl and shake my head. “What the hell is he doing here?”
“Well, given that I’m not psychic, I’m not sure.” She rolls her eyes and sits at her desk. “But you should go see.”
“Smart-ass,” I mutter as I walk through the still mostly empty dining room toward the bar. Cami left about an hour ago, and we’ve barely opened for the day. I mentally cross my fingers, hoping the bar is still empty as well so I don’t have to kick Jeremy’s ass in front of customers.
“What do you want, Jeremy?” I ask as I walk briskly into the bar, my heels clicking on the floor.
“Fucking hell, you’re beautiful, Addie.”
“Cut the shit,” I reply coldly. “What do you want?”
“I want to apologize,” he says with sad brown eyes. I’d believe him, if he wasn’t such a lying piece of shit. “You know that I would never intentionally hurt you.”
“Your fist cocked back to deck me said otherwise,” I reply and cross my arms over my chest, and I hear Kat gasp behind me.
Damn it, I never told them that part.
“I wouldn’t have hit you,” he says and shakes his head. “Never. I love you.”
I bust out laughing. “Right.”
“I want you back, Addie. I miss you so much.”
Kat’s watching with interest from behind the bar as Jeremy steps toward me and I take a step back, out of his reach.
I don’t want his hands on me.
“Have you been thrown out of wherever you’ve been staying?”
His eyes lower, and I know I’ve hit the nail on the head. “I could use a place to crash, yeah.”
Unbelievable. “Do I have doormat tattooed on my forehead?” I ask incredulously.
“That’s not it at all,” he says, again stepping toward me.
“Touch me and I’ll have you arrested for assault.”
His eyes narrow. “I’m trying apologize here, Addie. I truly am sorry.”
“Okay. You’ve apologized. Goodbye, Jeremy.”
“I just need—”
“Whatever it is you need, you’re not getting it from me,” I interrupt him, my voice sharp.
“Addie.” Jeremy’s shoulders sag.
“You heard her.” Jake’s voice comes from behind me, surprising me, and washing emotion over me all at once. Fear, betrayal, and anger, but I don’t show any reaction in front of Jeremy, who finally marches out, passing by me without another word.