All Good Things Exposed (16 page)

"What are you smiling at?" Gabe asked when we were seated in the car.

"I was thinking about snow."

He looked mildly repulsed. "You like the cold?"

I shrugged. "I like every season for different reasons. I like winter because everything is so white and crystallized. It's just beautiful."

He grunted. "Well, aren't you just chipper today?"

"I am." I smiled. It must be the morning lay. At the thought, I chuckled to myself. And as though he knew by instinct, Gabe didn't ask.

***

"So how is this thing with Jace going?" Trisha asked as she burrowed her head in the back of the fridge in her reach for the mayo.

I shrugged. "It's good."

"Will you be staying at his place tonight?" She asked. "Or, will you just be moving in?"

I coughed. "I'm not sure. I guess it depends on Jace."

She straightened, shooting me a frown. "What depends on Jace?"

"Whether I stay at his place or not." Were we not talking about the same thing here?

"Oh," she feigned relief. "I thought I needed a new roommate already."

"What?" I scoffed. "As if. I've only just started seeing him again. Don't push it, Trisha. We didn't work the last time for a reason."

"And what was that reason?" She asked, plopping a fisted hand on her hip. "You never told me."

"It's not my place to tell."

"How isn't it?" She asked seriously. "I mean, if it affected you so seriously, isn't it just as much your business as his?"

"No. It isn't." I stated stiffly. "I don't want to talk about it."

"Okay, okay." She rolled her eyes. "What do you want to talk about then?"

"I don't know." I looked to the mayo in the hand not on her fist. "What are you making?"

"Sandwiches." She waggled her brows and I shook my head. "You need the carbs. You're still too thin. If you stay like this we wont be able to share clothes anymore."

"Is that a threat? Because I think its having the opposite affect."

She gasped. "Pardon me!"

"We don't share clothes, Trisha." I said as gently as possible. "You steal them."

"Oh, whatever." She huffed, turning her back on me to swipe the bread from the counter behind her. "Technicalities."

"Right." I laughed, unable to help myself. I spotted Moo-moo prancing beside me and leaned down to scoop him up, planting him in my lap. He immediately started purring as I scratched behind his ears. "So, are you seeing anyone?"

"Nope." She shrugged and I narrowed my eyes. That was a vague reply.

"Really?" What happened to the bouncer she was drooling over?

She spread the mayo over the bread and started cutting cheese. "I'm not really interested in a relationship anymore." She sighed. "I suppose I will just do me right now and see what happens."

"Good for you." This was a side of Trisha I had never seen before. I liked it…but at the same time, I couldn't help but be weary of it.

"Besides, you're having enough sex for the both of us." She added and my mouth dropped. I was amazed it didn't hit the granite countertop.

"I can't believe you just said that!"

She cocked a grin. "I can't believe you're shocked."

"I'm not having that much sex."

"Oh please," she scoffed. "You're seeing Jace Rush - Sex God, and you're trying to tell me you're not eating, breathing, sleeping sex?"

Okay…well I might be…but she didn't need to know that! "It's none of your business."

"That's what I thought." She licked the knife and threw it in the sink, oblivious to my obvious disgust. "So, are you and Jace serious?"

"Why?"

"I want to know. You're my best friend and I have a right to ask the question."

"I don't know." I answered honestly.

"Well, since he hasn't proposed yet,"

I interrupted her. "What? Why would you say that?" I felt as though my stomach had fallen into my feet - after turning to lead. There was nothing pleasant about the feeling what-so-ever!

"Well, the man practically told me he was never leaving you again."

"When?"

"When I called him to come pick you up from the bar. And again yesterday when he informed me of where you would be spending your nights from here on out." She set her eyes on me. "I have to say, I'm rather surprised you're even here right now."

"He really said that?"

"Yes." She nodded. "It was one of his bargaining chips when I asked…or begged him to come pick you up from the bar before you drank yourself into oblivion."

"One of his bargaining chips? Are there more?"

She nodded. "I had to promise to be supportive of your relationship. No more negative comments from Trisha." She shrugged. "He's really not so bad. He brought my best friend back from the twilight zone."

The twilight zone? The freaking twilight zone! Was she serious? I shook my head. "I can't believe you two. You're ridiculous."

"I'm going to take that as a compliment." She passed the loaded sandwich to me from the other side of the island.

"Wow." I took a bite, chewing slowly as my mind worked to digest this new tidbit of information. I could barely wait to see Jace next. Oh, was he going to get a grilling! The conniving little…

Trisha cut my thought short. "My Mom called yesterday. She wants to know if we're still meeting them this December for skiing at the cabin?"

Oh. I didn't know. If I was still with Jace, would he want me to spend the holiday with him? Would he mind if I went alone? Would he want to come? Jeez…we had to have a talk. I didn't know where our relationship stood, but it was already early September. I highly doubted, as rich and powerful as he was, that he could just take a vacation on a whim. We still had three months and I didn't know when would be the appropriate time to broach this subject. He was already possessive over me, and where I spent my nights and it had only been a couple days since we'd gotten back together. I didn't know how he would be if we lasted another three months.

The thought actually hurt my head. This was definitely something I would have to clear up with Jace. Sooner rather then later. I needed my space. I needed the space to make decisions and he needed to understand that. Or we wouldn't work - and I really wanted us to. Because I couldn't imagine returning to the lifeless shell I'd been without him.

"Well, I suppose we are." I said, bringing myself back down to the here and now. "Why wouldn't we?"

"Well, because you have a control freak of a man in your life." Trisha stated simply. "You know he's welcome to come. Mom wants to meet him."

"Seriously, Trisha!" I shook my head in exasperation. I loved Trisha's mom. She was the reason I knew my parents weren't the norm. Whereas my mother couldn't be bothered to hug me or tell me she was proud, Trisha's mom never passed up the chance. Over the course of our friendship, I'd somewhat adopted Trisha's family as my own. But, even though I was more comfortable with them then with my blood family, I never could get through the thought that maybe they felt I was intruding.

Vacationing in British Columbia at the Bauer family cabin for the first two weeks of December was a tradition of sorts. It was where we spent Christmas because God forbid I wasn't home for the Holiday Party my parents threw the week before Christmas. I hated Christmas, but I loved the first two weeks of December. Trisha had vowed we would spend this Christmas together and make it a holiday worth remembering.

"What?" She squealed, feigning innocent confusion. "She asked how you were."

"Well, what did you tell her?"

Trisha set shimmering eyes on me. They were filled to the brim with mischief. "I told her you were good. Wrapped up in a man and head over heels in love with him."

"Trisha! You didn't!" I gasped.

"I did. And I noticed how you didn't correct me just now." She raised a brow and waited for my reply.

I raked my brain and my blood ran cold. "What are you insinuating?"

"That you know you're in love with Jace." She stated, ever blunt.

"Oh." I lowered my focus onto my sandwich.

"Have you told him yet?"

"No."

"When are you going to?"

"Never." I huffed. "He doesn't wan to hear it."

"I beg to differ."

"You would." I sighed. "You're a walking contradiction."

"I'm not taking that to heart." She waved her hand. "You've got to tell him. You can't keep something like that bottled up. It'll destroy you."

"I can't tell him, Trisha." I pushed Moo-moo off my lap and stood, walking my plate to the sink. "If I do, he'll run and never look back."

"That's a risk you're going to have to take, Liv."

"Not yet, it isn't."

"All right," She shrugged but I could see she was worried. "Talk to the man about the two weeks in December. I'm sure he's going to want to come. He can't even fathom you spending a night in your own bed away from him. He's not going to be cool with you going alone." She set determined eyes on me. "And, you will be coming."

"I know." I placed my dish into the dishwasher. "I'll talk to him tonight."

"I know you will. He already informed me you would be spending the rest of this week with him."

"Did he?"

She nodded smugly. "He did."

"Well, it's a good thing tomorrow is the end of the week. We have plans on Monday so I'll be home."

Trisha frowned. "I didn't know we had plans."

"We do now."

Understanding lit her features and she laughed. "I get it. You know you're playing with fire."

I shrugged. "So?"

"Fire burns."

"And I bite."

"So I see." She chuckled as I pulled the strap of my purse over my shoulder.

I walked to the door. "See you Monday!"

"I love you." She yelled loudly and I cringed, immediately slamming the door shut on her obnoxious bellowing.

As I crossed the lobby my phone chirped, alerting me to a new text message. I had an inkling it was Trisha, but the possibility it might be Jace had me digging frantically through my purse. I vowed I would soon go shopping for a smaller bag. I liked to think it would happen, but I knew otherwise.

Finally, I found my phone and pulled it from the mess. My heart knocked in my chest as I saw Jace's name on the screen. I slid my thumb over the illuminated gloss to read his text.

Where are you?

Leaving my apartment. Had lunch with Trisha.

I see.

I'm surprised you didn't call Gabe.
His neurotic obsession on my whereabouts knew no bounds. Gabe was usually his first call.

I was just about to.

I laughed. Of course he was.
What do you want?

You.

Can't. I'm busy.

Don't tell me what I can and can't have, Olivia. You're mine. You would do well to remember that.

Get over yourself.
I tossed my phone back into my purse, thinking to teach him a lesson. It begged for my attention. Repeatedly. But I clamped my teeth and ignored it.

I stepped out on the street to see Gabe sitting in his car, his phone to his ear. Obviously Jace had called him. His need to control knew no bounds. On an irritable sigh, I made my way to the Audi and opened the front passenger door as soon as I heard the quiet thud of the unlock button. I crawled in beside Gabe and focused my attention straight ahead.

"She's here." Gabe said and then there was a heavy pause. "Do you really want me to ask?"

I looked at Gabe and he took the phone away from his ear. "I don't want to speak with him." I said before he could ask.

He stumbled for a moment before bringing the phone back to his ear. "I'm assuming you heard her, Sir." There was a pause and I could only imagine what Jace was saying in the background. "Yes, Sir. I don't believe she'll be happy about that, Sir." There was another pause and I stared at Gabe with inquisitive eyes. What was I going to find displeasing? What did Jace want Gabe to do? "Goodbye." Gabe said as he hung up the phone.

I crossed my arms over my chest and pursed my lips, waiting for the expected confession. Gabe didn't even look at me. He started the ignition and rolled away from the curb, making a point of driving away from my little café bookstore.

"Where are we going?" I asked stiffly.

"I'm taking you to Jace."

"Oh," I scoffed. "No you aren't."

"Yes, I am."

I felt my fingers curl into fists, my nails biting into he flesh of my palms. Annoyance climbed the rungs of tolerance before bubbling over and claiming me completely. "Gabe, if you don't turn this car around I will never ever get in it with you again."

He raised a brow but didn't look at me. Clearly I wasn't very convincing because he continued to drive.

I tried again. "Gabe, I have work that really needs to be done." Nothing. Not even a brow twitch this time. "Gabe!" I shouted, earning a lip twitch. "You're kidnapping me!"

"You're being dramatic."

"You're fueling his neurotically obsessive need to control every aspect of my life." I roared. "Damn it."

"Olivia, the man worries about you." Gabe said stiffly. "I've worked for him for a really long time and I've never ever seen him this way over a woman."

I was fuming. I wouldn't be surprised if there was steam billowing out of my ears. "What way? Completely irrational?"

"Precisely." Gabe nodded and my mouth dropped.

"You're agreeing with me?" I was stumped. "You think he's irrational?"

"Over you," he nodded. "Yes. I do."

"Have you told him? You should tell him. Maybe he'll listen to you?"

Gabe threw me a look that made my newfound hope plummet. "Have you told him you think he's being overbearing?"

"Yes."

"Did he listen?"

"No." Where was he going with this?

"If he didn't listen to you," he signaled down an unfamiliar street adorned with impossibly tall buildings. I felt small. "Why would you think he would listen to me?"

"Well," I sputtered. "You've known him longer. Surely he respects your opinion."

He laughed. "Oh, he does."

"Then," I started to counter him but he interrupted me.

"But not with you. Jace is blind to all rationality when it comes to you."

"I can't handle his behavior sometimes."