it seems Arianna wasted no time in finding a consolation prize.” His gaze flicked up to Cole. “Or perhaps it was more that our NFL star here finally started making passes instead of catching them.”
The awkwardness that filled the air after his comments was immediate and thick.
I watched Zara for her reaction to what Chad had said and noticed a sudden tenseness form behind her eyes. She glanced around the perimeter of the room, like she was suddenly looking for an excuse to exit this conversation. And after her eyes stopped on William, who was heading to the kitchen with a platter of empty glasses, she stood a little straighter and said, “I’m going to see if William needs my help.” Then she looked at each of us individually and said, “Please, do enjoy yourselves. And Chad, make sure to try the bourbon meatballs. William made those himself.”
“I’ll head there next.” Chad shot Zara one of those smiles that had won him lots of clients in the boardroom.
After Zara disappeared, Chad turned back to Cole and me, his smile replaced with suspicion.
“So,” he said, glancing down at Cole’s and my intertwined hands. “Is this the real reason why you broke up with me? Did it actually have less to do with the need to graduate to a higher level relationship, and more to do with the fact that you were shacking up with your friend with benefits here?”
When his icy blue eyes inspected mine, my stomach twisted, making me feel like I might throw up.
“You want me to take this?” Cole asked, giving my hand a reassuring squeeze. “Because you don’t have to deal with this if you don’t want to.”
But as much as I wanted Cole to just handle Chad for me so I wouldn’t have to deal with him anymore, I knew I needed to stand up to Chad myself.
I gave my head a slight shake and said, “I’ve got this.”
This was the moment I’d prepared for. The moment when I finally did something new: When I didn’t go back to Chad.
“So what’s the deal with you two?” Chad crossed his arms, apparently impatient for an explanation for why Cole was at the party. “Did you hook up before or after you dumped me out of the blue?”
Out of the blue?
Did he really believe he hadn’t had it coming?
Because if so, he was even more delusional than I thought.
And I wanted to just get this over with right then and there so I could be done with him and ride off into the sunset with Cole. But when I noticed several sets of eyes watching and waiting to see whatever I had to say, I turned to Cole and said, “Just give us a minute, okay?”
“Are you sure you don’t want me to do this with you?” His dark eyebrows knitted together, an almost hurt look in his eyes.
I touched his arm, hoping to convey just how much I would prefer to stay by his side. “I think I actually need to do this on my own.” And when his dark brown eyes searched mine to see if I really meant it, I said, “It will be fine. I’ll be right back.”
And then turning back to Chad, I said, “How about we take this to another room and away from curious eyes, okay?”
He pushed his hands into his pockets and shrugged. “Sure.”
38
Arianna
My pulse thundered in my temples as I led Chad out of the crowded great room and down the hall to what I assumed must be Zara and William’s guest bedroom.
After letting Chad walk into the room before me, I stepped inside and shut the door so we’d have some privacy.
“So what’s going on?” Chad asked when I turned back to face him. He stood with one shoulder leaning against the wall, his gray suit fitting him just as well as it always had. And I hated that even now after everything that had happened between us, I still found him attractive.
He was still as good-looking as he’d been the day we met.
But outsides could be deceiving that way, I supposed. Because even though Chad had male model written all over his face, who he was on the inside was someone who did things that hurt me on the inside.
And insides mattered way more than outsides to me now.
“I just want to make this quick and simple, okay?” I said, hoping to get this over with so I could get back to Cole.