Even though this week Jason had stayed out late twice with study groups, I had managed not to panic or get needy. He seemed happier too. He wasn’t always asking me what was wrong.
Tonight, however, we were going to an event. His friend Finn’s birthday was tonight, and Finn loved to have parties. He threw the most parties of any human I knew. Because he had more money than God, it was an event instead of just a party. Finn and Hensley were Jason’s only two friends I liked. They were nice to me, and I felt comfortable around them.
I chose a dress I had recently made, and went without panties or a bra. The dress hid my baby bump but accentuated my boobs so that a bra was impossible. The pretty blue was a color I had recently developed a thing for. And the fabric had a creamy, soft feel to it. My hair was down, and I had on the heels Jason had bought me a couple of months ago when I had been drooling over them.
The look on Jason’s face when I had walked out of the bedroom had given me the extra self-esteem I had needed to face this crowd. He had followed it with a “Goddamn, you’re hot.”
We pulled up to the country club that I had only been to once and had never wanted to return to. It had been a family meal that ended badly. Sadie had basically told off Jason and Jax’s mother.
Before I walked in, I needed to know who would be there. Or if one person would be there. “Will Johanna be here?” I asked.
Jason nodded, then slid his hand around my waist. “And she’ll feel very inadequate when she gets a look at my beautiful fiancée. Don’t worry about her.”
I tried to believe that, but I knew just how attractive Johanna was. I also knew she had slept with my man. That drove me nuts. I hated her bad.
The doors opened for us, and we were greeted by two men in tuxedos. Then we headed to the ballroom. When we walked in, the place was already packed. Dancing was happening, and everywhere there were groups of fabulously dressed people with fancy drinks in their hands.
“JESS!” Finn yelled as he saw us walk in. Jason chuckled beside me.
“I think he’s already drunk,” he said as we approached the birthday boy.
“I think you’re right.”
“You came! Dance with me, Jess. Let her, man. It’s my birthday,” Finn said, reaching out to touch me.
Jason pulled me back fast and shook his head. “Happy birthday, Finn. But my woman is off-limits. Find another.”
Finn stuck out his bottom lip and stomped his foot. Yep, he was definitely drunk. “But I wanna touch her.”
Jason tucked me closer to his side. “You touch her and when you wake up sober your nose will be broken. Got it?”
Finn burst out laughing, and then slapped Jason on the back. “You are so whipped.”
Before he could say anything else, someone came up to talk to him and he forgot about us. Jason pulled me away from Finn and we walked over to the bar.
“If he wasn’t drunk and one of my best friends . . . ,” Jason muttered. “I need a drink. You want a club soda? Splash of cranberry juice?”
I nodded and Jason turned to order himself a whiskey straight and me a club soda. I saw a girl I had met when we went to a party in New York City. Our night had ended badly and I’d gone home alone.
“Hello, Jason. Haven’t seen you much this semester,” the girl said, flashing her smile at Jason and completely ignoring me, even though we had met before.
“Hey, Vanessa,” he replied as he handed me my club soda, tinged pink from the cranberry juice.
“You and Jo haven’t been doing anything together lately,” Vanessa said, finally giving me a quick glance before looking back at Jason.
“No. Since I’m engaged and expecting a baby, I don’t spend any time with other women. I got the one I want,” Jason replied, then took my hand. “Enjoy the party, Vanessa,” he said without looking at her as he led me away.
“I remember her from New York,” I told him.
“Sorry. She’s a vulture,” he said.
I nodded, and then Jason stopped to speak to some people who didn’t seem very interested in me. As they discussed a class they were taking I looked around the room.
When a feminine voice joined in, I turned my focus back to the group talking.
“You can borrow my notes. I need them too, but if you want to stay after class you can get a copy of mine. I’ll only ask that you take me for coffee in return,” she said, flipping her red hair over her shoulder.
“You’ve got all the notes?” Jason asked, instead of telling her he wouldn’t be taking her to coffee.