have proven that I was a fool to think we could be friends or that I could trust you. Neither is true. Now I would like you to leave.”
“I don’t get to say anything? What about my thoughts on what just happened?”
“Your opinion doesn’t matter at all to me, Jasper. Not anymore.”
When he made no move to stand, she got up and walked out of the conference room. She went to her office, where she closed and locked the door. While it was unlikely he would follow her there, she wanted to make it clear she was done talking to him.
She leaned against her door and closed her eyes for a second. Disappointment didn’t begin to describe what she was feeling. While their relationship was never going to be about more than sex, she had thought he was a decent guy and now that was ruined forever. He was just some thoughtless jackass who had wormed his way into one of her weddings and there wasn’t a damn thing she could do about it.
* * *
“I’LL BE THERE at the end of next month, Mom,” Renee said as she turned on the road that would take her to the animal preserve. Her friend Carol had asked her to stop by, without saying why. A reason to be concerned, Renee thought, hoping everything was all right.
“I’m glad we’ll get a few days together,” Verity Grothen, Renee’s mother, said, her voice perfectly clear over the car’s speakers. “I’ve found a lovely little spa in the neighborhood. Let’s have a girls’ day out.”
“I’d like that, Mom.”
“Then it’s a date. You take care, sweetie.”
“I will. You, too.”
They hung up. Renee breathed a sigh of relief that her mother hadn’t mentioned visiting Happily Inc. There had been a few murmurings when Renee had first moved here, but she’d claimed she was too busy to have anyone visit and had instead promised a trip to her mother’s place in San Diego.
Not that she didn’t love her mother—she did. Verity was the only family she had. It was just having her mother around was complicated. Especially here, she thought as she parked at the animal preserve.
The Happily Inc Animal Preserve was on the outskirts of town—by the dump and recycling center. Carol’s father and her uncles, Ed and Ted, had bought the dump and all the surrounding land years ago. After establishing a healthy savanna, they’d brought in nonpredatory animals such as zebras, gazelles, giraffes and a water buffalo.
The nonprofit was supported by donations and a trust that had been established the previous year when artist Ronan Mitchell had donated several glass pieces that were sold at auction.
Whenever Carol hosted a girlfriend lunch, she had it at the preserve, weather permitting. While everyone else enjoyed being outside and catching sight of the animals roaming free, those lunches always made Renee nervous. She preferred to live her life wild animal–free. Not that she didn’t love nature—she did. Just from a safe distance that was definitely out of earshot.
A cat would be different, she thought wistfully. She liked cats. At least she thought she could, if she was ever brave enough to get one. But whenever she considered it, her mind reminded her of all the potential disasters that could follow.
Renee pushed those thoughts away and instead wondered why Carol had asked her to stop by. As Carol was happily married and the mother to an adorable baby, Renee didn’t anticipate them having to discuss a problem.
At least not a problem of Carol’s, Renee mentally amended as she walked toward the main offices. She, on the other hand, was still fuming from her encounter with Jasper two days ago. His complete disregard for her job, her clients and her specific request that he not get involved in a wedding had made it clear he was a definite candidate for jerk of the year. Her only regret was that she’d ever thought he was a decent guy. Obviously her ability to find the worst guy in the room was still alive and well. Note to self—avoid men forever.
Easy enough, she told herself firmly. She wouldn’t look, wouldn’t date and certainly wouldn’t touch. Any attempt to get along with a man on a romantic or sexual level would only lead to disaster. It was just...she’d really liked him. And now she couldn’t and that made her both pissy and sad.
Pushing all thoughts of Jasper and his dickishness from her mind, she walked into the main building and was surprised to find