Page 30 of Bad Boy Husband

JAMESON

Work should have been a distraction. Instead, it was torture.

I sat behind my desk, staring at a financial report on a company I had to make a call about, but no matter how many times I reread the same information, I couldn’t seem to process it. Numbers danced, words blurred, and all I could see every time I blinked was Sadie’s face the last time we’d spoken.

She’d still been naked in her bed, but she’d looked so wounded, so guarded, and much too damn far away. It was safe to say she and I had hit a whole new level of low. We were still living in the same house, but she gave me a wide berth, and honestly, I hadn’t gone looking for her either.

The knock at my office door barely registered, but my mother didn’t bother waiting for permission to enter anyway. She swept in like a breeze that smelled faintly of her beloved Chanel perfume and quiet disapproval.

“Jameson, darling,” she said, smiling until she saw whatever look I had on my face. “We need to talk about the wedding. Assuming there’s still going to be one. You look like hell.”

“There’s going to be one.” I rubbed my forehead, trying to sound neutral as I glanced over at her. “Why do we need to talk about it?”

“Well, because usually, people tell their wedding planner what they want. They spend months picking out flowers, napkins, and music.” She sat down across the desk from me, neatly crossing her legs.

“Have you and Sadie even discussed it at all? The only thing you’ve told me is that it needs to happen after the end of the month.

I’ve started planning as well as I can, but at some point, I’m going to need to know what you both actually have in mind. ”

I shook my head. “We haven’t talked about it, but you can go ahead and do whatever you want.”

She blinked, clearly a little bit surprised—and a little more disapproving than she had been when she’d walked in.

“You don’t care at all? This is your wedding , Jameson. It’s Sadie’s wedding.”

“I know. It’s just…” I raked a hand through my hair. “I’d marry her at the courthouse right now if she’d let me.”

Mom studied me silently, her expression softening as she took me in. “Then why don’t you?”

“Because I’ve already screwed this up enough,” I said, the words grating my throat on their way out. “Dragging her to the courthouse to vow to spend the rest of our lives together isn’t going to fix it.”

“Who knows? Depending on what you’ve done, it might be exactly what she’s waiting for.”

“It’s not,” I said confidently. “She won’t even look at me at the moment.

I thought giving her some space would help, but it’s starting to feel like it’s making everything worse.

Trust me, if I go pick her up right now and tell her we’re going to the courthouse to get married, she’ll be on the first plane back to Texas and I’ll be single again. ”

Mom hesitated. “Tell me something, Jamie. Do you love her?”

My mouth opened, but nothing came out. On instinct, I looked away, staring out my wall of windows at the city spread below. Eventually, I gave her the only answer I could. “I don’t know what good it’ll do to say any of it out loud. Let’s just say that it’s complicated and leave it at that.”

“It usually is,” she said, her voice uncharacteristically quiet. “Complicated doesn’t have to mean impossible, darling. Even if it feels that way sometimes.”

“Sadie’s stubborn. She’s not just going to let this go,” I said. “It doesn’t help that I’m talented at pushing away the people I want to keep the closest. She hasn’t said anything about it, but I know I took things too far. Emotionally. Physically. Just too far.”

For a long moment, she just looked at me, then let out a quiet sigh. “Do you want my advice?”

“Not really,” I admitted. “I know you’re going to give it to me anyway, though.”

“Stop hiding behind your guilt,” she said as if I hadn’t spoken at all.

“I might not know everything that happened between you two in the past. I also don’t know why she’s not talking to you right now, but if you want her, fight for her, Jameson.

For God’s sake, stop brooding around your office like a vampire. Man up.”

A humorless laugh escaped me. “Coming from my very own mother, that should probably mean something.”

“It should.” She watched me for a second longer, then nodded.

“Now, we’ll host the wedding at the estate and I’ll take care of the details.

It’ll be beautiful, of course, so don’t worry about that.

In the meantime, you should really consider growing a pair and letting this girl know unequivocally how you feel about her.

It’s so obvious when you look at her, darling.

But lingering, longing looks are never going to be enough for a woman who actually knows her worth. ”

With that sweeping statement, she got up, wiggled her fingers in a wave, and left.

I sighed, once again glancing at the city beyond my window, just carrying on, indifferent to the fact that my mother had just told me to man up.

I slid my phone out of my desk and unlocked it, intending on sending Sadie a message, but in the end, I deleted everything I typed.

Instead, I just stared at her contact photo. She was smiling with Hooch’s giant head draped over her shoulder. God, Sades. I’d give you anything you want if you’d just let me.

Our trial month wasn’t going very well, though. Frankly, despite the fact that I’d just told my mom that the wedding was still on, I really didn’t know if it was true.

My phone beeped in my hand and I focused on the screen, surprised to find a text from Trent staring back at me.

Shep: I’m still in town. Flying out tomorrow. We should probably talk before I leave. Meet me at Golden for a drink at 6? Sorry for going off on you the other night.

My thumb hovered over the screen for a few seconds longer than it should have. The apology was half-assed, but it was something. Plus, he was right about us needing to talk. If smoothing things over with him would make things even a little better with Sadie, I would take it.

Golden , the bar he’d suggested, was downtown.

A high-end place that served fancy cocktails in crystal glasses and always had a Bentley or two parked outside.

Trent was usually a buffalo wings and beer kind of guy, but if he wanted to change things up a little bit, I supposed I could go for a White Russian.

By the time I got there, he’d texted again to say he was running late. The bartender brought me a neat pour of something I hadn’t asked for as I took a seat at the bar. I pulled my phone out of my pocket to scroll through emails, but I found myself glancing at the door every couple minutes instead.

Not long after I’d sat down, Collins walked in. I spotted her instantly, catching her reflection in the long mirror behind the bar. Her blonde hair was perfectly straight and razor sharp around her face, her long legs eating up the distance between us as soon as her gaze landed on me.

“This is a surprise,” she drawled, sliding onto the stool next to mine and leaning in close enough that I caught the scent of her perfume. It was sickly sweet and slightly overwhelming. “I was hoping I would run into you while I was in town.”

“Collins.” I nodded, my tone polite but clipped. “I’m actually waiting for someone, but it was good to see you.”

She tilted her head, her hair spilling over one shoulder. She smiled like I was a child being silly. “I’ll keep you company while you wait. How are you?”

“If it’s all the same to you, I’d rather wait alone, but thanks.”

The bartender set a glass of white wine down in front of her even though she hadn’t ordered anything, and unease slithered through me. First I got a drink, now her. I’d been here before. The service hadn’t been this good.

Collins hooked a manicured finger around the stem of her glass but didn’t lift it up.

Her eyes were on mine, her gaze so intent that it was getting a little uncomfortable.

“How about a counteroffer? I wait with you and you save me from the judgment I’ll face for drinking alone. Help a lady out, would you?”

Body shifting closer to my own, her knee brushed against mine. I frowned. “What are you playing at here, Collins?”

“Me?” Those blue eyes widened and her eyelashes fluttered, turning her into the very picture of innocence. “What do you mean?”

“I’m marrying your friend.”

“Yes, I heard about that.” She angled her upper body against the bar, once again leaning into me a little. “That must be making things a little awkward between you and Trent. If you’re looking for a wife, it might be a little less complicated with someone else.”

She made her meaning clear with the slight lift of one of her eyebrows. I shook my head. “Not interested. I’m already engaged. To Sadie.”

She pouted, but there was amusement dancing in her eyes. “Engagements often don’t end in marriage. People are allowed to change their minds, Jamie. Can I call you Jamie?”

“No.” I turned to face her fully, which had the unfortunate consequence of putting me close enough to her that anyone watching might think this was something else, but I needed her to really hear me.

Hear me and understand what I was saying.

“Let’s not pretend that we’re friends. I hardly know you and I’m not interested in changing that, nor am I going to change my mind. ”

Her smile faltered but only for a moment.

“You’re no fun. Sadie’s clearly not doing a good job of relieving your tension.

I could help you out with that, you know.

Stress relief. I’ve heard that stress is the smoking of our generation.

It’s downright dangerous to carry so much of it around with you. ”

“Seriously? Stress relief?” I scoffed down a disbelieving laugh.

“I would say thanks for the offer, but I’m honestly not sure if that’s the appropriate response.

Either way, I’m committed to Sadie and I think I’ve made my stance on this pretty clear.

Just to be sure though, I’ll give it to you straight.

I’m not interested in fucking you, marrying you, or even having this conversation. You’re wasting your time and mine.”

She eased herself gracefully off her stool, brought a hand to my shoulder, and locked her gaze on mine. “Like I said, people are allowed to change their minds. If you should ever find yourself wondering if you should change yours, call me. I’ll help you figure it out.”

Spinning on her heels, she gave me one last look over her shoulder before she walked away, disappearing through the main door and leaving her wine untouched on the bar. She also hadn’t paid for it. I shook my head, a sigh huffing out of me. I picked up my tumbler and sipped my drink.

That was so fucking weird. I’ve got to give it to her, though. Girl knows how to go after what she wants. I could learn a thing or two from her.

A minute later, my phone buzzed.

Shep: Sorry, bro. Can’t make it. Something came up. Rain check?

I stared at the screen, something prickly settling in my gut. First Collins shows up, then Trent bails.

It felt orchestrated, even if I didn’t understand what anyone would’ve been able to gain from this. I stood up immediately though, threw some bills on the bar, and walked out. The valet had my car ready only a few minutes later and I went straight home.

The city lights blurred around me as I drove.

The unease grew heavier and sharper the farther I went.

Something had definitely been off about all that.

I’d taken Trent’s invitation for a drink at face value.

It had never even crossed my mind that he might be up to something shady, but I was convinced I wasn’t just being paranoid.

When I got home, I walked in and instantly knew Sadie wasn’t there. The house felt wrong. Quiet in that empty way.

Hooch hadn’t greeted me at the door and there was no glow of lights coming from the kitchen or upstairs. I stood in the foyer for a moment, my car keys still in my hand, listening for any trace of them, but there was nothing.

With a sinking feeling in my stomach and a tightening in my chest, I turned back around. I wasn’t usually the suspicious type. It just wasn’t me, but my gut was saying that I had to get to Sadie and that I had to do it now, before I couldn’t do it at all.