Текст книги "Rage"
Автор книги: Elizabeth Reyes
сообщить о нарушении
Текущая страница: 15 (всего у книги 22 страниц)
Chapter 20
AJ
“Fred what?” AJ asked as soon as he was back in the kitchen with the food. Addison stared at him apprehensively. “Is he still playing?”
She shook her head, and if he weren’t mistaken, her eyes glistened. “No, he’s not?” He set the food down on the center island and peered at her when she didn’t answer him. “What’s wrong with you? Are you crying?”
“No,” she whispered, but clearly she was close to it. “I meant, no, please don’t ask anything specific about him. None of that matters, and for over seven years, I’ve managed to keep him anonymous. I don’t even like referring to him as her dad. He’s so undeserving of the title.”
Grinding his teeth, AJ decided he’d let that part of this go. Only because he could see how much this was upsetting her. But he still needed to get to the bottom of a few other things. “So what did you meet with him for?”
“To call his bluff,” she said, breathing in deeply and appearing a little more composed.
“What bluff?”
“He’s still claiming he’s really checking into moving out here and says if I cooperate with his requests to spend time with her he’ll keep things out of court.”
“And you’re agreeing to this?” AJ asked, his insides really lighting up now.
“I’m going along for now, AJ.” She crossed her arms in front of her. “I’m telling you I don’t buy for a minute he’d move out here. Even today, he hardly inquired about her. All he wanted to discuss was the possibility of us.”
“Is that right?” AJ asked, cracking his fingers one by one in an effort to calm himself because he could feel himself crossing over to that place. “So are you going along with that too?”
“No, of course not. I—”
“Where’d you meet him?”
“Lou and Mickey’s down at Gaslamp.”
“You met him at a bar?”
“It’s a steakhouse too.”
“So you were on a date with him?” AJ paced the kitchen, trying desperately not to lose it.
“No,” she insisted adamantly, walking over to him and touching his arm. “I remembered the place is kind of dark, and I didn’t wanna be seen with him, but at the same time, wanted it to be somewhere public so I knew I’d be safe?”
“Why? You feel threatened by him?”
“No,” she said again, slipping her hand into his and squeezing. “I just figured it’s always safer to meet someone you don’t trust entirely somewhere public, especially when no one knows you’re meeting him. He’s never given me any reason to feel threatened, but he’s not exactly on the top of my list of people I trust. I was just playing it safe.”
AJ searched her eyes, breathing in deeply in an effort to remain calm, but one thing was for damn sure. The food he’d ordered was a waste. At least for him it was because he’d completely lost his appetite. In fact, he’d had visions of knocking the whole fucking bag off the counter more than once already, but he was determined not to let Addison see that ugly side of him, not this close up. “Alright, so what now? Anytime he calls and says he wants to meet with you, you’re going to go running to him?”
“No.” She shook her head, almost annoyed.
Damn straight no. There were things he might go along with—for now. This was not one of them.
“He’s gone now. He had a plane to catch just a few hours after I met with him.”
She brought her hand around his waist, forcing him to lean back against the counter, and stared up at him. AJ did his best to relax his already overworked tense muscles as he stared down at her.
“After the second time he brought up the possibility of us, I told him there was no possibility and, if he was going to insist we discuss it, that I was leaving. We then discussed his meeting Clair. He wants to arrange something where he’d come out here and Clair and I could spend the day with him at the beach or something.”
“Fuck no!” AJ said, straightening out suddenly, done with trying to remain cool about this. He pulled free of her embrace and stormed away. It felt impossible to stand in one place anymore. He ran his fingers through his hair before turning back to face her. “The three of you spending a cozy family day at the beach? That’s not happening.”
“I’m not leaving her alone with him,” she said firmly.
“You don’t have to. I’ll go with you guys, but you’re not spending the day with a guy who’s in love with you and just using her so he can be around you. I can be reasonable about some things, Addison, but this is bullshit!”
“I’m still holding out for the possibility that he’ll just drop the whole idea,” she said, her eyes glistening again. “I actually thought for a moment when he kept changing the subject back to the possibility of us working things out, that maybe if he met her and saw how high maintenance she is with all her allergies he’d bail for sure. I’d hate to do that to her, but if it means getting rid of him, I’d be willing. He’s that self-absorbed and has never wanted to be bothered by anything.”
“Are you kidding me?” AJ asked because that last comment infuriated him as much as it worried him. “He spends a couple of hours with her, and he’ll be in love. You’ll never get rid of him.” This was a fucking nightmare. AJ’s worst. “Promise me you won’t do anything without at least telling me first. I know I’m not her father, Addison, but I love that little girl as much as I love you. I think I deserve to at least know what you plan to do. And I’m sorry. I’ll deal with not knowing who this guy is, but I will not tolerate you lying to me again.”
“I won’t and I’ll tell you before I decide anything.” She walked up to him, her lip quivering now, so he pulled her to him. “I love that you love her as much you love me.”
“How could I not?” he said, squeezing her tighter and kissing the top of her head. “She’s impossible not to love and she’s a part of you.”
The sound of Isaiah’s crutches got their attention, and they both turned to see him entering the kitchen. “Everything okay?” he asked when he saw Addison wiping away the tears.
“Everything’s fine,” she said, walking over to grab a paper towel.
Isaiah peered at her for a moment, noticeably unconvinced, but when he glanced at AJ questioningly, AJ shook his head in a silent gesture to let it go.
“Is that Chinese?” Isaiah asked, turning his attention to the bag on the counter.
“Yeah, Lucky Dragon,” AJ said, turning to the untouched food. “Help yourself. I ordered a lot.”
They made small talk about today’s game and Isaiah’s physical therapy as Isaiah munched on some of the Chinese food straight out of the boxes. After a short while of chatting, Isaiah finally excused himself, saying he shouldn’t eat too much because he had a dinner date. That instantly annoyed AJ. “You’re not supposed to be driving,” AJ reminded him.
“Who said I’m driving?” Isaiah smirked, winking at Addison, saying it was nice to see her again as he hobbled out of the kitchen.
“Seriously,” AJ muttered under his breath as he grabbed two beers from the fridge. “What’s so hard about staying put for a few weeks? Would it really kill the guy to just relax and enjoy being catered to? I told you he let go of the nurse I hired to wait on him, right?”
“I probably would’ve too,” Addison said with a sympathetic pout. “It’s a broken leg, baby, not a brain injury. Thank God. And obviously he’s well enough for extracurricular activities; it’s why he probably felt guilty having you spend money on someone to wait on him hand and foot.”
“He knows money is not an issue.”
He handed Addison a beer and then grabbed one of the Chinese takeout boxes and told Addison to grab whatever she wanted. They were moving this into the bedroom. AJ still wasn’t done with the conversation Isaiah had interrupted. Not by a long shot.
Just as he put down his beer and the takeout box on his nightstand, he felt his phone buzz in his pocket. He was ready to ignore it until he saw it was from his sister Emi. She didn’t call too often, usually just texted if it were something quick she needed to ask or tell him, so he answered it.
“What’s up, Em?” he said, tossing the remote closer on the bed for Addison.
“Where are you?”
“Home,” he said, instantly feeling slightly alarmed. She sounded weird. “Why? What’s wrong?”
“Nothing’s wrong. Is anyone within hearing range?”
“Addison’s here.” Addison glanced up curiously at the sound of her name.
He heard Em smack her lips. “Can you go somewhere where she won’t hear your conversation?”
That got his heart going again. What could Emi have to tell him that she didn’t want Addison to hear? The possibility that maybe she’d seen Addison today with her ex or maybe knew something about it got him moving.
“I’m not sure,” he said, motioning to Addison that he’d be right back as he headed for his bedroom door. “I’ll check if it’s here.” The moment he was sure he was far enough, he slowed down. “I’m in another room now. What’s going on?”
“Are Nathan or Isaiah anywhere nearby?”
“Nathan’s at work,” he said, already losing his patience. “Isaiah’s on a date. What is it, Em?”
“You gotta promise you’re not gonna do what you always do and start interrogating anyone, because I don’t have all the facts yet.”
“I promise,” he said, knowing full well that was bullshit, but she was making him nervous, so he needed her to spit it out already.
“This has nothing to do with Addison,” she said, relieving some of the new tension he’d begun to feel. “Only reason I don’t want her to hear is because she was there last night when I told Isaiah I’d keep something to myself, and I don’t want her to think I’m ratting anyone out. I’m just worried.”
“Jesus, Em, can you just tell me already? You’re worrying me now.”
“Okay, okay,” she said quickly.
She told him about seeing Isaiah and Kelli chatting last night on her way to the ladies’ room. How Kelli had given her some lame excuse for why she’d taken so long to get to the cocktail party and how Isaiah had asked both her and Addison to keep what they saw to themselves. That alone annoyed AJ. Why the hell was he asking Addison to keep shit from him? Even if it were nothing since Em explained Isaiah’s reasoning.
“I hadn’t said anything to anyone because I felt bad even thinking it, but way back the first time we all met her, you were out of town, and we were all over at Uncle Manny’s for his birthday. Nathan said they had other plans nearby that evening but wanted to stop by and see Manny for a little bit. She was sweet enough, and there was nothing strange or off-putting about her behavior until Isaiah arrived. I happened to be talking to her when he walked out into the backyard, and the girl looked like she’d seen a ghost. I almost asked her if she knew him, but Nathan beat me to it and introduced them, and they both acted like they’d never met. After that, it was weird city. She seemed really uncomfortable; then she started saying they should get going, so they leave on their supposed date, and Nathan comes back to the party not a half hour later and said he took her home because she was feeling sick. Nothing major, right?”
AJ nodded as if his sister could see him taking in what she was saying. “Yeah, so what are you getting at?”
“I didn’t think it too big a deal until the next time I saw Nathan and he mentioned he wasn’t seeing her anymore. It’d only been like a week since Manny’s thing, and while I thought it odd because I didn’t think he’d ever bring anyone around us unless it were more serious, I didn’t make much of it. I hadn’t put any of it together until last night when I started watching her a little closer. I wanted so bad to get a moment alone with her so I could interrogate her a little, only they didn’t stick around, but I did watch her as they said good-bye. There was something so poignant in her eyes when she said good-bye to Isaiah and something so strangely uncomfortable in Isaiah’s. I started wracking my brain.”
For a moment, AJ had started losing interest in his little sister’s hair-brained suspicions. But then he remembered and told her about the strange exchange he’d witnessed between Isaiah and Kelli last night too.
“You see!” Em practically squealed. “Oh thank God it’s not all in my head. I felt so guilty even thinking Isaiah might be keeping something bigger from Nathan than just the fact that she’d asked him for advice. It wasn’t even until I told Sydney today about what I thought I might’ve imagined yesterday or maybe it was just a harmless touch.”
“Touch?” AJ asked, feeling even more annoyed with Isaiah now, but he waited because she did say she still wasn’t sure if she’d imagined it.
“Yeah, when they said good-bye and she gave everyone that obligatory friendly hug, maybe it was coincidental, but she hugged him last. I was busy watching the way they looked at each other, when I happened to glance down, and she slid her hand over his discreetly and he flinched. It happened so fast I couldn’t decide if I’d actually seen something incriminating or if at that point I was just making myself crazy trying to see something that wasn’t really there.”
“So you think maybe they knew each other before Nathan met her?” AJ asked, as confused by this as Emi sounded. “Isaiah never mentioned a Kelli in the past.”
“I know it’s weird, but it got me thinking about everything else. Nathan had asked me if Sydney or I wanted to come out with him to your Los Angeles game last month, the one Isaiah ended up going to. He said you’d already gotten him suite tickets, and Kelli, who’d previously agreed to go with him, couldn’t make the game after all. Neither could we, and then Isaiah got the day off at the last minute, and lo and behold, at the last minute she shows up too. I don’t know.” She exhaled loudly. “Am I looking too deep into this?”
“Oh shit!” AJ felt his eyes go wide. “Did either of them tell you what happened out there?”
“No, what happened?”
“She left.” He stopped mid-thought when it came to him. “That little conniving bitch!”
AJ explained about Isaiah and Kelli disappearing for a good ten to fifteen minutes and how Isaiah came back alone.
“He said she got a call about her mom being in an accident. Her mom’s dead by the way,” he said, pressing his lips together, not sure what the hell to make of all this. “Isaiah said she’d been upset and she left. She didn’t even bother to come back and say good-bye to Nathan. Then get this.” AJ opened the freezer and grabbed an ice cube then rubbed it on his neck. He could feel himself getting hot again. “She calls him a few minutes later and breaks things off.”
“Get out!”
“No. She fucking breaks up with him just like that over the phone then calls him again about a half hour later to say she was upset and not thinking straight. That’s when I knew I couldn’t stand her.”
“You’re kidding me,” Emi said, sounding as annoyed as he felt. “Why is Nathan still seeing her?”
“That’s what I want to know. He said just two weeks ago at the hospital he was done with her. It was why I was so pissed last night when I saw him show up with her.”
“Oh my God.” Emi gasped. “You think maybe it was why she went with Nathan? So she could try and get a moment alone with Isaiah? That sneaky little bitch!”
“I’m gonna ask Isaiah,” he said as he started back to his room.
“Don’t tell him I told you. There’s still a possibility I could be totally wrong about this.”
“I won’t,” he said, walking into his bedroom.
Just seeing Addison struggling but so determined to eat her noodles with the chopsticks made AJ smile, despite the exasperating evening he was having. He told Emi not to worry; he’d keep her name out of it. He’d talk to Isaiah the next time he got the chance alright, but at that moment, he needed to deal with something far more pressing first.
Chapter 21
Addison
“At the risk of sounding like a dick,” AJ said the moment he was off the phone, “can I ask you to please not keep anything from me, even if it is one of my siblings asking you to?” Addison stared at AJ as he moved his neck from side to side like he had a stiff neck. “I have this thing about us keeping shit from one another. I’m already making a huge exception when it comes to your ex.”
“The donor,” she said, pushing her box of noodles away. “I don’t think of him as my ex or her father. We weren’t even together that long—”
“You called the relationship beautiful, Addison. You said he was the reason why you took the job in Chicago—”
“I said he was partly the reason for my taking the position.”
Already she was regretting having admitted that Fred had anything to do with her decision to take the position in Chicago. She should’ve known way back when he first reminded her that she’d called the relationship a beautiful one that he wouldn’t be forgetting stuff like that. He’d likely never forget about this either.
“I had several offers, and it was by far the best one at the time. He wasn’t the only reason I took it. What I said about always being partial to Chicago was true too.”
“Okay, well you and I have only been together a few months now, and this relationship is without a doubt the most important one I’ve ever had. Regardless if it ended tomorrow, I’d still consider this the most profound experience of my life. So it doesn’t matter to me how long you two were together. Even after seven years, the guy still can’t get over you. I can’t say I blame him, but I’ll be damned if I’m gonna stand by and let him even try to get you back.”
“That’s never gonna happen,” she said, pulling her legs off the bed.
“No, stay there,” he said, taking his shoes off and crawling onto the bed. “I know tonight’s been exhausting and I don’t wanna argue about this anymore, but we still need to discuss it.”
“I get it, AJ. You don’t want me keeping anything about him from you.” AJ snuggled up next to her, kissing her lips softly before leaning his back up against the headboard. “Except for giving you the specifics about who he is, because I really feel strongly that it doesn’t matter, I’ll tell you everything you need to know. And as far as agreeing to keep anything from you if your siblings ask me to, I only did because it seemed so trivial.”
“It isn’t really, but I’ll tell you about that another time.” He slipped his hand into hers, brought it to his lips, and kissed it softly. “Clair knows about Fred.”
She turned to him, the alarm more intense than the one she felt when AJ first asked her who Fred was. “How?”
“I’m probably shooting myself in the foot by telling you, but I trust you and I’m holding you to it that you won’t be keeping to yourself anything more about your relationship with this guy, including any phone conversations you have with him.”
Addison nodded, staring at him, glued to his every word now. “Yes, you have my word. How do you know she knows?”
“She overheard you on the phone, babe. You need to be more careful about that whenever she’s anywhere nearby or even in the house. She told me about it months ago when she heard you the first time but begged me not to tell you.”
Addison lifted a brow and pulled her hand away from him. “You’re gonna get on me about something so insignificant your brother asked me to keep from you, but you kept this from me?”
“You know Clair has that power over me, Addison.” He reached for her hand again. “It hadn’t even dawned on me until just now that I never hold anything in or keep secrets, and damn if that little girl wasn’t able to convince me to keep this from you. She was just so worried, and she called you the smartest person she knows. She said she trusted that, if you didn’t want her to know, you probably had a good reason, so she wouldn’t ask you about it. She didn’t seem upset or anything. I believe her words were ‘I’m not sure how I feel about it.’”
Addison groaned. She knew the day would come when she’d be forced to talk, even if only minimally, about Fred; she’d just hoped it wouldn’t be this soon. First AJ and now Clair. AJ brought his arm around her and pulled her down slowly onto his lap. He stared down at her, caressing her hair and forehead. “She’s gonna be fine,” he said, kissing her softly. “Tell her a little more about it and then do the same thing you did before. If she still wants to know more about it when she’s older, she can ask you again. At least until you know for sure what’s gonna happen with this asshole.”
Staring at him for a moment, she finally smiled. “I love you,” she said, sitting up and kissing him a little longer and deeper than he’d kissed her. “I’m sorry I lied to you. I really am.” Straightening up a little more, she turned her body so she was still on his lap; only her knees straddled him now. “I’m not a liar,” she said, kissing him again, loving how instantly she could make him go from rock-hard tense to rock-hard aroused. She could already feel the evidence of that against her crotch, and it got her breathing a little faster. “I swear it’s not like me to lie as blatantly as I did today, but it was only because I panicked. This is so important to me. I knew you’d be demanding answers. Answers I’m not ready to give, nor do I think I ever will be. I actually wish even I didn’t know who her father was. As shameful as that would be, it beats having to worry about his threats.”
Just like that, AJ tensed again, and he pulled back. “You said he hadn’t threatened you.”
“Not recently, not in so many words anyway, and never physically. But what he said when I was still in Chicago about going to court and things getting ugly still lingers. It terrifies me,” she whispered as AJ took a deep breath to calm his own anxieties, no doubt. “My only hope,” she added, trying to sound optimistic, “is I know how full of himself he is. It’s all a game to him. All about his ego. I told you that from when Clair was born until now, the only time he made an effort to reach out to me was when there was something in it for him or his ego was feeling bruised because I’d started seeing someone else. I think he always thought I’d stay single forever for the sake of protecting Clair, and for the longest time, I was very hesitant to bring anyone into her life. I guess I may’ve given him the vibe that I just might stay single. The way things happened with you”—she stopped and stared at him for a moment, remembering his words—“it really does feel like we were destined to find each other, and the way we did was so perfect. Clair and my dad knowing you and both already being so smitten by you prior to my meeting you were two things that made doing this less terrifying. That and the fact that I’ve never met such an honest and genuine person in my life. You really don’t hold anything back.” She felt the corner of her lip tug. “Even at times when maybe you should.”
“Never,” he whispered with a smirk. “That’ll never happen and don’t you forget it. And just because I forgive you this time for lying, Addison, doesn’t mean I’ll let it go again.” He lifted a brow. “I mean it.”
“I know,” she whispered, trying not to gulp so noticeably because she wasn’t sure if she’d ever have to again.
It already felt like she was keeping so much more from him, but it was absolutely necessary, so she took a deep breath and cupped his big strong jaw, kissing him softly. “I’ll keep you in the loop, I promise. I’m really hoping he’ll disappear again as he does so often after whatever hair he has up his ass goes away. I certainly won’t be contacting him.”
“Good,” AJ said, slipping his hands in her shorts from behind, and kissed her deeply. “I think it’s time to make up then.”
All it took was one rub of his erection against her crotch to get her moaning against his lips, and their conversation was officially over.
~~~
Just as Addison hoped, it’d been weeks since she’d met with Fred back in California that she’d heard from him. Every day that passed and she didn’t hear from him took a little weight off her shoulders, but she couldn’t help feeling like he was just biding his time.
It was their first night in Chicago for the Padres series against the Cubs. Once again, AJ’s mood was palpable. The man couldn’t hide his unease or tension if he tried. Addison noticed it the moment she met him on the field before the game for their batting practice. He openly kissed her hello, and while he didn’t devour her mouth as he would in private, it wasn’t nearly as sweet and gentle as he normally kissed her in front of Clair. He had waited until Clair ran off before laying the deeper, longer kisses on her. It felt almost like he was making a statement.
The moment he gave her a chance to come up for air after one of the longer kisses, she had to ask. “What’s the matter?”
He shook his head as he brought the bat over behind his head, stretching his arms, but there was no hiding the tensed jaw as he glanced around.
“Spill it, Mister,” she teased in an effort to make light of his obvious unease. It was so forbearing that it practically radiated off him. “You’re so obvious—”
“Is he here?” he asked, bringing the bat down in front of him.
“Who?”
“Fred,” he said immediately. “You said he’s from the Chicago area. Just made me wonder if maybe he doesn’t play for the Cubs.”
“He doesn’t,” she said, even as her heart rate picked up.
“Are you sure?” That menacing brow rose, and that unmistakable flicker blazed in his dark eyes.
As nervous as it made her whenever he got this way, she knew she’d never feel threatened by him in any way, but she had to set the precedent while their relationship was still relatively new. There was no doubt about it now. She’d had a feeling even before she met him, but he’d confirmed it almost the moment she first laid eyes in him in person. AJ was hands down the most intense man she’d ever met. She wanted to love that about him, not dread it. So she had to stand her ground. AJ wouldn’t have to change for her; he just had to understand she would never allow him to intimidate her. It wasn’t the example she wanted to set for Clair, who made note of even the fine details about everything. Even if at the moment Addison felt a little weak at the knees.
“I told you I was sorry and that I wouldn’t be lying to you ever again.” She gave him a taste of her own raised and annoyed eyebrow. “Even if there’s anything I prefer to keep to myself, you’ll know about it because I’ll be honest about it. I’ll never blatantly lie again, so, yes, AJ, I’m sure he doesn’t play for the Cubs.”
Just like with everything about AJ, the instant relief in his countenance was as transparent as the suspicion he’d worn just moments ago. It was quickly replaced with remorse and a smile.
He reached out to hug her, even as she playfully or maybe not so playfully tried to push him away. “I’m sorry! I’m sorry,” he said with a crushing hug she finally gave into. “I don’t read the stupid tabloids, but my brother and sister mentioned something way back. They read somewhere that it was possible Clair’s dad was a married guy who played for the Cubs, so when you told me married Fred lived in the Chicago area, it got me thinking.” He shrugged with a dejected frown, even as her heart pounded, staring at him now as the anxiety began to strangle her. “The closer this series got and the more I thought about it, the crazier it was making me.”
“There was actually an article that said that?”
He nodded. “But even Em said the same site she read it on was one of those ridiculously stupid gossip sites that reports alien encounters and shit.”
That made Addison feel a little better, but very little. She’d have to look it up now because the story was a little too close to home, and she’d always worried that somehow the truth would be leaked. Back when it was first reported that Coach Lara’s teen daughter was pregnant and the name of baby’s father would not be disclosed, the media had been on a witch hunt, naming many of the possible culprits—all baseball players. Luckily for Addison, she’d kept her relationship with Fred a secret the whole time, so no one on her side knew about it. One thing was for sure; she’d been tight-lipped enough, but Fred was another story. Not only could he be spiteful, he was reckless. The possibility of reading or hearing the truth one day in the tabloids or on television had always been one that niggled at her. They’d actually discussed it when she met with him, especially since he was separated now. She made him promise he wouldn’t be revealing anything. He promised he wouldn’t, and so far, she hadn’t heard anything.
“It is baseless, right?” His brow was up again, but he smirked when he saw her frown then hugged her again. “Alright, alright, you were just looking at me kind of weird. I thought maybe I’d hit a nerve.” He pulled back to look at her again. “You’re pretty obvious yourself, you know? I’m getting damn good at reading you too.”
Addison did her best to make light of it, and the subject was dropped. Aside from AJ now being openly affectionate with her in public, around the team and even Clair and her father, something else had changed in their relationship. AJ could now join them for their dinners after the games. They could do other things that previously Addison had been hesitant to do because she knew for sure it would raise Clair’s suspicions, such as go to the show just the three of them, which they did that first evening in Chicago after the game.
As usual, AJ was quite the spectacle in the lobby while Addison spoke with the manager about the ingredients in the popcorn and the soda, the only thing she’d be ordering from the concession stands.
AJ mentioned he felt like ice cream, so he got in a different line. There he was first approached and he soon had a crowd around him. Addison watched, amused, from where she and Clair stood, separating the popcorn into boxes and grabbing as many napkins as possible. Just as they’d finally gotten comfortable in their seats and Addison was getting ready to turn off her phone, she got a call from work.
“Crap,” she muttered, knowing she had to take it. “I’m gonna take this outside.”
“Who is it?”
As expected, the suspicion was there in his tone and eyes. She was certain it wasn’t going away anytime soon, and she knew it was her own fault for lying to him in the first place, so she addressed him immediately. “It’s my work. I told you we’re finishing up on a big project, so I have to take this.”
AJ nodded, eyeing her as she walked past him. Jesus, she hoped this wasn’t something she’d have to deal with forever, because it did not appear that AJ would be backing down for the sake of not annoying her. If anything, his actions spoke volumes. Just like she wasn’t giving into telling him who Fred was, AJ was not going to even try and hold back on making clear how he felt about Fred in her life.
