Page 51 of Shattered Hope

That shouldn’t have surprised me, but it did. Why would she have told him that? It wasn’t a matter of interest for Jayden.

“Yes… she called me. She wanted to know if I was still interested in painting her portrait,” Jonathan answered, and I wish I could strangle him.

What the hell was he doing?

“And are you?” Jayden asked, his tone a bit harsher than before.

“Why wouldn’t I?” Jonathan replied. “She’s an amazing woman.”

“So, you have seen her,” Jayden concluded.

“I haven’t said that,” Jonathan pointed out.

“Don’t play fucking games with me, Spade. I’m not in the mood,” Jayden warned him.

“Why do you care where she is?” Jonathan asked. “She told me things were over between you two.”

“Did she tell you about her husband too?” Jayden asked, oozing scorn.

“Husband? No, she hasn’t mentioned any other man,” Jonathan said, and I could tell he was intrigued.

I knew I would certainly have to answer a few questions when Jayden left.

“Well, you should ask her. Apparently, she has left him too, since he was at the office today, looking for her,” Jayden explained.

“Did you tell him she was with me?” Jonathan asked, sounding startled.

“No… I had nothing to tell him. After he left, Phoebe told me about her phone call, so I thought you might know something,” he replied.

“Why are you looking for her?” Jonathan asked, curious.

“She left a few things back at my place, along with her last paycheck. I was wondering if I could leave them with you,” he suggested.

Wow… he was in a rush to get rid of my things… that spoke volumes on what I ever meant for him.

“Sure… she should be coming over one of these days,” Jonathan accepted.

“So, she hasn’t left town,” Jayden concluded.

“Not as far as I know,” Jonathan agreed.

“I thought she was going back home with her husband…” Jayden mumbled; in a low tone, I had a hard time hearing.

“You just told me he was also looking for her,” Jonathan pointed out. “Anyway, why would she do that?” he asked.

“He’s her husband,” Jayden stated the obvious.

“So? Was she happy to see him? They could be separated, as far as we know.”

What the hell was Jonathan doing? Why was he asking all those questions?

“What do I know?” Jayden grumbled, but his tone lacked his usual confidence.

“Did you see her after the gala?” Jonathan asked.

My new friend knew more than he was telling and it surprised me. I hadn't mentioned the gala.

“Yes… for a few moments, back at my place, when she was packing her things to leave,” Jayden admitted.