Chapter 30
The day passed in tense silence.}
At work, Jairus hovered at the edge of my desk several times, trying to speak to me. But each time, I kept my eyes fixed on my screen. Eventually, he stopped trying. He retreated to his office and closed the door.
It wasn’t that I didn’t want to talk to him. I did. The words burned in my throat, threatening to spill out. But I held them back. Because I was already tired of talking and arguing about Katie with him.§
- to.
What was the point of another argument when he’d already decided whose side he was on?}
By the time dinner rolled around, I was too emotionally drained to care about pleasantries. I ate alone, not waiting for him like I used
When Jairus walked in, shrugging off his jacket and setting his briefcase by the door, I barely acknowledged him.§
“You didn’t wait for me,” he commented, glancing at the half–eaten plate of pasta on the table.
I didn’t look up. “I wasn’t sure you’d make it back before midnight.”
His lips tightened, but he said nothing as he pulled out a chair and sat down across from me.
For a while, the only sounds were the scrape of his utensils and the faint hum of the refrigerator.
Finally, he sighed as he set down his fork. “Vanessa, how long are you going to give me the silent treatment?”
I shrugged while swirling the remnants of my wine. “As long as it takes for you to figure out why I’m upset.“}
“That’s the problem,” he muttered as he ran a hand through his hair. “I don’t understand why you’re blowing this out of proportion. Katie didn’t mean to upset you.”
I set my glass down a little harder than
His gaze sharpened. “That’s not fair.” “ecessary. “You always have an excuse for her, don’t you?”
“No, Jairus, what’s not fair is having to compete with your business partner for your attention. What’s not fair is you constantly siding with her. No matter how blatantly she disrespects me.“>
He groaned. Then he leaned back in his chair. “This is exactly why I want us to clear the air. Let’s have lunch tomorrow. The three of us. You, me, and Katie. I want you to see there’s nothing going on.“>
I let out a dry laugh. Then I shook my head.§
I would rather die than dine at a table with Katie.§
“That’s a hard no. I have a client meeting during lunch.”
“Then dinner,” he insisted as he leaned forward with his elbows on the table. “There’s a new seafood restaurant I’ve been wanting to try. We’ll sit down, have a nice meal, and talk like adults.”
“No thanks.“}
He frowned. He looked clearly frustrated. “Why not? What’s wrong with dinner?”
I pushed my chair back. I stood as I wiped the corner of my lips with a napkin. “Because I’m allergic to seafood.”
Jairus froze. His eyes narrowed. “You’re allergic to seafood?”
“Yes,” I lied smoothly while folding the napkin and placing it on the table. “But don’t let me stop you. I’m sure Katie would love the company.”
His mouth opened as if to argue, but I didn’t give him the chance.
I turned to leave, but not before glancing back at him. A bitter smile tugged at my lips when I realized something.
He didn’t even know I was lying.
The man I had built my life around didn’t know one of the most basic things about me. Or maybe he did. But he just didn’t care enough to remember.
“Vanessa,” Jairus’s voice stopped me mid–step.”
I glanced over my shoulder, raising an eyebrow. “What now?“}
His gaze was sharp. And his knuckles were already white as he gripped the edge of the table. “You’re being ridiculous. You know that, don’t you?“%
I didn’t answer. I waited for him to continue, to say something that might salvage the shards of what little remained between us.>> Instead, he stood abruptly, shoving his chair back. “Fine. Keep acting like this. But don’t say I didn’t try.”
He stormed out of the dining room without another word.”
For a moment, I stood frozen, staring at the spot where he’d been. I should’ve felt relieved that he was gone, but all I felt was the bitter sting of his words.
It wasn’t until I reached the stairs that I noticed something. A faint buzzing sound reached my ears. His phone lay forgotten on the counter. The screen lit up with a name that made my blood run cold.
Katie.!
The message preview read: Can’t wait for tomorrow. I’ve got a surprise for you ;)}
