The Unexpected Series (Unexpected #1-3) (40 page)

“Erin, why didn’t you tell me about Trent? I know he’s your brother but I’m your best friend. I thought hoes before bros thing?” I wave my hand around like it’s not a big deal but it kind of is.

“It wasn’t my place to tell, Noe. He made me promise and I knew it was only a matter of time before he told you. I know he has it bad though. I’ve never seen him like this before.”

“Me either.” I sigh into my burger.

“What are you going to do? Date them both?” She asks.

I shake my head no. Since the dates I have tried to just give myself time to think. I just am so torn between what I want and what I know I should do.

Jace is a fresh start...a chance to build a relationship and not take it too seriously. And Trent is always on my mind now but he comes with a shit ton of baggage. Our relationship would be serious from the start.

“Uh, Noelle,” Erin says so quietly I almost don’t hear her. “Jace is here but I’m not sure you want to look.”

“Why?” I ask but a flashback of another time and another restaurant comes into play. That night my friend got hurt thinking another boyfriend of hers was cheating.

When my eyes follow hers, I see Jace is standing at the hostess desk with Valerie, who is laughing beside him rubbing his arm. He doesn’t see me yet, and I’m thankful. I just don’t want to face him right now since I still have no idea what to do. Plus, I have no interest in meeting Valerie either.

“Can you just wrap this up and meet me outside? I’m going to go to the bathroom before he sees me.” I stand up and grab my purse to head to the back. My heart is beating out of my chest. I feel like a damn teenager sneaking out of the house.

As I’m washing my hands the door flies open and Valerie steps into the bathroom not even taking a second look at me, leading me to believe she has no clue who I am.

I hate to admit it but she is really pretty. She has long blonde hair that’s pulled into a ponytail and a tight white tank top with “JV Fitness” on her massive, and probably fake, rack. Her outfit is paired with some black capri workout pants and gym shoes. I’m jealous of how fit she is. Makes you want to cut a bitch.

Walking out of the bathroom I peek around the corner to see where Jace is sitting. Not finding him I plan my escape but halfway down the hall I am instantly pulled backwards by strong hands. I can hear his breathing in my ear and his hard chiseled chest rising and falling against my back. He reaches down and grabs both my hips and whispers in my ear. “I can’t stay away from you, Noelle. I waited too long to tell you how I feel.”

“Trent?” I turn my head to the side, and he captures my mouth with his bringing his right hand up slightly so it’s touching the bare skin between my black dress pants and red floral shirt. I’m lost in him. This kiss is aggressive, and I love it. I try to pull my mouth from his, but he brings his left hand to my face desperate to continue claiming my lips. My body is on fire, and I long to be closer. I turn to face him not daring to break this kiss. His hands are now on my back and neck gripping my hair. I grab the pockets of his jeans and pull him flush against me. I feel how much he wants me and let a little sigh out as I remember how good that felt inside me. Someone clears their throat and he reluctantly pulls his lips away from mine but not his eyes.

“What the fuck, Erin? I told you to stay outside!” He growls and lifts his face to glare at her.

“Not. Erin.” A harsh tone pierces through my body and I quickly spin around.

It’s Jace.

In that very awkward moment Valerie chooses to walk out of the bathroom. Her face goes from confused to uncomfortable as she looks at Jace just staring at us in each other’s arms.

I push Trent’s hands off my waist and step away from him. “Jace, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean for you to see that.”

“Are you kidding me, Noelle? You couldn’t just tell me you chose him? I thought maybe you were taking some time but I can see you didn’t need it!” The venom in his voice cuts me.

“J. What’s going on?” Valerie asks getting as close to Jace as possible. Her eyes look up to him.

“Absolutely nothing, Val. Let’s go eat.” He puts his hand on the small of her back and walks away.

“Trent, how did you know I was here?” I gasp. “Did you know Jace was going to see that?”

“Okay, Noe. Relax. Erin told me where you were having lunch but Jace seeing that fucking kiss was just the icing on the cake.” He brings his hand up and plays with a piece of my hair. “I needed to see you. I’ve missed you.”

“Did you know he would see us, Trent?” I ask again smacking his hand away.

“I saw him walking towards this way when I pulled you back, yes. I’m sorry.” He smirks not looking the least bit sorry. “Okay, I’m not sorry.”

I push myself off the wall I didn’t realize I was leaning on and leave Trent in the hallway.

“Noelle, wait just a minute!” He grabs my wrist and brings me around to face him.

“No. I need to go. What you did...it was hurtful and you used me. I need to go talk to Jace.”

“You don’t owe him anything, Noelle!” His roar echoes through the dark hallway.

“How would you feel if that was you? I know I’ve got us all in a fucking shit situation but this constant caveman bullshit has to stop. I’m hurting people, Trent, and I hate it!”

“Please don’t be mad.” He pleads pulling me closer.

“Oh, I’m not mad. I’m furious. Let. Me. Go!” He releases me, and I leave him to make my way over to Jace’s booth by the window. Valerie’s eyes go wide when she sees me coming and mumbles something to Jace.

“I can’t talk, Noelle. I’m having a business meeting.” He turns to look at Valerie completely brushing me off.

“I need to apologize. I feel like I owe you an explanation.” I look at Valerie. “Can I have a minute, please?”

She starts to stand up but Jace stops her. “No. Stay. If she has something to say you can hear it as well.” He turns to me again looking as though I’m going to back down. I guess he doesn’t know me that well.

“I’m so sorry. I didn’t know either of you were going to be here. I saw you walk in and just felt like I still needed a bit more time before I faced either one of you so I ran into the bathroom. When I came out he was there...kissing me. I’m sorry you had to see that. I know I’m not a saint. I’m human. I make mistakes. I swear this is the first time I’ve seen either one of you since this weekend. He isn’t the reason I didn’t call and he isn’t the reason I didn’t text. I just need some time to think all of this through.”

Jace gets up from the table so fast making both Valerie and I jump. Grabbing the back of my neck with both hands he drops his face to mine. It’s too fast for me to stop. His lips are on me.

My body reacts to his touch instantly. I feel the fire throughout my body.

This is different than Trent’s kiss but feels just as effective.

I’ve kissed two men in the same day again.

Maybe I really am the slutbag.

I push his chest, heaving, and pull away.

“Noelle.” Erin’s quiet voice calls out and I find a seething Trent standing next to her.

He throws his hands in the air, and she is shaking her head not sure what to do with the display in front of her.

“I’m outta here,” Trent says while heading to the door. “Call me later, Erin.”

I rush out after him, Jace yelling my name, hoping to somehow fix this. I’m in the middle of chaos and I feel torn between two directions. I grab the back of his shirt because he won’t slow his pace.

“Trent, stop! I need to...” He whips around and his shirt slips from my grip.

“NO, NOELLE! I won’t stop! I’m done! If you want to fuck around with him then go ahead. I’m not going to be waiting at home while you go out with him and I’m damn sure done competing. Date him. I’m done! I’m DONE. I can’t do this. I love you too much.” He shakes his head and walks away towards his truck leaving me dumbfounded.

He loves me?

M
y blood is boiling. My heart is racing so fast it’s digging its way out of my chest.

I pull off the curb leaving tire tracks into traffic narrowly missing a small red car, and a dumbfounded Noelle on the sidewalk.

My life has been ten shades of fucked up since Sunday morning. I thought giving Noelle the opportunity to see that fucker one last time was a brilliant idea. She would see that her body and heart belonged to me, but I was wrong. Seeing his lips on hers again...I just couldn’t take it. I had to leave.

She has consumed my thoughts for the past two years and lately I’ve become worthless. I can’t eat. I can’t sleep. I can’t work. Danny would have me fired if I didn’t own the damn company.

If she could so easily put her lips on his after having hers on mine then maybe it’s for the best that I walk away before I get my heart broken.

Who the fuck am I kidding? If she showed up at my door and begged me to make her a one man woman I would wrap those thighs around me and make it so that she could never be anyone else’s.

My mind starts replaying the entire afternoon as I pull into work. I told her I loved her. I didn’t mean to but in the heat of the moment, it came out. I don’t regret it, but I was pissed. Still am.

“Yo, Trent, I need you to sign off on this shit,” Danny bellows out as I unsuccessfully avoid a conversation with him trying to stomp past his desk.

I sign my name so hard the paper starts to rip and he pulls them out from under the pen.

“What the hell, dude? You’re murdering the form. Now I’m going to have to reprint it.” The vein in his head pops out like it does when he’s frustrated.

“I told her I was done.” I throw the pen down and the unemotional tone in my voice catches me off guard. I feel defeated.

“You what?” He stops mid task.

Dragging my hands down my face I fall back into the chair across from his desk.

“Yea. I went to see her while she was having lunch with Erin. It had been four fucking days, and I hadn’t heard a word. I needed to touch her. I needed to and he was there, and he fucking kissed her in front of me...again. I’m tired of competing for someone who, if she would just push aside how scared she is to lose my family if this goes wrong, should be mine.”

A loud bang reverberates in the room when he slams his hands on the desk, the vein reappearing.

“You’re kidding me right, Trent? You’ve been pining over that chick for two years and you just give up?” A look of disbelief is almost overshadowed by his annoyance.

“You don’t know what the hell you’re talking about, Dan. She...”

“...Is the reason you can’t focus and not because she won’t let you claim her like a fucking caveman. Because I can see that you love her written all over your face.”

“Now who needs tampons?” I stand up to walk away but his hand reaches over grabbing my arm.

“Think about this, Trent. I’m serious. As a friend listen to what I am about to ask you. Do you want Noelle dating him?” He looks straight at me gauging my reaction. “Hell, marrying him?”

“No!” I yell snatching my arm away.

The thought of her in a wedding dress walking down the aisle to someone else guts me. I want her to be walking down towards me.

“Then fight for her!” He shouts back.

“I’m tired of fighting for something that shouldn’t be a fight, Dan.”

“Oh, so you give up because it’s not easy. I see. Just like this company you built from the ground up. You didn’t give that up because it was hard. As your best friend I should tell you that you’re a real pussy.”

The door hits the wall when he flings it open leaving me alone with my thoughts again.

More defeated than before I decide that I’ll take the rest of the day off and go pick up my son, the one constant in my life.

~~

A
lex’s parents have asked to keep Jason a lot more. I don’t know if one of them is dying or they pulled their heads out of their ass and decided it was time to become the grandparents that they should be, but things have changed recently.

They ask for him constantly, and even though I enjoy not having to pay a sitter or bother Erin with watching him I still hate going over there to drop him off or pick him up. I don’t feel welcome.

It’s three o’clock when I pull up to their house after numerous calls with no answer. I figure that Jason is napping and they have the ringer off.

Her dad must have run an errand since the driveway is empty but I can see the front door cracked open.

My stomach drops a little as I near the door, an uneasy feeling coming over me. Regardless of the open door I still feel as though I need to knock. When no one responds after a few minutes I make the decision to go in anyway.

The house is quiet, too quiet, but there’s soft music playing from the extra room off the dining area where Jason usually naps.

A woman’s humming filters through the air and my heart stops when I hit the threshold.

“Alex!?”

~~

P
iss. Ass. Drunk. That’s where I’m at right now. After seeing Alex holding my son, MY SON, in her arms rocking him to sleep, I fucking lost it.

How dare she think it’s okay to touch him? Hold him?

He’s MINE!

Where the hell has she been? Where was she when I was in the ER with him for a one hundred four degree temperature? When he was teething and needed my shirt to chew on? When he needed a goddamn MOTHER for Christ’s sake?