“Ah…” Her cousin studied her shoes like they held the keys to making millions. “They were hinting…that is…implying—”
Dear God, when Jill stuttered like a nervous school girl, the earth titled on its axis. “What, for heaven’s sake?”
“That you and Blake have reconciled.” Bright spots of red on her cheeks. “They even said he was helping Andy work the crowd and find a woman.”
Oh, crap. She’d never thought the town gossips would interpret it that way. “He was simply…” What could she say? “Being kind. It’s hard for Andy to get back out there.”
“Of course it is. I can’t imagine what it’s like. If I lost Brian…and only had our girls.” She sniffed.
Natalie’s throat closed. This was not what she needed right now. Jill was supposed to be all piss and vinegar. Not maudlin sentiment. “If you hear anything else, please don’t tell me.”
“You can trust me, Natalie.” She made a zipping motion over her lips. “Okay, back to work.”
After her cousin left, Natalie met with the catering staff. While everyone kept the discussion professional, she could all but hear the questions bouncing around inside their heads. Thank God her two assistants yesterday hadn’t mentioned her epic hangover. As they were leaving, she decided to draw a line in the sand.
“If you hear any of the rumors floating around town about…well, Blake and me, I’d ask you not to mention The Grand Mountain Hotel’s catering contract with him. People might misunderstand further.”
The only response she received was a quick shake of their heads, and then they were heading out the door. How much more awkward could things get?
When Terrance knocked on her door, her guard instantly went up. “What is this? The Gossip Deli? Do you want to take a number?”
The scar near his mouth shifted with his wince as he strutted in and closed the door. “I take it you’ve heard the rumors.”
“Yes,” she said. “I would have heard them yesterday, but…”
“You were hung over,” he finished, shrugging at her gasp. “There was a pic on Twitter that had you pretty well plastered against Blake as he led you out of Hairy’s. There’s one of you getting into his SUV and another of your brother taking your car home.”
Why did people like social media again? She wanted to curse. A big, fat doozy of a curse. “Do people not have anything better to do with their lives?”
“It’s a small town,” he said. “And Blake’s famous. More famous than I am. Do you remember the kind of shit I had to put up with on Twitter a few months ago?”
The footage of him punching the man who’d harassed his fiancée had gone viral. None of it had been pleasant. Then again, none of it ever was.
“I don’t miss that part of our life,” she told him. “Everywhere we went, people were watching, taking pictures. Heck, it’s so bad Blake can’t even buy his own underwear anymore.”
Terrance’s brows rose. “I…ah…remember that. Not a boxer man, is he?”
She shut her mouth. There was no way she was mentioning she’d bought Blake new underwear yesterday.
“I came up here to see how you were doing,” Terrance said, “and now I have my answer. You’re strung up pretty tight.” He came around her desk and sat down on the edge, not bothering to move the caterer’s budget for their upcoming corporate event with a major automobile manufacturer.
“It’ll be fine,” she said, even though she wasn’t so sure. Somehow, she couldn’t block out the thought of Blake looking at their wedding picture in her cedar chest. Had he opened the cover to her wedding gown? Then there was the memory of him sleeping on top of the covers, holding her tight, after she’d done God knows what to entice him to make love to her.
“It’s okay to be uncertain, Natalie,” Terrance said softly. “I know you have a history with most people in this town. You don’t have to pretend with me. I’m here if you want to talk.”
From day one, she and Terrance had been friends, nothing more. Maybe she needed one now, one who had no memories of her and Blake together.
“I’m…scared of him being here. He’s…so damn sweet and thoughtful. It makes me mad, but mostly…it breaks my heart again. We were so happy until Kim was…” She turned her hand over, eyeing her bare wedding ring finger. “Kim was my best friend, and when she got sick, I couldn’t think or see straight. I didn’t want to. Have you ever had something hurt so bad you’d do anything to stop it?”
“Yes,” he murmured, taking her hand in a gentle clasp. “What do you want to do with Blake?”
After this weekend, she didn’t know. When she was with him, it was so easy to fall back into old comfortable patterns, ones she’d loved, ones she’d missed. But where would that lead? Hanging out, watching TV, and taking a run…all those things felt good; they felt right. But her wounds were still oozing underneath. She feared the underneath. Feared it so much she’d barely slept last night, imagining their after-work run and what it might turn into.