THAT RING

by Dodd, Jillian

  “Uh,” I say again, sounding like a broken record. What the hell is happening here?

  “Danny,” Jennifer says, bringing me out of my stupor. “You need to get going. I’ll walk you out.”

  She drags me out of the front door but doesn’t say anything until Devaney and Damon have gone inside.

  “You’re really going to let her stay here?” she says, her breath fogging in the cold air. “You wouldn’t let me stay with Troy.”

  “That’s different. It was a safety issue.”

  “Did you even hear what she just said? Why didn’t you respond? Do you want to get back together with her?”

  “No, not at all. I just—”

  “You just what? I saw the way she batted her eyes at you. Played the victim. You’re falling back into old habits, and she’s taking advantage of you, your children, and whatever this situation is.”

  “It’s their mother. What am I supposed to do? Look, I have to go. I’m sorry about all this. I’ll have to deal with it and her and you when I get back.”

  “You’re going to have to deal with me? What the hell does that mean?”

  I reach out and grab her hard, pulling her toward me. “I’m going to be late. But I am not leaving until you tell me you’re okay with this. It’s just a few days.”

  “Yeah, and in those few days, she’s planning on getting back in your bed. She wants to move in permanently, Danny, so dealing with me would mean we’re over. If that’s what you want, I’d rather know now than have to wait to hear it later.”

  “I love you. I want to marry you. I’ve been thinking about ways to propose to you. I’ve been praying that when I propose, you won’t think it’s crazy of me for asking too soon.”

  “Really?” she says, tears filling her eyes.

  “Yes. I want that more than anything. I’m not letting Lori stand in my way anymore. She gave me a parting gift when she left me. And that gift was my life. I feel like myself. I haven’t felt like myself in years, and I didn’t even realize it. It happened so slowly. You and me together is what I want. It’s what I think you want. And I know it’s what the universe wants. Because after fourteen years, you’re standing here in my arms. Don’t cry, sweetheart. And don’t worry. I’ll sort it all out when I get back. If you want to have your girls’ night still, you have my permission. Got it?”

  “Got it,” she says, but she doesn’t look that convinced.

  I pull a permanent marker out of my suit jacket and hand it to her, pulling my sleeve up. “Will you sign it again for luck?” I ask her.

  “Yeah,” she says with a grin.

  She signs my arm and then gives me a steamy kiss before putting me in my car and waving as I pull out of the driveway, still wondering what the fuck just happened.

  Jennifer

  I call Jadyn before going back inside, so she won’t be surprised when she gets here. When I go back inside the house, Angel greets me. I bend down, pick her up, and give her a snuggle. She’s growing so fast that, pretty soon, I won’t be able to hold her in my arms like this. I make my way to the kitchen, give her a treat, set her back down, and put the brownie batter I was working on while Danny packed in the oven to bake.

  I’m stirring cheese into a homemade queso dip that we’ll be having tonight when Devaney and Lori come downstairs and into the kitchen. Lori takes a seat at the bar.

  “That means Mom gets to join us for our girlie time!” Devaney says happily, seemingly having no clue about how awkward it will be.

  But I have grown to care for her, and I know how much she wants her mother to like her.

  “That’s great,” I say with a smile. Good thing I’m a damn good actress. I think it’s going to come in handy tonight.

  “Devaney, would you get the chips and salsa out and put them into a bowl?” I ask, trying to go on with business as usual.

  “Sure,” she says. “Mom, would you like something to drink?”

  “I’d love a glass of wine,” Lori replies just as Jadyn and Haley come through the front door.

  The evening goes surprisingly well. Probably only due to the fact that there are children present. But once the girls fall asleep on the couch and the clock approaches midnight, I decide to clean up the kitchen.

  Lori actually helps, picking up a tray of snacks and setting them on the island.

  Maybe we can get along.

  “Now that the children are asleep, Jennifer, you can go crawl back under whatever whore-filled rock you came from,” Lori says to me. “Danny needs a cultured woman, not some Hollywood skank.”

  “Lori!” Jadyn says. “Don’t you dare speak to her like that. If anyone is a whore in this situation, it’s the woman who cheated on her husband.”

  “I really don’t care what you think, Jadyn,” Lori says, ice in her eyes. “You’re irrelevant to me, and she”—she points at me—“wishes she could be me.”

  “Actually, Lori,” I say, standing up straight. No one is going to talk to me like that or slam Jadyn. “It’s you who has become irrelevant. You became irrelevant the day you told Danny you were cheating on him. I don’t want to be anything like you. I am nothing like you. You’re selfish and so wrapped up in yourself that you can’t see how your actions and words affect Danny and your children. All I want is for him to know I love him. You don’t respect him. You don’t respect your children. They are all pawns in some game to make you feel better about the decisions you made in your life. You chose to marry a professional athlete rather than be the doctor you dreamed about. That’s on you. Stop making others pay for your failures. Because it’s all on you, Lori. It’s all on you.”

  “Well, I never,” she says, slamming her wineglass down on the kitchen counter so hard that I expect it to shatter. “I’m going to bed.”

  I half-expect her to go straight to Danny’s room, but instead, she marches dramatically up the stairs.

  “If we weren’t already,” Jadyn whispers to me, “you and I would have just become best friends.”

  December 4th

  Jennifer

  I decided not to spend the night at Danny’s last night, letting Jadyn do so by herself. Although I don’t want to kowtow to Lori, I also don’t want to give her any fuel for the fire.

  I get up, shower, and get ready for the day. I peek outside, expecting to see a winter wonderland but am disappointed. There’s only a dusting of snow on the ground.

  I make my way downstairs, finding a house empty of kids and dogs and Jadyn sitting at her kitchen table, video-chatting.

  I hear Tripp’s booming voice. “Needless to say, I’m thrilled with how the hotel is going. I took a risk on this and you.”

  “In your case, a very calculated risk. You knew what I could do,” she counters.

  “That’s why I called. I want to talk about two things—my offer to buy your company and our next project.”

  “We aren’t done with this project yet,” she says.

  “I know, but I want you to come to Dallas and take a look. Start getting ideas and planning. What I was thinking is, we could move crews from one place to the next. Once the plumbers are done, we send them to Dallas. The framers follow and then the drywallers. For efficiency.”

  “That’s a great idea, Tripp.”

  “Why do I feel like there’s a but coming?” he says.

  “If you buy my company, I want to retire,” she replies.

  “But you can’t do that.”

  “You didn’t let me finish,” she says. “I’ll still consult.”

  “But I was supposed to buy the company and get you for free in the process,” he says with a chuckle.

  “Yeah, right.”

  “Jadyn,” Tripp says, “I can’t do this without you.”

  “Yeah, you could. I’m flattered, and I enjoy working with you, but this schedule is difficult for me. I’m away from my family too much, and I hate that.”

  “Oh, come on now. You haven’t been gone that much.”

  “Tripp, you wanted me to miss Hall
oween!”

  “I know. I know. So, what does consulting mean to you?” he asks.

  “It means, I do a maximum of one site visit every two weeks, and everything else will be done via video-conferencing. If I’m not in charge, I don’t need to be there in person.”

  “Fine,” he says. “It’s your design talent that I want. That’s the intangible that you bring to the equation. The rest is just numbers. I guess, you’ve got a deal. Between you and your husband, you’re going to break me this year.”

  Jadyn laughs. “Somehow, I doubt that.”

  “Whatcha gonna do with all that cash?” he asks.

  “Actually, Tripp,” she says, “how about we trade some of that cash for some of your company’s class A stocks?”

  I can see him narrow his eyes at her in admiration. “Well, I’ll be.”

  “Is that a yes? I understand they aren’t easy to get.”

  “Hell, darling, I’ll make some new ones. Just for you. How much we talking?”

  She throws out a staggering number.

  “That’s almost everything you’ll take home from the sale.”

  “Yes. And it’s going in a trust for my children, so don’t mess things up.”

  “Darling, I think I just fell in love,” he says.

  “Um,” I mutter, raising my hand like I’m in a classroom.

  “Uh, Tripp, Jennifer Edwards is here with me now. I think she’d like to say something.”

  I put my face in front of the screen. “Any chance I could get in on a deal like that? I’ll be honest, I was afraid to invest my money. Heard horror stories about managers stealing it, so it’s mostly all cash.”

  Tripp’s eyes get huge. “Are you serious?”

  “Yes, sir,” I say politely.

  “Oh, please don’t call me sir.”

  “Yes, Tripp.”

  “Better,” he says. “I’ve seen your net worth in Forbes. Are you telling me you’ve never invested it? No stocks, bonds, real estate, nothing?”

  “Uh, well, I did just buy a house. And I have a few—okay, maybe like eight exotic cars.”

  “Will you be in Kansas City for a few more days?” he asks.

  “Yes,” I say, hoping I still will be, Lori’s threat of moving into Danny’s bed still on my mind even though it shouldn’t be.

  “In that case, we’re all meeting tomorrow with my guy. For gosh sake, you must pay an exorbitant amount in taxes.” He’s still shaking his head when he ends the call.

  “I’ve heard about his A stock. It’s premium,” I say to Jadyn.

  “It is. And no one ever sells it. There are a lot of people here who owe all their wealth to his business savvy. People who invested twenty years ago are rolling in it. A hundred dollars invested thirty years ago is worth something like six million today.” She changes the subject. “I still think you should have stayed at Danny’s last night.”

  “I didn’t think it made sense. I haven’t spend the night in his house while the kids were there. And I won’t until after he’s divorced.”

  I tell her what Lori said yesterday about screwing up. That she knows Danny still loves her. How they have a second chance and how she’ll sleep in Devaney’s room until he gets back, and then she’s moving back in his room, where she belongs.

  “Oh, that’s bull,” Jadyn says. “Don’t listen to her. Danny would never allow it.”

  “He could have sent her to a hotel,” I counter.

  To that, she doesn’t have a response. She just nods her head in agreement and scowls.

  That would have left me in a bit of a tizzy, but Danny’s been texting me constantly since he left, and the fact that he told me he’s been thinking about proposing sets my heart soaring.

  I spend most of my afternoon texting Danny and reading a potential script in the study while Jadyn works.

  Later, she tells me that Danny’s kids will be here for dinner and to watch the first half of the game, and then Phillip will be staying with them until Danny gets home. Which will be late.

  Danny

  After a decisive victory, the team got on a plane and flew back to Kansas City. It’s just after three in the morning when I finally get to my house. I would have loved to go over and wake up Jennifer, but I need some sleep if I’m going to be able to hang out with her all day tomorrow—well, today.

  I park the car outside, so the garage door doesn’t wake Angel and move quietly through the front door and into my room—where I find my estranged wife in my bed, waiting up for me, and dressed in a white mesh slip that leaves little to the imagination.

  “You shouldn’t be here, Lori,” I say with a sigh.

  “You always liked when I waited up for you,” she says with a sexy smirk, letting the strap slip off her shoulder.

  “Yet you rarely did. I’m going to put my suitcase in my closet, and when I get back, I want you out of my bed.”

  “Okay then.” She pouts. “If that’s how you want it.”

  “That’s how I want it,” I emphasize. Although I’m a little shocked she’s giving up so easily.

  I take my time hanging up my suit, changing into a pair of pajama pants, and brushing my teeth. When I step into my room, I understand that she didn’t give up. Sure, she’s out of my bed, but she’s now standing next to it, stark naked.

  She saunters toward me and runs her finger down my chest.

  It’s a familiar gesture, and it’s funny how what used to turn me on now repulses me. I guess betrayal will do that to you. I’m not the least bit attracted to her. Not even her boobs, which I always loved. Well, truth, I liked them better before her surgery. But she was worried they sagged slightly. Who knows? Maybe Richard has been making her into his perfect woman, one procedure at a time.

  I study her more closely, trying to remember all she’s had done. Butt implants. A tummy tuck. A little face sculpting. She’s still beautiful, but I didn’t really notice how different she looks—probably because they were subtle changes. A nip here, a tuck there. All meant to enhance. And they did. But as I think back to the young girl who used to run her finger down my chest with a smirk, I realize how far she’s taken it. Her body is literally perfect.

  “I see that look in your eye, Danny,” she coos. “I know you want me as badly as I want you. I’ve missed you so much.”

  “Actually, I’d like you to put your clothes on. You’re making me uncomfortable.”

  She sits back on the bed, purposefully spreading her legs. “I didn’t really mean it, Danny. When I told you about the affair and left with Richard, I thought you would come after me. Fight for me. Fight for us. I only had an affair to get your attention. I left because I wanted you to realize that you can’t live without me.” What she says pulls at my heartstrings. “We shouldn’t have given up so easy. I shouldn’t have. I’m sorry. Really, I am.” She holds her arms out. “I never wanted a divorce. I mean it. Now, I’m humiliated that I had to go to such great lengths to get you to notice me. This was supposed to be a separation, so we could have an amazing reunion. It’s a blip in our lives. Make love to me, Danny. Let’s fix this and be a family again.”

  December 5th

  Jennifer

  I wake up at ten in the morning, feeling like I didn’t get any sleep. I tossed and turned all night. The thought of Lori staying in Danny’s house had me feeling all kinds of jealous, and I was plagued by dreams where I watched them make love through the window. And others where I was a guest at their vow renewal.

  I know I shouldn’t feel that way. I know it’s my own insecurities coming out. And boy, did they do so last night.

  I tried to be supportive and understanding. I know she put him in a difficult situation. But it killed me yesterday to watch the easy way in which she manipulated him. Maybe it’s because she’s done it for years, but it’s like Danny doesn’t even realize what she’s doing. It’s like he loses his balls around her.

  Last night, Phillip said he texted Danny and told him that the second he got home, he needed to grow a
set and kick her out. Of course, he argued with him that he couldn’t do that because of the children.

  It’s a lose-lose situation for us and a win for Lori. I know I shouldn’t think of it as a competition, but I do.

  Especially since tomorrow is the day I’ve been counting down to.

  The day Danny’s divorce is supposed to be final.

  I get dressed and notice that I have a text from Danny. It makes me feel all warm and fuzzy every time I see his name.

  I sit on the bed and sigh happily, looking forward to reading whatever cute thing he had to say.

  Danny: Hey, Jennifer. Since I didn’t have your number, I thought I’d text you from Danny’s phone. In case you haven’t figured it out yet, this is his wife. I’ve been reading through all your text messages to each other, and I just want you to know that my heart goes out to you. I know you’ve recently been through a lot personally, but it’s time for you to pack your bags and go back to La-La Land because Danny is here, lying next to me, happily exhausted from our wonderful physical reunion. Yes, we made love. Many times. I know that he slept with you. And I know how easy it is to love Danny. He’s such a charismatic and wonderful man. And his body. Don’t even get me started. But you already know that.

  But since I get the feeling that you’re a stubborn whore who won’t believe me and won’t want to go away, I’ll give you the details. When Danny got home from his game, I greeted him the way I always have, wearing something sinfully sexy. I told him that I missed him. He confessed that he still loved me. That you were just a distraction. Something to help take his mind off me.