Grounded (Up in the Air, #3)(96)

Scott nodded. “It’s tearing me up, and I know you don’t understand it, but I’m finding it impossible to just let her go. Knowing that she isn’t still so hung up on you that she would do something like that just for spite would help. I think that the idea that she would release it, not caring if it ended us, is what bothers me the most.”

“There’s no accounting for taste, but I can well understand being obsessed with a woman and not being able to let it go, Scott. I wish you the best. Perhaps she’s changed.”

“I know she’s no angel, but I like what she is. If I could only get her to care for me, as I do for her, I think that we could have a good marriage.”

I couldn’t see his face, but I clearly saw James shrug from behind.

“I’m not sure it works that way, but I do know that people are capable of changing, and I hope for your sake that she’ll change for you. I wish you nothing but the best, Scott. I always have.”

Scott hesitated for another moment, looking unsure, before finally nodding. “I think I know that. I guess I have all along. It was just easier to blame you, yanno? Let me know if you find out anything.” He was walking away before he’d even finished talking, his words trailing to us as he moved away.

It seemed to me that Scott could have apologized, being that he’d admitted that he’d been wrong about James, but I didn’t say anything. Friendships could be complicated things, and I wouldn’t dream of stepping in when I didn’t understand theirs.

I did think that Scott and Jolene might just deserve each other, but I kept that thought to myself, as well.

I was happy when the next familiar faces we saw were friendly ones. Both Sophia and Parker embraced me warmly, gushing about the engagement. I flushed in pleasure, and if I was honest, a touch of trepidation. Some part of me screamed that this was all too much too fast every time I was reminded of what I’d agreed to.

“Have you hired a wedding planner? Do you know the venue?” Sophia asked, beaming at me.

I thought she was adorable, with her blonde curls and her enthusiasm, but her question intimidated the hell out of me.

“No,” I said finally. “I haven’t even thought about it.”

Sophia seemed to sense my discomfiture. She touched my shoulder lightly. “There’s no rush. And you can have any size wedding you want. Just be sure to invite us.”

I nodded, my mind going a little blank at the thought of planning a wedding. “Of course. Small or large, you’ll certainly be on the guest list. I can’t say the same thing for your sister-in-law.”

She laughed. “I would hope not. She’d try to burn the place down, the crazy twit.”

That made me laugh. Crazy twit seemed like a perfect way to describe Jules, and I was sure that Sophia must have been even more fed up with her than I was, since she’d married into her family.

We mingled for a time, but I cut loose from James when I saw a restroom. Blake followed me in, even hovering outside the stall, but I was growing accustomed to it. Her relentless stoicism was even starting to grow on me.

I didn’t take long in the restroom, but I heard some sort of commotion outside of my stall right before I re-emerged.

Blake was standing so close to another woman that I didn’t even recognize her at first. I noticed that the bathroom attendant was absent before I caught enough of a glimpse of the woman to make out who it was.

“Jules,” I said coldly when I saw her. “Blake, you can let her loose. I’m prepared this time, and she didn’t bring her partner in crime.”

Jules was decked out in a black, one-shoulder sheath. She looked polished and beautiful, but looks meant nothing if your insides were spoiled rotten.

Jules was smiling, a sharp malice in her eyes, when I saw her fully. Knowing her, that meant trouble. “I just wanted a word, Bianca. It’s really kind of pathetic that you’re so scared of me that you need a bodyguard now.”

Blake had stepped out of the way, but she was braced to pounce on the other woman.

I smiled at Jules. It was an unpleasant smile. It felt unpleasant. But I was done putting up with her crazy little scenes.

“Congratulations on the engagement. You must realize that it’ll never last with James. He’ll tire of you before the ink is dry, but good luck with that.”

“That’s what you wanted to say? What a waste of both of our time.”

“No. That was a side note, actually,” Jules replied, looking noticeably more agitated at my response. “What I came here to say to you is that I was the one that released that sex tape. I stole it from Jolene years ago, afraid she would do something crazy with it. She told me about it one night when she was hopped up on opiates, and so I knew she had a loose tongue. At the time, I wanted to save his reputation, as I couldn’t let my future husband be seen in such a light. I just wanted you to know that it was me that put that out there. If he’s going to go out of his way to be seen slumming it with you, then his reputation is already shit, so I wanted to make it shit.”

I was so disgusted with her that I felt my mouth moving into a sneer. I hadn’t even known I had it in me. “You’re pathetic, you know that? He was never even your boyfriend, let alone your future husband.” I held up my left hand, showing her my engagement ring. “James isn’t subtle. He would have made himself plain either way, if he had any intention of marrying you. What did you even have to gain with any of this?”