Unspoken Bundle - Box Set Books 1-6

by Danes, Ellie

  I tossed my purse on the couch in the ladies' room and paced for moment. Aimee looked concerned. “What? What is it? I know Carter acted like a jerk with the whole table thing but he does get headaches a lot...”

  “Aimee, how long has he been separated? Or is he still married?” I waited for Aimee’s response, but she sat there in silence.

  She reached for a tissue off the table next to her. She dabbed at her eyes and wiped the tear off her hand. “He’s divorced. I didn’t want to say anything because I didn’t want you to judge him.”

  I stared at Aimee, trying to carefully plan my next words, and decided it was best not to tread lightly. “Everything he does, he says, the way he acts. It says he’s married.”

  “I guess I'm not really surprised. I knew, deep down, I just didn't want to believe it. What the hell is wrong with me? I mean, the sex wasn't even that good. I guess I just don't want to be alone.”

  I sighed. I had no advice to give; I was far from an expert on love. If I had not plowed into Cain in an elevator six months ago, I wouldn’t be with him today. At least that was what I believed. Despite everything we had experienced, we had made it. “Need another minute?”

  “No, we might as well go back. I am a big girl and I know how to put on a happy face. I just have to believe that one day I will meet someone wonderful like Cain. I always knew Carter and I wouldn't work out.”

  “I could be wrong, Aimee. There’s only one way to find out.” I smiled at her with my squinted eyes.

  I fumed all the way back to the table. Carter didn't seem to notice a thing; he was too busy hiding behind the menu. We ordered our meals but once Sylvester left us, the uncomfortable silence returned, except when Carter wasn't tapping on his phone. Aimee drank her wine in two gulps and I poured her another glass—and myself one too. Cain shot me a warning look but I didn't heel.

  “So how long have you been divorced, Carter? A year? Five years?” My crossed leg tapped under the table.

  Carter half-laughed at my question. “What?”

  “Jennifer, where are you going with this?” Cain growled at me.

  “Cain, I’m just trying to get to know Carter.” I leaned forward in my chair and whispered angrily while tears fell down Aimee's face. I waited for Carter’s response.

  “Um, a little over a year.” Carter’s voice waivered and I smiled at him. “So you just stopped wearing your ring recently then.” I looked down at the indentation in his ring finger and the faint tan line. Carter pulled his hand to his lap.

  “What are you saying, Jennifer? That I’m lying? That I’m making things up?” Carter looked at Aimee, tears streamed down her face.”

  “It's really selfish of you to get involved with Aimee when you know you can't commit to her. Why? Why would you do something like that? What’s wrong with you?”

  Carter looked at Aimee again and then stared across the table at Cain. He finally set his eyes on me. “You know, I really care for Aimee. It’s not like you’re saying.” He paused, looking for the right words.

  “But it’s true? You’re married?” I waited for his response. The entire table fell silent.

  “Yes, sort of, I’m separating. It’s difficult. Aimee, I’m sorry…”

  Carter reached for Aimee’s hand but she pulled it away. “Don’t. Just go.”

  Carter threw his napkin on the table. He stared at me like he wanted to slap me. “You think you're so damn smart. You just ruined a great thing for your friend.” Carter stormed out of the restaurant leaving the three of us staring after him.

  I reached for Aimee’s hand across the table and held it for a minute. “Are you ok? I’m sorry, I didn’t think he would react like that.” I filled her glass again and soon the other diners lost interest in us. After a few minutes of chatting with Aimee, Cain excused himself.

  “Jennifer, I think you and Aimee need some time to talk without me hanging around.” He kissed my forehead and got up from the table. I could tell he wasn't happy with my performance tonight but I couldn't—and probably wouldn't—have changed a thing. “I’ll take care of the check, you ladies order another bottle of wine. We'll talk later.”

  Chapter Ten

  A cramped schedule and bad timing kept me from saying goodbye to Cain before he left for the West Coast. He had been busy planning a new direction for his company over the last six months, and now his plans were beginning to take off. I was happy for him. For us. But still, it meant he would be away quite a bit for the next few weeks. I wished we’d had more time together last night. It didn’t end the way I had hoped, but Aimee had needed a friend.

  I slid my feet into my black high heels and answered my ringing phone. “I was just thinking about you...” I purred into the phone.

  “Really? What were you thinking, and did you have a smile on your face?” Cain flirted back.

  I laughed, happy that whatever tension we had experienced last night wasn't serious enough to warrant a full-blown argument. “I'll never tell.” I returned playfully.

  “I'm sorry about leaving last night. I hope you forgive me.”

  “It's okay. You were right. We needed some time to chat privately. Thanks for the dinner, by the way. I'd like to visit again, just the two of us. I'll make the reservation this time.” I couldn’t help but take a jab at Ashley.

  “That sounds like a date! Speaking of which, don't forget, I'll send a car over for you Friday night. Are you excited?” Before I could answer him, I heard the terminal announcer call for passengers for his flight.

  Ashley’s young, familiar voice echoed in my ear. “Cain, they’re boarding.” My heart sank. Cain had failed to tell me that Ashley was accompanying him. Although it wasn’t my business, it hurt to think of someone other than me traveling with him.

  “I've got to go. I'll try to call you tonight, after the meeting.” Cain paused and then added, “I’ll miss you.”

  “Sounds perfect. Talk to you then…and I’ll miss you too.” I hung up the phone, grabbed my purse and briefcase, and headed out the door. I couldn't afford to mope about Cain right now, even if he was flying first class with Ashley. My phone rang again the instant I put it in my purse. “Hello, this is Jennifer.”

  “Good morning, Miss Dunning. This is Rebecca at the front desk. I’m sorry to call you so early, but the furniture delivery drivers are here and are looking for some direction as to where to put this furniture.”

  I felt the stress rise in my chest and realized it was likely to be another one of those days. “I’ll be there in about fifteen minutes. Please ask Reese to go down and make sure everything gets in without being damaged.” I didn’t wait for her response and hung up. I took a deep breath, exhaled, and made my way toward the car.

  Today was the day I would finally get some answers from Brice’s client about the accident, his DUI and why he was lying to Brice. There seemed more questions than answers at the moment, and I wanted it to be the other way around. It was quite the mystery; it seemed pretty cut and dry, only it wasn’t.

  I headed straight to the eleventh floor when I arrived at the office, to see what kind of disaster I had created by allowing Reese to work with the furniture delivery people. To my surprise, everything was placed perfectly and the movers had installed almost half of the furniture. I took the opportunity to sneak out and head upstairs to prepare for my meeting with Brice and John Doll.

  “Miss Dunning, Mr. Pennington is in the conference room.” Rebecca seemed to be delivering all the news I didn’t want to hear today. Brice was early; I had hoped to get settled and enjoy a cup of coffee before our meeting.

  I briefly stopped by the conference room on my way to my office. Brice was sitting at the table and stood to greet me. As much as I didn’t want to admit it, he looked incredible in a sleek dark blue suit. “Good morning, Jennifer. I hope you don’t mind, but I wanted to get a few things organized before my client showed up. He should be here within the hour.”

  I hesitated before answering; if I’d told him the truth he
would likely have been offended. “Well, it’s ok with me, but let me check with the receptionist. This is technically DDC’s conference room and I don’t have much say in who uses it. I’ll send Rebecca by to let you know, otherwise, I’ll see you in a few minutes.” I quickly excused myself and passed the message along to Rebecca. I knew we had the room booked all day, but I didn’t want Brice to feel like he had any control over the situation.

  I finally found brief comfort in my big office chair. Jen, tomorrow you begin meditating. I smiled to myself realizing that was never going to happen, but I needed some way of soothing the new stresses that were threatening to take over my life.

  A worn yellow legal pad sat on my desk beneath the stack of folders Reese had dropped off the day before. I had prepared my list of questions for John, but more kept popping into my head. Typically I would start off with a structured interview and let his body language and tells take me in the direction I needed. I pulled out the pad and reviewed the questions. Before long, John had arrived and Rebecca summoned me to the conference room.

  “Hello, Miss Dunning, I’m John Doll.” John was every bit of six-foot one, thin but all muscle, likely from his work outdoors.

  Sitting beside him was the petite girl I recognized from the video interview. “I’m Macie.” She also stood, appearing extremely polite. Neither came across as big partiers or wild college kids. Both were well dressed and groomed.

  “It’s nice to meet you both. If you won’t mind, I’d like to have a word with Mr. Pennington for a moment.” I motioned for Brice to meet me outside of the conference room. “Brice, exactly why is she here? I need him focused, and I don’t want her to distract him from answering.”

  Brice sensed my frustration. “He insisted she come, it was the only way he’d agree to speak with you.”

  “Did you not explain I was here to help him, like you?”

  Brice nodded but at this point it wasn’t going to change. We walked back into the conference room and I invited everyone to have a seat and we began. Macie reached over and held John’s hand as if this was going to be painful. If she only knew.

  “I know Mr. Pennington has explained that I’m here to help you, John. Everything you say will remain between us, and I need you to be honest and forthcoming with information. It’s in your best interest.”

  Brice flipped through his notes and started the questions. “Now John, I know we’ve been over this before, but I want to make sure we have everything correct. How many beers did you have at LaBerge that night? One? Two?"

  “Barely one. I didn't have anything else—no shots, no liquor, just a Miller Lite.”

  I carefully watched the interaction between John and Macie as Brice continued.

  “And did you have anything to eat while you were there?”

  John shifted in his seat and looked agitated. “No, nothing. I didn’t even want to be there, but…”

  Macie squeezed John’s hand.

  “But…?” I interjected.

  “Nothing. I just didn’t want to be there is all. We sat and talked and I started to feel buzzed and a little woozy. I thought it was a bit odd. I mean, I could usually put down a six pack no problem.”

  “So you drank some of your beer, you talked and then you left. Then a few miles down the road you run into this biker.” Brice continued to press, and I couldn’t help but jump in.

  “Macie, were you drinking too?”

  Macie appeared to be caught off guard by the question. “No. I mean, I had a sip of his beer, but I was drinking water.”

  “I’m really confused by all of this.” I flipped open the folders that Brice had given me and stared at them. “Macie, you really seem to care a lot about John.”

  “I do. I mean, we hit it off as soon as we first met.”

  “And John, considering you brought Macie with you, it must be okay to talk about all of the facts of this case with her, as well? Right?” John nodded in agreement and I continued. “So, Macie, I’m wondering, were you aware that John had a ticket for driving under the influence and had an upcoming court date?”

  Macie’s face began to flush as she turned to look at John. He nodded again. “Yes.”

  I continued. “So, I’m curious then… If John was complaining of feeling drunk, and was feeling…how did you describe it John? Woozy? Why would you allow him to get into the SUV and drive you?”

  Macie squeezed John’s hand tighter and looked down at the table. The color of her face evened out and she eventually met my gaze, but said nothing. I pulled the picture of the damaged SUV out and placed it in front of them both.

  “You see, Macie, John, here’s what doesn’t add up with your story. You were both found in the back seat, clearly intoxicated, covered in vomit and half passed out. When the police arrived John claimed to be driving, but when I look at this picture, the seat is clearly up close enough to the steering wheel for someone about five foot two or so to be driving.” I paused and switched my gaze from Macie to John. “And yet Macie claimed she hadn’t had anything to drink.”

  John slammed his empty fist on table. “I told you—”

  “No, John.” Macie interrupted. “I was driving. He’s covering for me, this whole situation is a big mess. We left the restaurant and I was fine. I hadn’t had anything to drink at all.”

  “Wait,” Brice chimed in, “you were covered in vomit.”

  “I know. I was fine when I got in the car, and I eventually began to get sick, like John.”

  “I don’t think you’re being honest, Macie. Remember, we need the truth.” Brice was on point and I let him run with it.

  “I wasn’t drinking, except for that sip, because…” Macie paused and briefly looked at John. “I’m pregnant.” The air was let out of the room and everyone fell silent. “He’s covering for me because he doesn’t want anything to happen to me and the baby. You know, jail.” Tears began to stream down her face and I slid a box of tissues across the table. “I was driving and began to get dizzy, I felt nauseous. I remember swerving a little and then I was sick in a bag that was on the front seat. I leaned over, and when I did, I felt a bump. That must have been when…”

  “When you hit the guy on the bike,” I finished for her.

  “I didn’t see him. He wasn’t there before.”

  Brice filled in the details of how the guy on the bike had just left a bar down the street and had swerved into the street. He was in the wrong place at the wrong time.

  “John, you were sick the next day, right? Sick enough to go to the doctor? What about you Macie?” I felt as if we were about to uncover something big.

  “I was sick, but I just stayed in bed. I figured we both just had stomach flu or maybe it was just the pregnancy.” Macie caught John’s gaze and then looked at both Brice and I. “No one is going to find out that I’m pregnant, are they? We haven’t really told anyone.”

  I had been jotting down notes while we talked and had filled my pad with questions. I looked over at Brice and then back at Macie. “For now. By the time any of this gets in front of a judge or it matters you won’t be able to hide it any longer.” Brice nodded in agreement. “I think we have enough for now, but I’m sure more questions will come up.” We sent John and Macie on their way, and Brice and I remained in the conference room.

  “Jennifer, this changes the entire case. I need to get a continuance and get some more facts. If she was driving and hadn’t been drinking then it’s a different case.”

  I agreed with Brice, but something else just didn’t sit right with me. “I’m going to go back through my notes tonight and I’ll catch up with you in the morning. I want to make sure I’m not missing anything.”

  “You’re working tonight? No hot date?” Brice’s big smile beamed at me.

  “No, my boyfriend is out of town and I have a ton of work to catch up on.” I gathered all of my files together and moved towards the door. Brice took the hint and followed. “I’ll give you a call if I find anything new.”

  We h
ad only spent a few hours questioning John and Macie, but it had felt like a lot longer and we had managed to work through lunch. I needed to switch gears and get things organized before the end of the day, so I decided to duck into the peace and quiet of our new vacant eleventh floor conference room.

  The smell of new furniture, carpet and paint filled the office space. Oddly, I liked the smell and knew it wasn’t going to last forever. I was so excited to start this new company, but over the last four days I hadn’t had a moment to even think about it, let alone enjoy the thought of being my own boss. I began unpacking some of the boxes that had been moved downstairs for us. I noticed that Reese’s part-time office was empty except for a new desk, chair and a notepad. I could see he was definitely trying to simplify his life and not get drawn back into working too hard.

  I went back into my office and sat on the sofa. I felt it was much easier to meet with clients in a comfortable, relaxed environment than in a stuffy conference room.

  As I relaxed and closed my eyes, my phone rang. Without looking, I answered it. “Jennifer Dunning.”

  “Good afternoon, Jennifer. Cain wanted me to call and remind you about the car tomorrow night. He also says that if you want to go dress shopping it's on him.” Ashley’s slightly nasal voice made my eyes flicker open.

  “Thank you for the reminder. He did mention the car to me this morning when we spoke.” I endured an awkward silence then I asked, “How’s the weather in California?”

  Another silence and then Ashley snickered. “It's California—it's always perfect.”

  “Well, I hope the trip proves lucrative for Cain. I know he's got a lot riding on this.” I really didn't want to bond with Ashley but I felt like I needed to make an effort. “Tell him to give me a call later.”

  “I’ll do that.” Ashley’s cute little voice was like nails on a chalkboard and I couldn’t get off of the phone fast enough. A sick, jealous feeling filled my stomach as I thought of Ashley enjoying her time away with Cain, away from me.