Promise of Forever(30)
I looked over at Chloe and Julie again. “Yeah. Well, we’ve only been dating for about eight months, so I don’t know if it’s too soon.”
Nick nodded. “Yeah I get it, but haven’t you guys been friends since you guys were in diapers?”
I laughed. “Something like that.”
“But don’t wait too long, man. Chloe’s a catch and you two really are great together.”
“Yeah. Maybe when we hit our one year anniversary, I’ll start thinking about it. I’m just enjoying our relationship and being with her. I don’t want to rush her into anything.”
“Sounds like a plan.” He looked at his near-empty glass. “I’m going to grab another drink. Let me get you a birthday drink. What do you want?”
“How about an Old Fashioned?”
“You got it.”
Just then, a hand tapped my shoulder from behind me and a female voice said, “Happy birthday, Jackson!”
I turned around to see who it was. When I came face to face to her, I froze in place and quickly looked at Chloe from the corner of my eyes.
I stood there, temporarily paralyzed by shock as Amber wrapped her arms around me and kissed me on the cheek, as Chloe watched from thirty feet away.
“Amber? Why are you here?” I asked as soon as I snapped out of it.
“I’m here for your birthday, silly.” She touched my chest playfully.
“But who invited you?” Chloe asked as she came up next to me.
“I didn’t tell you about my party,” I added quickly to make it clear to Chloe that I had nothing to do with this.
Amber beamed at us. “Don’t be embarrassed that you forgot to put my invitation in the mail. I came with Bruce, Jackson’s co-worker. We’re working on a deal together and he mentioned it during a work lunch the other week.”
“Bruce,” I repeated, making a mental note to give Bruce a piece of mind when I see him next.
“Well, it’s good to see you two.”
Amber’s eyes moved from me to Chloe and then back to me. “Ahhh. Don’t tell me you two are an item?” Then she laughed.
“What’s your problem, Amber? Chloe and I have been together for awhile and I’m crazy about her. Are we back in first grade when you were jealous of her because I liked her and not you?”
“Relax, Jackson. You know I’m engaged.” She laughed as she held out her left hand to show off the large diamond on her ring finger. “I have nothing to be jealous of.”
I glared at Amber and for the first time, I saw what Chloe had been saying all along. I finally saw Amber’s true colors.
CHAPTE
R TWELVE
Chloe
I was still upset when I went to the restroom after our encounter with Amber. I didn’t know why she had that effect on me, and I didn’t like the jealous and angry person that came out of me when she was around.
I stared at myself in the mirror in the restroom and tried to remind myself that she didn’t matter, that I was better than her and needed to rise above the pettiness.
“We are adults now, Chloe,” I said to my reflection. “You have Jax, the guy you want to be with for the rest of your life. She can’t touch that. She has nothing on you now.”
Feeling a lot better, I went into one of the stalls. But just as I locked the stall door behind me, I heard a familiar voice as the bathroom door opened.
“Steph, so I’m at this bar for Jackson’s birthday—yes, the Jackson completely-fuckable Pierce!” Amber started to giggle. “Right? So hot!”
It was Amber on a call with Steph. I knew that name well. Steph was one of Amber’s minions in their “mean girl” clique.
I was about to unlock the stall door and break up their conversation, but stopped myself when I heard her say my name.
“Anyway, guess who’s also here? No, guess. Dirty Girl Chloe!” Amber started laughing hysterically. “Can you believe Jackson’s with her, of all people? Gag me now. Ugh. I mean, it’s no wonder though. I mean, now that I’m finally off the market, he’s finally hit rock bottom.”
At that point, I couldn’t stand it any longer. I opened the door and walked out of the stall.
For a brief second, Amber’s eyes grew wide when she saw me through the reflection. But she recovered quickly and a smirk appeared on her face.
“Steph, I’ll call you back,” she said before hanging up the phone.
“You’re such a fucking bitch, Amber.”
She just smiled and looked me up and down. “Wow, Chloe. This is a new low for you.”
I glared at her. “What are you talking about?”
“Well I was having a private conversation just now. But you obviously stayed in that bathroom stall so you can eavesdrop on me.” She pursed her lips and shook her head with disappointment. “Didn’t your parents teach you any manners?” Then her expression changed, like she’d just remembered something. “Oh yeah, that’s right, you didn’t have any parents to teach you anything.”