Chapter
Four
Clinton Dilmun was down on one knee with a jewelry box in his hand. He held it up to his long-time girlfriend, Molly. Molly had her hand over her heart and tears glistening in her eyes. Warmth hit my back, and in my ear was whispered, with a gruff tone, “Now you’ll have to stay to celebrate.”
The man behind me seemed to like to think he could order me around. Well, I had news for him. “I’ll be staying, but not because you said to. Instead, it’s because I want to.”
It was then I heard his low chuckle, and it sent a shiver throughout my body. I quickly stepped away. I couldn’t afford to have any type of reaction to the man who was my boss, and my best friend’s brother. Also a man who was already taken. The last part was the most important one.
Cheers went up around me, and it was then I realized I’d missed the whole proposal, all because of the stupid man on my mind. I turned to glare at him. His eyes were on me and he winked.
The gall.
Raising my upper lip at him caused him to throw his head back and laugh.
I was soon wrapped in arms by a screaming Molly. “I’m engaged.”
A smile lit my face. Her excitement was contagious. We jumped around in a circle, gushing over the thrill and ring.
“Hey, waiter,” I heard Mr. High call. “Drinks around the table, all on my son-in-law. It’s time to celebrate.”
Clinton stepped up and tucked Molly under his arm as others congratulated them. I took a seat next to Mr. High, and then to my horror, Mr. Salvatore sat next to me, while Clinton and Molly took up the next couple of seats at his side. My brows dipped. Where had Debra gone?
It was Grayson, from across the table, who voiced my question. “Your date seems to have disappeared.”
Mr. Salvatore grunted, which Grayson smirked at. I turned my attention to the menu since it seemed my boss wasn’t going to actually reply with a proper answer about why his date left. My stomach growled as I eyed the list of food. In the end, I narrowed it down between steak with salad or the mushroom chicken and salad.
“Adalyn, wasn’t it?” Mr. High called beside me.
Glancing at him, I smiled.
“Yes.”
“So tell me. How did Vice find your services lacking?”
“Dad!” Lori scolded.
“Come on, Jellybean, we all want to know.”
“He’s right, babe,” Dylan said.
Grayson and Kenzie talked quietly, but their eyes were on me. My so-called friends were in their own world on the other side of Mr. Salvatore. Though, I couldn’t blame them.
Since I was on my own, I told Mr. High, “I work in one of his stores, and he came in pretending to be a customer. I answered every question he asked, but apparently, I didn’t do a good job of it.”
Mr. Salvatore scoffed at my side. “If you had met my gaze and didn’t mutter through everything, I wouldn’t have had a problem.”
Spinning to face him, I glared at his smirk and said, “I didn’t mutter.”
“You did.”
“Well, maybe if you hadn’t of been a big, scary ass, I—”
“Boss,” Mr. High coughed into his fist. “Damn, that seemed familiar.” He looked to Kenzie, who rolled her eyes.
Bugger, he was right. I couldn’t call my boss an ass even if he deserved it.
“Anyway. It won’t happen again.” I grabbed a roll out of the basket in front of me and broke it apart like I was breaking the arm which was heating my back on the top of my chair.
What was Mr. Salvatore’s game? To unnerve me? Well, he couldn’t.
Grinding my teeth, I slapped some butter on my roll, squished it together and bit into it with a grumble under my breath about how stupid jerks smelt divine. Then again, I was sure most men from hell would smell tempting.
There were a couple of chuckles around me. One from the man I was trying to ignore beside me. I glanced at him and with a mouthful, asked, “What? Do you find my eating lacking also?” He probably had a problem with how I ate or the fact I ate at all. Especially if Debra was the type he usually went for.
“Not at all,” he answered.
“I’m not lacking in any area,” I stated with a huff. I placed the rest of my roll down so I could turn toward him and cross my arms. Why I was arguing about it there in front of everyone I didn’t know. But the word lacking had hit hard.
“Really?” he queried. His lips trembled like he wanted to smile because he found me amusing.
I wasn’t being funny.
The man before me got on my nerves.
“Yes, really.”
“Then why wouldn’t you look at me in the store, until of course at the end, when you became angry with me.”
Rolling my eyes, I snorted and waved my hand aimlessly in the air. “No reason, nothing really.”
“Then I guess you lack at telling the truth.” He smirked like he’d won a round of boxing. I opened my mouth to tell him where he could shove the word lacking when Grayson cleared his throat.
“As entertaining as this argument is, I think it’s time to order,” Grayson announced.
I clapped, pointed to the man across from me, and said, “That’s a grand idea.”
Kenzie and Lori giggled. Dylan was smiling while Mr. High chuckled, and my old friends down the end were looking at me and grinning like they were enjoying a show.
When the waiter finally arrived, and after we ordered, Molly stole Mr. Salvatore’s attention, which I was grateful for since he turned their way and dropped his arm from behind my chair. I used the time to get to know the rest at the table. They were amazing people, full of happy and laughable moments. Especially when I heard about Kenzie on cough medicine. Eventually we got on the subject of their children, Noah was two and Makala was one. I mentioned my divorce and then Drew. I didn’t realize, as I was telling them my life story, the people to my right had grown silent and were also listening.
“Why would your dick of an ex leave a lovely lady like yourself?” Mr. High asked.
“Dad, you can’t ask things like that.” Kenzie jumped in.
His head jerked back. “Why not?”
“It’s private. Don’t mind him. He didn’t take his not-to-be-nosy meds tonight.”
Mr. High groaned. Honestly, there was no shame in the answer to his question. It was plain and simple. My ex left me for a younger, skinnier woman.
John had been the first to find me lacking.
Lacking enough to leave me.
He’d been gone for two years, yet it still hurt to think I wasn’t enough for such a douchebag. He wasn’t perfect either, but did I tell him about his flaws? No, I hadn’t because I wasn’t such a mean person.
Then again, John hadn’t been mean throughout our relationship. We’d had happy times. Many of them. Except toward the end.
Honestly, instead of reliving the pain associated with the word lacking, I should think myself lucky. I had been married to a man who was so self-centered. A man who couldn’t love me for who I was, no matter the shape I was in.
Yes, I was better off without a man like that in my life.
Pasting a smile on my face, I shrugged and glanced down to my watch. “Maybe another time I’ll tell you, Mr. High, but for now, I really must be going.”
No doubt Drew would be waiting up for me since it was Friday, even though I’d warned him not to be tired for his first basketball game. As I stood, Mr. High’s hand landed on mine and gave it a squeeze. I sent him a warm smile and moved around my chair to push it into the table. Digging through my bag, I grabbed my purse and pulled it free.
“I’ve got it,” his rough voice said. I looked to see Mr. Salvatore staring at me.
“No, thank you, but I can pay—”
“Do you have to argue about everything?”
My lips snapped shut. I didn’t usually argue so much; it seemed Mr. Salvatore brought it out in me. Ignoring him, I pulled out some bills and—
“Adalyn,” Clinton called. “I’ve got it, honey. I was going to buy anyway as a thanks for sharing this moment with us and being a part of our lives.”
That was sweet.
Smiling, I blinked the tears away and nodded. I took the couple of steps to them and slipped my arms around each of their shoulders, bringing them in close. “Love you, guys, and congratulations again.” Honestly, I wished I’d have known Molly and Clinton longer than a year. They were amazing people.
Standing, I placed a hand on each of their shoulders and said to the table, “Enjoy the rest of the night, and it was great meeting you all.”
In their own verbal version, I got a goodbye from everyone. Only, when I glanced quickly to my boss, he didn’t say anything. Instead, he tipped his chin up.
Molly tapped my hand. I leaned back in. “Thanks for coming. Love you, girlfriend, and don’t fall over on the way out. He’ll be watching.” She grinned big, and I scowled back.
Why, oh, why, would she do that to me?
Great, I was going to fall on my face no doubt. She knew how flustered I got if I even had an inkling a stunning man was paying me attention.
Wait. No, I could do it. I could walk out normally, and nothing would happen because Mr. Salvatore didn’t affect me. He annoyed me. I was over his good-looking self.
Yeah, and that was why my heart beat a million miles an hour. My stupid organ had been going crazy ever since I’d heard his voice, had him near me, and when his alluring scent clung to my nostrils all night long.
Damn the good-looking man.
I forced out a fake laugh, and then through gritted teeth, I said, “I’ll be fine. Like I said… doesn’t affect me any longer.”
With a final goodbye, I turned, placed my bag strap over my shoulder, and with my head held high, I slowly walked toward the exit.
Easy. Simple. I can totally do this.
I would have been fine… if an idiot didn’t push his chair back as I made my way through two tables.
I would have made it if that chair didn’t slam into my hip and cause me to fall to the left, pushing a woman’s upper body into her food, and then she turned abruptly with her arm out ready to defend herself. Yes, I would have stayed on my feet if I wasn’t in her hitting distance and falling to the floor when she knocked the wind out of me with her elbow.
For once, it wasn’t my clumsy fault, and yet I still made a fool out of myself.
I knew some of the laughter would be coming from Molly and Clinton. The rest I didn’t have a clue. I lay on the floor dying from embarrassment and blinked up at the ceiling while people flittered around me.
Finally, my friend came to rescue me. With her hand out, I took hold, and Molly helped me stand on two feet. The man who pushed the chair into me came forward and apologized profusely, as did the woman who thought she was being attacked by her boyfriend’s wife. After I assured them I was fine, I turned to Molly and asked an important question.
“Did he see?”
She was friendly enough she at least tried to fight her smile. “Yes.”
Nodding, I bit my bottom lip and cursed under my breath. He must think I was a real head case.
“Not that I care if he saw,” I quickly added.
“Sure,” Molly drew out.
“I don’t. I mean, let’s be real here. He’s my boss, your brother, and he’s dating someone. Also, there is the fact his name is connected to adult films. Imagine if Drew ever found out.” I faked a shudder.
“How about we talk about this later when you don’t have a split in the back of your dress.”
My heart stopped, my eyes widened, and I snarled, “You could have told me sooner.” Reaching around, I covered my butt with my hands.
She shrugged. “It’s hard to understand Clint’s mime movements.”
“Oh, God. They’re all looking, aren’t they?”
Her lips thinned. “Maybe.”
“Kill me now.”
“Addy, here you go.” Clinton came up behind to cover me with his jacket.
Gripping the arms of the jacket tightly around my waist, I said, “We will never speak of this again. Any of it, except about the engagement part. The rest will be locked behind a solid vault.”
“But Vice—”
“No.”
“Adalyn, he’s not so bad. I’m—”
“No.” I shook my head, kissed her cheek and then Clinton’s with a promise to clean his jacket and get it back to him. I then fled the restaurant quickly. Only it got the best of me. Just before I was out the door I looked back and saw my boss gazing at me with a frown on his annoyed-looking face.
If I had anything to do with it, I would never see Mr. Salvatore again.
With luck—please shine down on me in this area at least—Mr. Salvatore would never step foot in the store again, and if he did, it would be at the same hours as last time. Which was when I wouldn’t be there.
At least I knew I would never see him at Molly’s. I’d been visiting her place for a year, and he never went there. Ever.