“There’s just one more thing,” Gail says low.
I feel Dex stiffen behind me, and I’m instantly slammed with images of him being this close to me before, without clothes, the heat of his flesh melting into mine. My knees tingle.
“Let’s get everything out in the open, right now. Jane? Dex told me you have a few photos of an incident that happened between him and Pippa. I’m going to need all of them sent to our legal department.”
“Wait, what? Why?” I stammer.
“Because when Dex refused to sleep with Pippa Grace, she threatened to break the contract for the book and now she’s claiming she never wants it published.”
Dex wouldn’t sleep with her? I spin around and face him. His angry eyes are fixed on Gail, refusing to acknowledge me.
Gail’s head tilts. “There’s also the matter of some personal family issues he’s dealing with that he took some time off for, the funeral for his father.”
His father?His father died?“Dex?” I ask, reaching my hand out to him. I know he hasn’t seen his father in years, he and his sisters are still angry with their father for leaving his mother.
“And Dex. There’s also the matter of Jane’s emergency room visit, where she suffered from a self-combusting fallopian tube and four-day hospital stay. I’m not sure how that tube burst all by itself, but I’m sure she’s eventually going to tell you the truth about it.”
“What?” Dex’s eyes finally lock on mine.
Gail waves her hands between us. “Andright hereis where I’ll be getting the best writing from the both of you. Oh, and I want parts live streamed. I can’t wait to see what you both come up with.” She looks down at her phone and smiles as she types out something on her screen.
Simultaneously, both of our phones notify us we have a text message.
Gail the Tyrant Talbert:Date-in-a-Dash! Dalton’s Bar and Grill @12noon! Have a blast!
Great,that’s in less than thirty minutes. How can she heartlessly throw all that shit at us and expect us not to react and go about our business? How can she think this is okay?
“Perfect,” Dex grounds out, slipping between me and Gail. “Nash, I’ll see you there.”
My vision blurs with tears as he walks down the hallway.
Chapter 8
Ipush through the doors to the bar.
Dex is already there, of course.
I spot him instantly in the back room, standing over by the bar, a cluster of men in front of him, all of them talking and laughing, pretending not to be sizing up the women slowly filtering into the place. Dex is looking through the crowd, a forced tight smile sliced across his face. His eyes scan over whoever walks in and then darts to the next person.
Maybe he’s looking for me.
And so, like any sensible adult woman would do in this situation, I duck behind a tall decorative plant and try to hide. I need a few moments, maybe go into the restroom and reapply a few layers of make-up, or run across the street and purchase a new outfit, since my sexy button-up is still probably crumpled up on the floor of the conference room.
But, it’s a pointless move, because I knock the stupid plant over and it slaps loudly over. I desperately try to grab at it, but my reflexes suck rocks.
Dex sees me then,everybody sees me then.
I step over the mess of dirt and leaves and wave to the room. A few of the waitstaff come running over and I apologize profusely and they assure me it happens all the time.
Right, sure.
“Are you here for the Date-in-a-Dash?” an older woman in a tight business suit asks me. “I’m Meredith, the organizer of today’s event.” She’s hugging a clipboard to her chest.
“Uh, yes. I am. My boss registered me. I think. My name is Jane Nash,” I say, sweeping my eyes over the crowded room behind her. Wow, there’s a lot of single people here today, and…every single one of them looks over forty.Freaking Gail.
Meredith smiles at me and hands me a small numbered nametag, a scorecard, and a pencil. “I’m sure you’ll be a hit today. The fun begins in ten minutes, feel free to get a drink and mingle beforehand. Have a good time finding love.”
“Um, thank you. You too.” I have no idea why I said that.
