by Nikki Bopp
“Nicholas?” Mia gives me a disgusted look at the mere mention of the HR director. “Why do you need to talk to him?”
“I'll tell you tonight.”
“Fine,” rolling her eyes dramatically, Mia gives me the directions to the HR department, which is thankfully on the first floor as well. There are multiple offices in the department, and all of the doors are closed but one, and when I peek into the room, it's to find Nicholas typing away furiously at his computer.
“Knock, knock.” My knuckles rap on the wooden doorway, a sudden shyness washing over me when he lifts his gaze to mine. The annoyance at my arrival is quickly replaced by a bright smile and a wave to enter.
“Jenny, I didn't expect to see you down here. Everything alright?”
“Yes, uh...I just want to talk to you about your earlier question.” My words cause his brows to furrow as he goes over the day I’m sure to figure out what exactly I’m talking about. “Dinner,” I add helpfully.
“Oh! Yes!”
“I would love to. Does Friday night work?”
“Absolutely,” rounding his desk, he pulls me in for a hug that I quickly disentangle myself from.
“Great. I’m leaving for the day, but I’ll see you then.” My heels click on the floor with my triumphant retreat. Edward thought he could use my best friend against me, but little does he know that two can play at that game, and while the idea of using Nicholas in such a way is wrong, he seems like the type to play along. I just can't help a looming sense of dread from hanging over my head. I'm not sure if it's the anger that will surely come from Ed or the idea of having to spend an entire night alone with Nicholas Grant.
Maybe it's both of them.
Chapter 16
Fable of Feasts
“Come in!” Mia practically squeals, swinging the door wide so Eva and I can enter. The adorable two-story condo is blue with white trim and is located on a quiet street of town, the walkways lined with cobblestone and big oak trees. It's the absolute perfect place to start a family, and I hope that someday I'll be able to give Eva a home just as beautiful.
Looking around, I get the feeling of being at home, but that's not all surprising, considering Mia has always been my rock. I can see the little bits of her around the entryway. The crystal vase on a side table is overflowing with sunflowers, the color clashing against the mint green wallpaper. There's a pair of ratty slippers next to the door, the same ones that Mia’s had since high school. Then there's the picture of us hanging in the hallway.
As soon as I spot the photograph, I immediately stop to laugh at the pair of us. Our arms are wrapped around each other, hair blowing in the wind and smiles that go on for days. Behind us, a huge lighthouse looms, the ocean smashing into the rocks and spraying us with a fine mist of seawater. We spent the entire day exploring Patos Island, laughing, and simply just enjoying the time away from everyone else. Between Mia’s parents and my own, there was so much pressure to surpass and succeed above everyone else. We were just kids just wanting to have some fun.
“It's my favorite in the whole house,” Mia murmurs from beside me, the warmth of her body settling into mine and reminding me how much I genuinely love and missed her. If there ever was another person that I thought of as home, she would be it. Wrapping my arms around her shoulders, I pull her in for a tight hug.
“I missed you.”
“I missed you too,” her arms tighten around me briefly before stepping away with an excited smile. “I made your favorite.”
“My favorite…?” Realization washing over me, a matching grin stretching across my face, “You made meatloaf?”
Rather than answering, Mia gives me a nod and gestures for me to follow her to the end of the hall, which opens into a large kitchen that seems to take up the entire back of the house. The room is a light blue with hints of grey and white throughout. There's a large marble island in the center of the room, veggies piled so high that some of them have already tumbled onto the floor. Sitting next to the stove is a chocolate cake that I can't wait to sink my teeth into.
“The living room is this way,” Mia gestures to the right side of the house, “And through here is my office and dining room. If it's alright with you, I set the table already.”
“Sure, I'm starved. What about you, pumpkin?” Nudging Eva with my hip, she gives a sullen nod.
“Something wrong, Ms. Eva?” Mia inquires, crouching down in front of the surly toddler.
“No.” We both chuckle at her one-word answer, the unhappy frown only making it all the more comical.
“Oh come on,” Mia coerces, leaning forward to whisper in Eva’s ear. “You can tell me anything.”
“I don't like meatloaf.”
“You don't like meatloaf?” Getting to her feet, Mia offers her hand, waiting until Eva takes it before leading her to the dining room. “Let me tell you a story about another little girl who didn't like meatloaf. Your mom.”
Eva’s gasp of horror makes me bark out a laugh. Of course, Mia would bring up this story. Deciding to leave them to their devices, I wander about the kitchen, admiring all the high-tech appliances and gadgets. A glimmer of light from the living room catches my attention, drawing me closer until I'm standing in front of another picture I remember vividly. Mia and Sierra are standing side-by-side, both in a beautiful white wedding dress and looking the happiest I've ever seen.
I was supposed to be Mia’s Maid of Honor, to walk her down the aisle when her bigot of a father couldn't even make it to his own daughter’s wedding.
I was supposed to be Mia’s Maid of Honor until Jonathan beat me so severely that I had to go to the hospital with a broken jaw and more bruises than I cared to count. Mia was more than understanding about my ‘fall down the stairs’, but then again, she always knew when I was lying to her even if it was for her own good.
“Jennifer Ray,” a sultry voice interrupts my thoughts as a tall, dark-haired woman steps into the room. “I haven't seen you in years. Mia told me that you moved to Seattle, but I entirely forgot.”
“Sierra?” I ask dumbfounded at the vision before me. My eyes jump between the woman before me and the woman in the wedding picture behind me. Thin with voluptuous curves and luscious red lips curved in a seductive smile, I can see the resemblance, but that's about where it ends. Her hair, previously a natural blond color that shone in the sun, now seems to absorb all the light in the room with its darkness. The nose job is evident, as well as the cheek fillers that almost look like she's trying too hard. Not to mention the breast enhancement. Women don't jump from a B to a D without some kind of assistance, and since we met in college, there's no way puberty was involved.
“In the flesh,” stepping farther into the room, she opens her mouth to continue but stops short when Mia rounds the corner, Eva hot on her heels.
“Oh, Sierra. I thought you were working late.” The chill to her voice sends a shiver down my spine. Something is going on with these two, and I'm sure it has to do with Mia’s previous suspicions.
“I finished sooner than I expected,” Sierra’s eyes move between the two of us and Eva. “I was just going to go take a shower but thought I would stop by and say hello.”
“Hello,” I joke with a wave, but her death glare kills the smile before it can even form. There's something in the back of my head, like a tickle that just won't go away, but I can't seem to pick out what it is. Looking her over more closely, she's dressed in an all-black pantsuit that hugs every one of her curves in a way that would make any woman jealous. Her dark hair, I can't tell if it's brown or black, is loose about her shoulders and frames the pointed line of her jaw.
I'm shaken from my musings by Eva practically crawling up my body to get my attention. “Mommy!”
“Sorry, what?”
“Can I have cake for dinner?”
“Uhhh no,” hoisting the toddler onto my hip, I boop her on the nose with a laugh. “You can have some cake if you eat all your dinner. And Aunt Mia says it's okay.”
> Throwing her hands up in exasperation, she gives me a pout that would melt anyone else's heart. “Fine.”
“Great!” Mia claps excitedly, her earlier enthusiasm firmly in place after the weird standoff between her and Sierra. “Let's eat!”
“Ugh, I don't think I can eat another bite.” The plate in front of me is nearly spotless, every bit of the meatloaf, mashed potatoes, creamed corn, and gravy sitting heavily in my stomach. In the best possible way. “That was so good, Mia, just like your moms.”
“That's because it was her recipe,” popping the last bite of food into her mouth, she tosses her paper napkin onto the plate in surrender. “I haven't made it in years.”
“Well, the lack of practice didn't hurt one bit.” Patting my stomach, I look over to Eva and a plate that's nearly as clean as ours, other than the potatoes sitting like a lump in the center. Eva’s never been that much of a potato fan, so it doesn't surprise me, but when she turns to me with a hopeful look, I can't deny her unspoken request. “Yes, you can have some cake.”
Mia gets up before I can to fetch a slice of cake nearly as big as her head.
“What?” Mia asks at my exasperated look. “You never said how big?”
Shaking my head, I can only imagine how much sugar is in that one slice. Getting her to bed is already a feat, but it just might be impossible with all the chocolate she’s about to consume.
“So, tell me about what happened today,” she demands, sitting across from me.
Shit. I forgot I promised to tell her. I was kind of hoping just to ignore it all entirely and hope that no one else brings it up.
“Well…,” taking a deep breath, I jump into the fight with Edward, as well as everything leading up to it as well. I hold nothing back. I tell her all the nitty-gritty details between Edward, Daniel, Patrick, and myself. While she doesn’t interrupt me, her eyebrows just continue to rise, and her jaw lowers in shock, or maybe disgust at everything that's happened in the last week.
A week, that's how long I've known these men, and yet I can't seem to get them out of my mind. Talk about frustrating.
“Wow,” Mia gapes in amazement. “I can't believe it. I mean, I can, because look at how beautiful you are, but damn.”
“That's what I keep thinking to myself. This can't be happening.”
“Well, it certainly is. How is she doing with it all?” Mia tilts her head towards Eva, who is engrossed with the chocolate cake in front of her, not listening to a word either of us is saying.
Shrugging my shoulders, I tap my nail against the edge of the glass in front of me. “Other than being in the hospital, she hasn't gotten to talk to them much. Up until that point, she hadn't even met him.”
“I was there when she did meet him. It was when we had to pick her up from daycare. She was comfortable around him, surprisingly. She called him out and forced her way into his heart. She was calling him ‘Danny’ by the time we got to the hospital.”
Her words make me chuckle at the image of Daniel cowing in front of the little girl. “I'm not surprised at all. She has a way of doing that.”
“And how do you feel about that?”
“What do you mean?” My brows scrunch together in confusion, not following her thought path.
“How do you feel about pursuing this when it comes to her? Would you keep that part of you separate? Or would you try to integrate her into the relationship as well?”
“That's kind of hard to say. The logical side of my brain says that I need to keep her life as stress-free as possible. I don't want a rotation of men moving in and out of her life without any stability.”
“But..,” Mia urges when I pause to gather my thoughts.
“But, I have a feeling that this isn't something quick and easy. I know I'm not the best judge of relationships, but this is different. They could have told me their intentions right then and there; they could have had their fun and thrown me onto the street without a car. Instead, they hired me to work for them, offered me a much higher salary and security between the car, insurance, benefits.”
“Or a really high paid hooker.” Mia’s joke is meant to break the tension I can feel coiling inside of myself, questioning the words as they come out of my mouth. A burst of laughter escapes, making me choke on my own air and sending me into a coughing fit.
The sound is enough to catch Eva’s attention. Her glare is full of malice, daring me to interrupt her intimate time with her cake again. Holding up my hands in surrender, I lean over to kiss the top of her head before turning my attention back to Mia.
“I also got another gift from my ‘secret admirer’.”
“Really?” Leaning forward with eagerness, Mia gestures for me to continue. “Well? What was it?”
“Tom Ford perfume.”
“Oh, that's it?” Her words are downcast with disappointment making me laugh under my breath.
“It's a five-hundred-dollar bottle of perfume.”
“...What?” Mia’s jaw drops in amazement, her eyes rounding to saucers. Rather than answering, I pick up my purse from the floor to retrieve the black box inside. Handing it to Mia, I watch her handle it like the most precious gem. “How do you know it's five hundred dollars?”
“A year or so ago, I was in a store and was given a sample. I loved it so much that when I got to Seattle, I bought an entire bottle for myself because Jonathan refused. I wore it the day of my interview.” Taking a deep breath, because I know what her reaction is going to be, I continue with my next words, internally wincing. “It’s Nicholas.”
Mia drops the box to the table, her upper lip curling with disgust. “You're joking, right?”
“He said something last Friday, at the pub.” I can see the gears grinding in her mind as she tries to put together that day. “That reminds me, I meant to ask where you went that day.”
“Oh…,” Mia drags the word out, her fingers suddenly busy fiddling with the tablecloth and avoiding my look like the plague.
“What's wrong? Did something happen between you and…,” I cut my own words off, looking around to the entrance of the dining room for any sign of Sierra.
“Something like that,” pushing her plate to the side roughly, Mia leans forward, urging me to mimic her. Once we are inches apart, she whispers as quietly as she can, “we got into another fight. She said she was working late. So, I decided to follow her.”
My eyes go wide in surprise. I can't imagine Mia as being that kind of a spouse, but then again, I'm not in her position. Sometimes we don't know how much someone will push you to your limits.
“What happened?”
“Nothing,” Mia’s shoulder slump, her face crumbling in disappointment. “She was at work. I went home and had just changed when I got the call from Daniel.”
“I'm sorry sweetheart,” hesitating, I briefly question if asking my next words are wise but decide they are for the better. “Do you wish you had found her cheating?”
Rather than answering my question, Mia shoves away from the table to flee to the kitchen. A moment later, she returns, carrying two small plates with slices of cake on each. Without saying a word, we dig into the delicious dessert, a moan sitting on the tip of my tongue at the decadent chocolate frosting. Mia’s always been quite the baker, likely because her mom was a master in the kitchen, so I do not doubt that she baked it herself. Probably made the frosting by scratch too.
It's not until the last bite of cake is consumed that Mia meets my gaze, her eyes wild with emotion. “I do.”
“I understand,” leaning over the table, I lay my hand on hers, offering as much support as I can from my own fucked up marriage.
“I just...I wish that I could stop thinking about it all the time. Wondering where she is, who she's with. I want to know why I care so damn much, and why I can't just walk away.”
“It's because you love her. You've been together for nearly a decade. Being with someone for so long, it leaves a mark that you can't just wash away like it was never there. She has been
there through so much, you both have.”
“How did you do it?”
“I just realized that I loved Eva and myself more. That I would rather struggle every single day with her if it meant I was free to be happy, to make my own decisions, and live every day without the worry of making Jonathan angry.”
“I don't know how you did it, Jenny.”
“Neither do I,” giving her a crooked smile, I pat her hand once more before sitting back in my chair. “By the way, I meant to say. She's changed a lot since the last time I saw you guys.” That might have been in college, but even so, it's like a new person has completely replaced the old Sierra.
“Yeah, she has.” Picking up our empty plates, she takes them into the kitchen, calling over her shoulder to Sierra that her dinner is getting cold. Sierra doesn't respond. Grabbing Eva’s plate, I join her at the sink to wash off the dishes before putting them in the dishwasher.
“She's always wanted to get her nose fixed, so that was first,” Mia shoots me an exasperated look. “And you know, once you start fixing things, everything has to go.”
Chuckling under my breath, I nod in agreement. The wives of Jonathan’s clients were always changing something about themselves. While I can understand the appeal, I can't imagine changing one thing about me. Even the extra pudge that I seem to be incapable of working off.
“I'm glad you came over.”
“Me too,” my arm wraps around her shoulders in a side hug that neither of us wants to break. It's been far too long, and even seeing her every day, doesn't take away from how much I've missed her and how glad I am to be here.
If I was ever to question if leaving Jonathan was a good idea, the girl beside me is reason enough. And the three men who seem to have come crashing into my life in the most beautiful way.
“Mommy,” Eva whines in a tone I'm all too familiar with, her words breaking the emotional moment between Mia and I. “I'm tired.”
“Okay, baby.” Gliding my hands through her hair, I kiss her on top of her head. “Why don't you tell Aunt Mia thank you and then go get your coat.”