Chapter 31: Chapter 31

JAMIE

Ethan’s eyes were locked on me as he asked, “So, you’re okay?” He was referring to the tension at the dinner party. “I mean, after seeing your face that night, I didn’t think you’d ever speak to Mason again.”

“Or any of us,” Carmen chimed in, sounding concerned.

“I almost didn’t,” I admitted, lifting my cocktail glass for a sip. “But we’ve sorted things out. I understand now that Mason was just trying to protect me.”

Our dessert arrived, carried by the waiter to our small table. Three mouthwatering brownies, drenched in chocolate sauce, with a side of vanilla bean ice cream. We were at a new Italian restaurant. Ethan had picked it for the night.

Carmen’s eyes lit up at the sight of the dessert. “Oh, dessert,” she exclaimed, her eagerness infectious.

I couldn’t help but smile at her excitement.

Ethan’s eyes sparkled with mischief as he rubbed his hands together in anticipation. “The best part,” he declared, his voice a low rumble of delight.

He glanced up at the waiter, a casual smile on his face. “Can we get another round of cocktails?” he asked.

The waiter nodded and turned to leave.

I groaned, feeling a headache starting to form. “No,” I protested. “I don’t think I can handle another drink.” The memory of the two cocktails I’d already had at dinner flashed in my mind. Another one might be pushing it. Plus, I wasn’t sure how Mason would feel about me drinking too much without him there to look after me.

Ethan rolled his eyes, a familiar expression on his face. “Oh, come on,” he said. “You can handle it just fine. We’re all out together for the first time in years. Let loose, have fun.” His enthusiasm was contagious, making it hard to resist.

“All right, but just one more,” I conceded, knowing I was outnumbered.

And so, one more it was. We continued our conversation at the restaurant, the atmosphere light and carefree. Our last cocktail marked a bittersweet end to a night of reminiscing.

When it was time to leave, we piled into the back of Ezra’s car. Ezra was driving, and Ethan was our first drop-off. Then it was Carmen’s turn. We pulled up outside her apartment block just after seven.

“It’s Brent,” Carmen whispered, her eyes fixed on the entrance to the building.

I leaned over to get a better view. “What’s he doing?” I asked, keeping my voice low.

Carmen sighed, her face a picture of annoyance. “He doesn’t have a key to the building, so he’s waiting for someone to leave so he can get in,” she explained, rolling her eyes in frustration.

“This is so weird, Carmen,” I said. I watched Brent lean against the door, hoping to get in. Thankfully, he hadn’t noticed us yet, thanks to the tinted windows of the SUV. “Do you want to come back to mine?” I offered.

“I can’t… I have work in the morning,” she replied, her thoughts racing. “Maybe I should just face him. What can Brent actually do besides bully me with words? I don’t care about him anymore, so what he says doesn’t affect me.”

I felt the beginnings of panic. “No, don’t go out there,” I pleaded.

I turned to Ezra in the front seat. Normally, I wouldn’t involve him in my problems, but I felt I had no choice. “Ezra, would you mind asking that man to leave?”

Ezra nodded without hesitation. “Of course, miss,” he replied and swiftly exited the car.

From the backseat, Carmen and I watched as Ezra approached Brent. We couldn’t hear their conversation, but it was clear that Brent was not pleased. His face was red with anger, his fists clenched. Ezra, however, remained calm and composed.

After a few tense moments, Brent stormed off, muttering under his breath. Carmen and I exchanged relieved glances, grateful that Ezra had stepped in.

I finally made it home. The house was dark and empty. It was past eight and I knew Mason wouldn’t be back for a while due to a late dinner meeting. Penelope was spending the night with my dad, so it was just me, alone for the rest of the night.

I swapped my dinner attire for something more cozy: soft leggings and a long-sleeved black yoga top. As I filled a tall glass with iced water, I glanced at my phone, looking for any messages from Mason. As expected, he had texted, asking about the dinner.

Just as I was about to respond, my phone buzzed again. This time, it was an alert from the front gate. I answered it and Vince’s face popped up on the screen.

“Hey, Vince!” I greeted him. The sound bounced off the silent walls of the house.

“Miss Jamie, your physiotherapist is here for your appointment,” Vince informed me, his voice slightly muffled.

Adam’s here? My heart picked up its pace. I had been avoiding him, canceling my sessions because I didn’t want to make a big deal out of what happened at the bar. It was nothing, really, just a misunderstanding, but it blurred the lines between professional and personal.

“Miss?” Vince’s voice echoed from the phone. “Are you there?”

“Yeah, um…sorry…,” I stuttered. “You can let him in. Thanks, Vince.”

I hung up and placed the phone back on the counter, letting out a sigh.

The reality of the situation was starting to hit me. Any minute now, Adam would be knocking on my door and I would have no choice but to answer. I had tried to ignore his calls and texts, but that was only a temporary solution.

I took a deep breath and moved toward the front door, waiting for the sound of his approaching footsteps. My heart fluttered a bit. Things between Adam and I had always been good, but after the bar incident, I expected things to be awkward, at the very least.

A knock echoed from the front door, and I let out a breath before opening it. Adam was standing there, his usual gym bag and casual workout clothes missing. His blond hair was damp from the light rain outside, and his smile wasn’t as broad as it usually was.

“Hi, Jamie,” Adam said quietly.

“Hi…” I managed a smile, trying to hide my discomfort. I wondered if he felt it too. Maybe that’s why he came by—to clear the air. “Do you want to come in?” I asked.

Adam nodded, a small smile on his lips. He stepped into the house, like he had done countless times before, but this time it felt different. It felt tense. I closed the door and followed him. Ezra was outside, pretending to be uninterested.

Adam walked into the kitchen, then a bit further toward the dining room, where he paused and looked into the living room.

“Is Mason home?” he asked, breaking the silence.

“Um, no,” I replied, moving around the kitchen island to grab my water glass. I felt a pang of guilt as I met his gaze. “He has a dinner meeting tonight and Penelope is staying with my dad, so it’s just me here.”

It’s probably for the best that no one else is here, if we’re going to have this conversation. I took a sip of my water, trying to gather my thoughts.

Adam’s lips curved into a smile. “I thought it was a little too quiet. So you’re back home, that’s unexpected. It didn’t seem like you were going to forgive him.”

I hesitated, unsure of how to respond. “We talked about it. I understand now where he was coming from,” I explained, not that I needed to. I don’t even know why I was. I’ve always been the type to feel the need to justify my actions to everyone.

Adam sighed, moving closer to the kitchen island. He leaned against the counter, his eyes filled with worry.

“I just worry about you, Jamie,” he said. “You’ve been through a lot. I don’t want him taking advantage of you.”

“Mason wouldn’t do that. Yes, he lied to me. But I know that he was just trying to protect me,” I explained, yet again. I let out a sigh, feeling frustrated and defensive. “I don’t think we should talk about this. It’s not really your concern.”

“I’m sorry,” he said softly. “I’m just trying to protect you.”

Adam pulled out a stool at the kitchen island and took a seat. It was the same spot Mason had occupied at breakfast this morning. Two different men, both connected to me in their own ways.

“Do you want something to drink?” I offered, attempting to keep things friendly. After all, he was sort of a friend. The only issue was the almost-kiss that had never happened.

Adam paused, his gaze sweeping over the kitchen. “Could I have a coffee?” he asked. “I haven’t been sleeping well. I’m pretty worn out.”

“Of course,” I replied, setting up the coffee machine. Soon, the air was filled with the rich scent of brewing coffee. I placed a steaming cup in front of Adam on the island.

Adam took a sip, savoring the warmth and robust flavor. He closed his eyes for a moment, as if to fully appreciate the taste. When he opened them again, he set the cup back down.

“Wow, this is really good,” he said. “You make a great cup of coffee.”

“I can’t take all the credit,” I joked, trying to lighten the mood. “The machine did most of the work.”

Adam chuckled, but his smile quickly faded. “So, um…,” he began, and I knew he was about to bring up the incident at the bar. “I’ve been trying to reach you since that night. I’ve texted you a bunch of times.”

My heart rate picked up. “I know… I’ve just been really busy,” I stammered. “I’ve been taking care of Penelope and planning a birthday party for Mason’s cousin.”

“You’ve been avoiding me, Jamie,” he said, gently but firmly. “You cancelled our physio sessions… You know that’s not good for you, right? You need those sessions.”

I leaned against the counter across from him, crossing my arms defensively. “I’m doing okay without them,” I insisted. “I just didn’t want things to be awkward between us.”

“Because of the kiss?” Adam sighed, his gaze fixed on the countertop. “That night at the bar was fun, and you seemed to be enjoying yourself. I thought you were okay with it.”

I could feel my cheeks heating up. Maybe I had been sending him mixed signals. I took full responsibility for that.

“I’m sorry if you felt that way,” I said, looking down at my feet.

“Look at me,” Adam insisted. I lifted my gaze to meet his. “Don’t you feel that there’s something between us? You’ve confided in me so many times because I’m the only one you feel safe with.”

“We’re friends, Adam,” I said, brushing off his words. I tried to sound confident, but my heart was pounding.

Adam shook his head, his expression serious. “There’s more to it than that, you’re just too scared to admit it.” He stood up and walked around the island toward me. “I think you’re trying to force yourself to feel something for Mason because of Penelope. But that’s not the answer.”

My heart pounded even harder as he approached.

“I’m sorry…,” he said, his hands gently caressing my upper arms. “But only because I shouldn’t have let you walk away like that.”

His words sent a chill down my spine. I tried to pull away, but he held me firmly, his eyes locked with mine.

“I think you should leave,” I whispered.

His fingers brushed through my blonde hair, pushing it back from my face.

“No.” I pushed him away. I tried to walk away, but he pulled me back, his lips crashing against mine. The kiss wasn’t unexpected. I had a feeling it was coming, which is why I had tried to pull away.

But his forcefulness took me by surprise. I pushed against his chest, trying to create some distance. He was so strong…much stronger than me.

We broke apart for a moment.

“Adam, stop!” I whispered, breathless.

His lips met mine again, pushing me back against the wall. His body pressed against mine, his hands roaming over me. Panic washed over me.

“Adam, don’t do this!”

“Join me,” he murmured, his words brushing against my lips. His gaze was deep and fervent, a clear testament to the longing that was kindling within him.

He didn’t halt his advances. His lips persistently sought mine. I tried to resist, but his physique was as unyielding as a concrete barrier. My pleas fell on deaf ears. He disregarded my repeated refusals. I didn’t want this…not a single part of me craved this.

I clawed at his face with all the strength I could muster, unafraid to inflict pain. My nails dug into his flesh, and a stifled groan escaped Adam as he recoiled, his hand flying to his face. Blood seeped through his fingers.

His features twisted in shock and agony, his eyes wide as they stared at me in disbelief. I was gasping for breath, my heart hammering against my ribcage. Adam didn’t utter a word. He simply turned and left, his footsteps echoing hastily toward the front door.