Perfectly Lonely - Jessica Marin Page 0,85

myself a wink of confidence, walk out to grab my purse and sunglasses.

It’s time to go shopping for a dress that will make sure no one forgets my attendance at Cal’s party.

SEAN

“Talking with your she-devil?” I spin around in surprise at the sound of Jenna’s voice. So engrossed was I in my thoughts over my conversation with Cora that I didn’t hear her approach the kitchen. She’s leaning against the doorframe, arms crossed against her chest, looking at me with annoyance.

Fuck, she wasn’t supposed to hear anything! I quickly place my phone in the back pocket of my jeans to try to hide it. I’m the dumbass who took the phone call in her kitchen instead of going outside, so it’s just my luck that she would hear my conversation. Not really wanting to reveal the news about Cora’s future attendance in her home, I give her my best innocent smile and decide to deflect the question.

“Jenna, dear, don’t you know it’s not nice to sneak up on people while they’re having a conversation? Now I see where your daughter gets it from.”

Jenna and Cal’s daughter, Avery, is notorious for sneaking up on people and hearing inappropriate conversations at the wrong time. At the tender age of eight, she has already heard about cum juice and butt plugs.

“But I will forgive you for scaring me since you look so ravishing in your sweaty workout attire,” I tell her with a wink. She rolls her eyes at my flirtatious banter and moves away from the doorframe to the refrigerator.

I can’t help my eyes from scanning her tight body, clad in black work out leggings and a loose fitting white t-shirt. Since having their second child, Jenna has been working hard to make sure she maintains her pre-baby shape. I scan her face while she pulls out a water bottle from the refrigerator and takes a deep gulp of it. Her face is looking a little too thin, making me wonder if she’s becoming obsessed with keeping herself in shape. I make a mental note to talk to Cal about it when she interrupts my thoughts with her next words.

“Give me one good reason why I shouldn’t kick you out of my house for inviting her to Cal’s party?” Her whiskey colored eyes shoot daggers at me in anger. Her tone of voice is harsh, but the underlying hint of hurt is clearly detectable. Now I’m the asshole for betraying her.

Bloody fucking hell, she did hear everything! Jenna is one of the last people I want to upset. Not only because she’s my best friend’s fiancée, but also because I love her like a sister. She has been brutally honest with me about her feelings for Cora since Cora has made her dislike for Jenna clear from the moment Jenna entered Cal’s life. What endears Jenna the most to me is that she isn’t worried about herself, but more concerned about me and my feelings for Cora.

Feelings that I have had for her since the moment I laid eyes on her in boarding school.

Feelings that have never been reciprocated.

Feelings that I have tried to turn off, but manage to come back alive as if I’m hit with a bolt of lightning every time I see her or hear her voice.

Feelings that I know will never be reciprocated back to me.

“I didn’t invite her, Jenna. She already knew about it. The only person who could have told her would have been Phillip,” I suggest, hoping that her anger will shift from me toward him.

“Yet you did nothing to discourage her from coming,” she counters back, slamming the water bottle against the kitchen counter.

I narrow my eyes at her, not liking her tone of voice with me. “I don’t appreciate having my private phone conversations being listened to, Jenna.”

“Then don’t have your private conversations in my kitchen, Sean!” She emphasizes and we just stare at each other in silence. I’m the first one to break our gaze as I rake my hands through my hair and sigh in defeat. She’s right, I could have told Cora no and I didn’t. Instead I let her get her way— as usual.

“I’m sorry, Jenna. I didn’t think of how her being at his party would upset you since she has been a longtime friend of his. I promise I will control her and make sure she doesn’t cause trouble,” I offer, not wanting to fight with Jenna, acknowledging that I’m in the wrong.

She looks at me in