by Faith Starr
“Where was I during all of this?”
Harry’s expression turned sour with envy. I didn’t understand why. Syd was nothing to write home about. He certainly hadn’t missed out on anything.
“I don’t want to hear any complaints from you, my dear. You’re more than well taken care of,” Rhonda admonished with narrow eyes and an angry tone.
Ouch! She was pissed and with very good reason.
Harry quickly turned to her, kissing her cheek and putting his arm around her.
Yes, my man, groveling is the right thing to do about now.
“Syd should be very proud of her accomplishment of fucking almost every guy at this table,” I huffed. She had totally gone overboard. I was repulsed by her and her drunken antics.
Jordin and Darla sat quietly. I could only imagine how uncomfortable Jordin felt. Darla too, for that matter.
“When it’s with the Dorian brothers, why shouldn’t I be proud?” She stood in front of her chair, wobbling slightly from side to side, pointing animatedly at the three of us.
“What the fuck, Syd?” Derek got up angrily. “I think you’ve had enough to drink. Maybe I should take you home?” He slipped her shawl off the back of her chair.
“Ooh. I like the sound of that.” Her brows rose, and she wore a stupid-ass smile.
“Good night, all. Enjoy the rest of your evening.” She waved at the group. “I’m sure I will, but if I had my way, I wouldn’t be leaving with only one Dorian.”
Was she fucking out of her mind? Maybe I should’ve poisoned her drink when I’d had the chance.
“That’s enough, Syd.” I was done acting PC. It was one thing to disrespect me and my brothers, but Jordin? Uh-uh. That shit wouldn’t fly.
I stepped around the table to my brother. “Hey, are you okay?” I wanted to make sure Derek and I were in a good place before he split.
“Fuck off.”
He shrugged me off with the back of his hand, then escorted Syd inside the house, without even saying good night to the parents. That wasn’t going to go over well with them.
For the time being, I let it be. He was obviously blaming me for something I had nothing to do with.
“Jordin, would you like to dance?” There was too much drama at our table. I wanted to get Jordin away from it.
“Sure.”
When I took hold of her hand, I sensed her hesitancy. I led her to the dance floor where other couples were already gathered. The band was playing a slow tune.
“I’m sorry for Syd’s behavior. It was completely out of line and inappropriate.” I held Jordin close, tension emanating from her body.
“Please don’t apologize for her.”
“I’m not apologizing for her. I’m apologizing for her making you feel uncomfortable in my family’s home.” I gazed into her eyes, pushing a stray piece of hair back and away from her face.
“You don’t owe me any explanations, Noah…bean.” She smiled.
What a relief. I let out the breath I’d been holding. Thank God she was able to find humor in the situation. I smiled in return and kissed her lips.
“There you two are.”
Another fucking interruption!
My aunt stood proudly in front of us with the photographer in tow. “You two look darling together. Let me have Christopher take a photo.”
“Aunt Jenny, please.” I held up my hand. How much more did Jordin have to endure? “No pictures.”
“Fine.” Fortunately, she was too high on life to get insulted and swiftly moved on to another couple.
Jordin pulled back when I faced her again. What the fuck happened now? “What’s wrong?”
“Nothing.”
“You’re not a good liar.”
“I’m fine, Noah. You know what? It’s getting kind of late. I think I’m about ready to call it a night.” She pulled away from me.
“Please don’t do this.” I spoke in a hushed voice. I didn’t want to make another scene.
Jordin turned and walked through the crowd, with me following closely behind. She stopped and faced me once we were at the edge of the dance floor. “Please don’t do what?”
Would somebody give me a fucking break tonight? I tilted my head back, my focus upward in the hopes that whatever higher power was up there was listening to my silent prayer for one.
“Please don’t play games. You’re the therapist here. Speak to me.”
“You were right when you said I feel uncomfortable. I do. I don’t belong here.” She was assertive in her declaration.
I understood the night had turned to shit, but she did belong here. Sydney was the one who didn’t belong. Jordin had to believe me.
“Why’re you saying that?”
“This isn’t the time or the place. This is a special occasion for you and your family, and I don’t want to ruin it.”
“I would say trying to run out on me kind of does.” I wanted her to understand that without her here next to me, I didn’t want to be here either.
“I’m not running, Noah.” She shook her head in disagreement, her words a sheer contradiction to her body language.
35
Jordin
I felt like running. Noah telling his aunt not to take a photo of us together was more hurtful than hearing about his fuckfest with that slut, Sydney. What a piece of work she was.
Who was I kidding to think Noah felt anything toward me? What if he considered me to be another Sydney? Well, if he did, he had another thing coming. She might like things down and dirty with gangbangs and shit, but I didn’t.
My heart pounded so hard I thought others would take notice of it beating. Here came panic attack number two, this one even more intense than the first one. I needed to get the hell out of this place. It was like Pretty in Pink all over again. I was Molly Ringwald, and Noah was Andrew McCarthy. We were from different sides of the track. I couldn’t compete with Sydney with her fancy dress and diamond earrings or with Rhonda and Harry, two big-time lawyers who lived in a penthouse downtown and worked for a national firm. I was happy being Jordin from the South, the nice country girl with the big, soft heart.
What a night. I certainly hadn’t expected it to turn into such a clusterfuck. Other than the fun had in Noah’s bedroom, which I now regretted, the entire evening had become way too much Keeping up with the Kardashians for my taste, with my language turning to shit as a result of it as well.
“Hey lovebirds, Mom and Dad want a picture with us.” Mitch unexpectedly poked his head into our little twosome.
“Did you tell them Derek left?” Tension filled Noah’s jaw.
“He didn’t leave.”
“What do you mean he didn’t leave?”
“Syd’s parents saw how trashed she was and took her home. They didn’t feel it was right for Derek to skip out on the party because of their daughter’s poor choice to get smashed at a family event. Come on. The folks want a family picture in front of the staircase.”
We were already being nudged forward toward the living room.
“Jordin, please wait for me. Our conversation isn’t over.”
“Fine.”
I hesitantly agreed to his request, but I didn’t want to stand by and watch so I went back to our table instead. Rhonda and Harry were practically making out. Yup. That was classy. Darla sat on the opposite side, looking beyond miserable.
“Hi, Darla, do you mind if I keep you company?” I plopped down in the vacant seat next to her. Harry and Rhonda were too busy in their own little world to take notice.
“Please do.” She was pleased to have someone to talk to. “Is this your first time meeting the Dorians?”
“Yes, you?”
“Sure is, although Mitch hasn’t introduced me to his father yet.” She frowned.
I didn’t really know how to respond without making her feel worse. “Their parents are so busy with their guests. I’m sure it was purely an oversight.”
“No. It wasn’t.”
Okay, then. I was
n’t about to touch that comment with a ten-foot pole.
“Have you and Mitch been dating long?”
“To his family, it’s been too long.”
Damn. Maybe I should’ve waited in the living room.
“Mitch’s parents aren’t fond of me.”
“But you just said it’s your first time meeting them and still haven’t met his father yet. So how do you know they aren’t fond of you if they don’t even know you?” Guess I was going there with her since it seemed that was all she wanted to talk about.
“Look at me?”
I did and didn’t get her silent message. Other than her extremely thin appearance, she appeared well put together. But then again, what did I know about fashion? I had my gay neighbor dress me.
“I think you look lovely.”
“Aren’t you sweet? I’m a bartender, Jordin. I don’t exactly meet the Dorian standards for girlfriend material.”
“And what’re their standards?” If she knew something about the Dorian family I didn’t, I wanted intel.
“Sydney meets the criteria for girlfriend material.”
Say what? I did a double take. Had I heard her correctly?
“Sydney? The woman who was drunk and made a fool of herself, Sydney?”
“The one and only.”
How appalling. My face probably revealed my disgust. “And why’s that?”
“Because she’s educated, wealthy, and single. The end.”
“Hmm.” Phil and Jenny hadn’t come across to me as shallow people. But then again, I didn’t know them from a hole in the wall. After all, I had just learned tonight Phil was a founder of Dorian Publishing.
“I hope I didn’t offend you.” Her brow creased apologetically.
“No, not at all, but I guess that means I’m not girlfriend material either since I only qualify for the single and educated parts.”
“Lucky you. I only qualify for the single part.”
It was so obvious she felt out of place here. I kind of felt sorry for her.
“Don’t be so hard on yourself, Darla. If Mitch didn’t think highly of you, he wouldn’t have brought you tonight.”
“And what’s your story? From what I’ve been told, I didn’t think Noah was the settle-down type.”
“And what exactly have you been told?”
A deep voice from behind startled both of us. We snapped our heads around to find Noah standing there.
“You know exactly what I’m talking about, Noah. Excuse me, Jordin, it was nice talking to you, I’m going to go and find Mitch.”
She pushed her chair away from the table and rose, abruptly turning around and storming off.
“Don’t listen to Darla.” He moved closer, standing next to her vacant chair.
“She seemed nice enough to me.”
“Everyone seems nice enough to you, Jordin.”
It was a good thing my mouth didn’t hit the table by falling open so wide. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
“It was a compliment. It means you don’t judge people. You take them for what they are.”
That was pretty much me to a tee. I tried, except when it came to people like Sydney and Karina at times because of the uneasy feeling I got in her presence. In those situations it was difficult to hold back my judgments.
“I try to give people a chance before forming opinions.”
“Which is why you make a great therapist. Are you ready to head out?”
I debated whether to take hold of the hand he offered me. I caved in, slipping my hand in his.
“Yes. But I’d like to say goodbye to your aunt and uncle first and thank them for their hospitality.”
“Come. I’ll take you to them.”
Why was he looking at me so oddly? “What?”
“Nothing, it’s just really nice of you to do that.”
I didn’t understand why he was surprised. Of course I was going to say goodbye to the host and hostess.
“It’s called manners, Noah. None of which I saw too much of this evening.”
“Ouch. Was that a personal attack?”
“Take it however you see fit.” I was tired of holding back. Enough was enough.
He led me over to his aunt and uncle’s table. They were animatedly engaged in conversations with their guests.
Jenny stood and practically suffocated me with a hug. “It was so nice to meet you, Jordin. Phil and I would love to have you over for dinner one night so we can get to know you better.”
“Okay, Aunt Jenny. Don’t overwhelm the girl.”
Why did he keep trying to shield me from them? Maybe Darla was right.
My heavy sigh only made me feel worse.
After our goodbyes he escorted me out of the house where the valet brought up his car.
“Where to?” He pulled out of the driveway and onto the main road.
“Home.”
“Mine or yours?”
Hello? Did he really think we were going to spend the night together after all that excitement? And by that I wasn’t referring to the little scene we had upstairs in his bedroom.
“I would like to go to mine. You can then go to yours.”
He didn’t speak for the rest of the ride, both of his hands on the steering wheel. I actually felt kind of bad. I knew I was acting like a total bitch, but it was only because of the need to defend my honor.
When we got to my building, he parked the car. “May I please come upstairs so we can talk?” His shoulders were hunched and his expression looked somewhat lost while waiting for my reply, making me feel worse.
“Fine.” I couldn’t say no to Noah Dorian.
36
Noah
My insides bubbled in fear. I didn’t do fear. Fear was for the weak. I faced fear head-on, but Jordin unraveled me. I couldn’t understand it. I also couldn’t understand why she was so upset with me.
She unlocked her door and flipped on the light switch.
“Have a seat. I’ll be right out.”
She went into her room and closed the door behind her, locking it.
Message received.
I desperately wanted to be in that bedroom with her, helping her out of that dress. I wanted to be anywhere other than sitting on her small microfiber sofa looking at a fucking Hello Kitty doll. I turned it backward, its stupid face creeped me out.
The door unlocked, the ultimate insult. She stepped out wearing yoga pants and a T-shirt. She looked just as gorgeous now as she had in her cocktail dress.
“Jordin, please tell me what I did wrong?” I approached her, sliding my hand through my hair. I hated having this tension between us.
“You didn’t do anything wrong, Noah. I just got a bigger glimpse into your life tonight.” She shrugged, clearly not wanting to get into it.
“And?”
“I don’t know. For starters, your uncle’s one of the founders of Dorian Publishing.”
Her narrow eyes would make you think he was Jesse James or something. I didn’t get it.
“So? I must be missing something, because I don’t see a problem.”
“Listen, Noah, I don’t like to make judgments until I give people a chance. But tonight, that entire Sydney thing…”
“Fuck Sydney. She acted out of line and inappropriate.” My hands added emphasis to that point.
“You two obviously have history.”
She left for the kitchen to get a glass of water. I surmised it was a defense tactic. I wasn’t about to let her walk away when she was beginning to open up, so I followed her.
“It was a long time ago. I have absolutely no interest in her whatsoever.”
“I would assume she feels differently.” She reached into the freezer to grab some ice cubes, not giving me the time of day.
“Is that what this is all about? Sydney?”
“That…and…” She filled her cup from the big plastic jug sitting on the shelf in the fridge.
“And what? What else?”
“When your
aunt asked to take our picture, you said no.”
Finally, she acknowledged me, her shoulders slumped, her eyes questioning me. Why was she so torn up about this? I considered myself to be a smart guy who grasped things easily but right now, I had nothing.
“So?”
“You didn’t want to take a picture with me?”
Fuck. That’s what she thought? I only tried to protect her from further discomfort.
“I never said that. I didn’t want my picture taken, period.”
“Why not, what would’ve been so terrible?”
Christ. It was a fucking picture. Why the drama over taking one?
Maybe it was me, but I still didn’t get it.
“You’re hung up on the fact that I didn’t want to take a picture?”
“You took one with your brothers, but when asked to take one with me, you said no. Why?” She placed her glass down on the counter, crossing her arms in front of her.
“I’m sorry, Jordin. My aunt caught me off guard.” Fuck. If she wanted an apology, she’d get one, even though I honestly didn’t think I had done anything wrong.
“Being in a picture with a woman—is that a big deal for you?”
Whoa there, partner. I wasn’t about to let her turn this on me. “I’m not one of your clients. Please don’t try to analyze me.” I didn’t need to cross my arms to indicate my stance on the matter.
“I’m not, and I never said you were. I’m just using my words, like you asked me to do earlier.”
I gave her credit. She was fucking tough as nails with her psychoanalysis shit.
“Fine. I’m sorry if I hurt your feelings. I’m new at this, Jordin.”
“New at what? Being with a woman outside the bedroom or the club?”
Ouch. “That’s just mean.”
“You’re right. I apologize. It was mean, and I only said it because I feel hurt.” Her shoulders drooped.
“I tried with all my might to protect you tonight from the very thing you feel right now.”
“Why would you need to protect me? I’m a big girl.”
“I wanted tonight to be special, and I fucked it up. I should probably go.” I couldn’t do this relationship bullshit. I exited the kitchen and plodded toward the front door.