Conspiring (13 page)

“You feel
this
, too?” I have to know.

“Even if I feel it, there’s no way in hell I’m acting on it. I’m too tired to fight with you tonight.” She throws back her second glass of wine, and with a little left in her mouth, she continues, “I’m entertaining you and hearing you out, but I can tell you we are never getting back together.”

I suck in air and jump back. “Ouch, that hurts.” It really does hurt. Maybe with time, I can change her mind.

“Not as much as you hurt me. I can assure you of that,” she hisses.

Again, I deserve that. What I don’t deserve another shot, but I have to try to make this work. “Just give me a chance, Gabs.”

She shakes her head and grimaces. “No.”

She’s made up her mind already?

“Just like that, huh?” I don’t know what I can do or say to show her that I’m not that guy anymore.

I watch as she pours herself another glass of wine. She nonchalantly replies, “Yep, just like that. I’m happy to be your friend, but I can’t be any more than that to you.”

“I’ll take what I can get, then,” I concede. That’s going to have to be good enough for now. I refuse to push this too far right now.

She tilts her glass towards mine. “To friends.”

I grin as we clank our glasses together. If someone had told me five hours ago that I’d be toasting to being friends with Gabby, I would have laughed at them. I would have been happy to be her friend. And because I’m trying to make this right with Veronica, to redeem myself, I’m secretly praying I can make this more.

“Fine, now tell me what happened with Lindsey?” she asks me.

She’s going to love this part. “Actually, I caught her cheating on me.”

Gabby throws her head back laughing. “Oh, karma’s a bitch, isn’t it?”

“That’s not very nice you know?”

She chuckles. “Sorry, I guess.”

She’s not sorry. I love to see her carefree, and I can only imagine the elation she must be feeling about how that all went down. “But you’re not, right?”

“No, I’m not. But I’m really sorry for not being sorry.” She takes another sip of her wine. I really wish she’d slow down, but there’s no way in hell I’m mentioning that to her again. As if she’s read my mind she says, “Oh. You’re right, I should probably slow down. Geez, that didn’t take much to make the room spin.”

“Yeah, I couldn’t imagine that you’d be anything other than a light weight, Gabs.” I mean it in the most loving of ways. It’s fun to tease her.

She shrugs her shoulders and giggles. “What can I say? Anyway, Lindsey. Did she cheat on you with your best friend by chance? Because that would be the icing on the cake for me.”

“I’ll take this beating. I deserve it. No, it was actually one of our professors.”

Gabby widens her eyes. “You. Have. Got. To. Be. Kidding. Me!?”

“No, they got in a lot of trouble. But they are engaged now, so I guess it was all worth it.” The thought saddens me. Lindsey is getting her happily ever after. How has she managed to do that? But I’m here with a girl whose heart I broke, walking a fine tightrope between being honest versus being deceptive. I don’t want any more bad karma. I have already gotten way more than Lindsey. It’s not fair.

“So, you really weren’t just missing me, right? You got rejected by Lindsey and then after you got a little taste of your own medicine, you realized how good you had it?” She almost hit the nail on the head.

Lindsey? No.

Veronica? Yes.

Rejection? Yep.

Own medicine. Overdosing.

“No, I always regretted screwing things up with you. But, I was too proud to come back and admit it to you.”
That’s true
.

Gabby shrugs her shoulders. “What’s done is done.” She reaches to the coffee table and places her empty wine glass down. “I need to use the bathroom, excuse me a minute.”

As soon as she’s gone, her phone lights up on the coffee table by the wine glass, catching my eye. A picture of a familiar face pops up on the screen. I can’t resist the urge to answer. I wish I could be a fly on his wall and could see Bradley’s expression when another man answers Gabby’s phone. “Hello.”

“I must have the wrong number,” Bradley fumbles.

I smile a sly smile. I’m probably enjoying this too much. “Who were you trying to reach?”

“Gabby Gerhart.”

“She can’t come to the phone.”

“Who the hell is this?” Bradley hisses.

“I could ask you the same thing.” Even though I know the answer, I’m enjoying playing with his head. “Who the hell are you?”

“I’m her boyfriend, jackass. Put her on the phone.”

“No, she doesn’t have a boyfriend anymore. And from the sounds of how her day has gone,
you’re
the jackass. Have a nice night.” I hear the commode flush, and quickly end the call. I calmly place it back on the coffee table face down so she wouldn’t see the light from the phone call I’ve just intercepted.

Visit
www.jbmcgee.com
to stay up to date on news regarding the release of the next book in the
This
series,
Forgiven
. The anticipated release date is April, 2013.

Conspiring’s companion novella,
Falling
, which will complete Veronica’s and Ian’s story will follow
Forgiven
.

The series will conclude with
Blinded
(Companion to
Forgiven
) with the conclusion of Sam’s story.

About the Author

J.B. McGee was born and raised in Aiken, South Carolina. After graduating from South Aiken High School, she toured Europe as a member of the 1999 International Bands of America Tour, playing the clarinet. While attending Converse College, an all-girls school in Spartanburg, South Carolina, she visited Charleston often. It quickly became one of her favorite vacation spots. She met her husband, Chad, during Christmas break her freshman year. They married in 2001. They moved back to her hometown. In 2005, the couple welcomed their first son, Noah. J.B. finished her Bachelor of Arts degree in Early Childhood Education at the University of South Carolina-Aiken in 2006. During her time studying children's literature, a professor had encouraged her to become a writer.

In 2007, she welcomed their second child, Jonah, and she became a stay at home mom/entrepreneur. In 2009, they found out their two children and J.B. have Mitochondrial Disease. In 2011, a diagnosis also was given to Chad. Please take a moment and learn more about Mitochondrial Disease. Awareness is key to this disease that has no cure or treatments.

J.B. McGee and her family now reside in Buford, Georgia, to be closer to their children's medical team. After a passion for reading had been re-ignited, J.B. decided to finally give writing a shot. Conspiring (This Series), is her third book and first series.

Please follow JB on Twitter and Facebook to get updates on what else is coming in 2013.

Acknowledgments

I feel like an athlete or celebrity who is on stage giving their acceptance speech and they point their finger in the air and say, “First and foremost I want to thank God.” First and foremost, I want to thank God, from whom all blessings flow. The past year of my life has been one of the hardest ever. Just when I was beginning to wonder how much farther we had to fall before we hit rock bottom, I got this crazy idea to write a book. Well, you know the rest of the story. He has carried me for so long and I finally feel like I’m standing on my own about to start sprinting!

To my husband, Chad, thank you seems inadequate. Living this dream has meant that I’ve sacrificed time with you and our family to write and promote my books. You are not only working yourself, but you are doing your best to make things easy for me. This consists of doing all laundry, dishes, vacuuming, being a nurse to our kids, etc. You have me completely spoiled. I think if I were to write a hero in a book who does as much as you I would seriously get reviews complaining that you are unrealistic. I know we have our ups and downs, but I am so thankful that you found me, that you are my prince charming.

To Jaimi L. Mac, my long lost twin, I don’t know where to begin to thank you. I hate to admit that the first time we started talking I had no clue who you were, but I immediately liked you and felt connected to you. It was all over that hmph word that’s not a word. Since then, we’ve become so much that I don’t know how to begin to describe it all. There is no one that I have ever met in my life who can read my mind the way you can, and vice versa. It was during one of those simultaneous mind-reading moments that Conspiring was born. Thank you for listening, letting me vent, being supportive always. Until Vegas!

To Katie Ashley/Krista Ashe, for befriending me, introducing me to so many incredible authors, listening to me whine every day until I made it into the Top 100 because I wasn’t there yet. You never once told me to get a grip. You always said, “You’ll get there.” Thank you for editing my books, often making me laugh when you snort or call Bradley a man whore. Most of all, thank you for being my friend and as you say, I am thankful for your geographical proximity.

To Michelle Eck, I don’t know if you know this but I call you Momma Eck. You aren’t old enough to be my mother, but I feel like you are my author momma. Thank you for teaching me the ropes, holding my hand, and always pushing me to be better. Thank you for taking the idea of a Georgia book signing and running with it. I can’t wait!

To Rosette Doyle with Your Movie Boutique, you did it again and you did it better! The Mending trailer is phenomenal. You have a very special talent at being able to interpret a book and bringing it to life. I am thankful for your friendship.

To Literati Literature Lovers, thank you for continuously spreading the word, promoting me, and being friends. I enjoyed that crazy private chat while we did your Facebook Banner. Funny how all things lead to Gandy!

To Nicola and Denise at Flirty & Dirty Book Blog, thank you so much for sharing my books with your fans. You have become good friends. I appreciate everything you’ve done for me.

To Kathy Womack with Romantic Reading Escapes, you have become a good friend. You ALWAYS make me smile or laugh hysterically, but you also build me up when I am down. I firmly believe God placed you in my life for a reason.

To Jennifer Wolfel with Wolfel’s World of Books, thank you for beta reading for me, for being a friend, and brainstorming with me. I appreciate your friendship.