“Wow! I never thought I would find the four of you in Chicago!” Billie beams at us.
I groan, and Noah gives me a “be nice” look.
Billie pulls up a chair next to our booth.
This would be my luck. For six months, I was desperate to find this woman, and now I want nothing to do with her, but she keeps popping up.
I try to think of something civil to say. “Good to see you sober,Billie.” I fail.
She waves her hand. “Like I’ve never had you kiss me when you were drunk. Don’t act like a saint, Xander.”
I gape in disbelief. “We were dating when that happened, and it was over a dozen years ago.”
She laughs. “Big deal.”
“It is a big deal. My girlfriend won’t talk to me right now.”
Billie cringes. “Hey, sorry. I didn’t mean to cause any problems. You know how I am when I’m drinking.”
Has she not grown up at all in over twelve years?
“Do you want me to talk to her? Tell her I was intoxicated and just having a bit of fun?”
God, no. “No, I do not want you to talk to my girlfriend.”
She shrugs. “Suit yourself. So, what are you all doing in Chicago?”
“Chase and I are visiting. Noah and Xander live here,” Jamison offers.
“What are you doing here?” I ask her.
“Just visiting. I live out in California now. My husband is a producer in Hollywood.”
So that’s where she went.
“Wait! You’re married, and you kissed me?”
She waves her hand at me again. “I don’t know why you’re making such a big deal about this. Honestly. We used to do a lot more than kiss.”
Noah’s eyes widen, and he covers his mouth, stifling a laugh.
“And what would your husband say about that?” I’m not into kissing married women.
Billie throws her head back in gales of laughter. “It’s the twenty-first century. Just because you’re married doesn’t mean you can’t have some innocent fun on the side.”
This is the woman I obsessed about for six months? I am the biggest asshole on earth.
I suddenly have an immense feeling of gratitude we broke up when we did.
“Innocent fun? Is that what you call it?” I snarl at her.
“Since when did you get so uptight, Xander? You used to be fun, from what I remember. Well, before you got into med school.”
I feel nothing but disgust.
Jamison jumps in. “You like California?”
“Yes, it’s great. Hey, Valeria has made it big-time. I keep hoping I run into her out in Hollywood but so far no luck. My husband wants to have her in one of his films soon.”
