The Winemaker's Dinner: Entrée (32 page)

How dare she
try to conceal this?
How could she do this
to the man who’s given
her everything?

What’s the big deal?
It was a one night thing,
an accident. She doesn’t
even remember.

Accident.
Accident?Bullshit.
That’s a bullshit excuse.

He’s probably done
the same thing.
You saw how
the girl at the door
fucked him with her eyes.

He’s never given
any inkling of infidelity.
He’s treated Jaden
like a queen.

But why has he been
so nice? Is he making up
for something, just as she’s
been doing with him—
giving her everything she wants
to make sure she’s happy?

“Jaden? Jaden!”

She snapped out of the war zone and looked at Tasha, who seemed a little annoyed. “He needs your order. Do you want the chicken or beef?”

She looked up to find the waiter with an equally annoyed look on his face.

“Umm…chicken, please. Sorry.”

She grabbed her glass of wine and tried to center herself—or at least tune out the torment. She couldn’t decide which would be better.

“You okay, Jaden?” Micky asked. “You look a bit pale.”

“I’m fine. Sorry…ah…just had a girl moment.” She rolled her eyes, which seemed to confuse both Micky and Tasha.

“Okaaaay,” Tasha replied.

Her eyes darted around the room, looking for Gary.
Was he talking to Ivan? Had he seen her and Damian getting friendly and leaving together? He certainly could have. He must have. Why did I ever think I could hide this? So stupid!
Frantically she searched the room and found Gary chatting with a sound engineer and pointing at various speakers that loomed above the crowd. Then a short time later she found Ivan on the opposite side of the room chatting with Max and a few other guests.

She blew out a relieved breath she hadn’t realized she was holding. She breathed for a second and then began to convince herself everything was going to be fine. If Gary and Ivan just stayed on opposite sides of the room all night, everything would be okay. Her stomach tossed and turned.

Jaden glanced across the table at Tasha and Micky, now lost in themselves again. Their over-the-top affection could usually make her smile, but tonight it just made her even more sick. This was supposed to be their big evening, and all she wanted to do was curl up in a ball somewhere alone.
I would do anything to put that night behind me.
She took another sip of wine and watched as Ivan excused himself from the small group he’d been chatting with and headed across the room toward Gary.
Shit, shit, shit! No, no, no! What’s he doing?

Oh, she’s screwed.
Karma!

No, she isn’t.
She didn’t do anything.
It was an accident.

Yes, she is.
She probably fucked
another man, certainly lied
about it, and has been
acting like nothing’s wrong.

People do it
all the time.
She’s young, and
they aren’t married.

She’s leading him on.
Living a lie just to keep
her dirty little secret.