𝔹𝕖𝕥𝕥𝕖𝕣 𝕋𝕙𝕒𝕟 𝔹𝕣𝕚𝕘𝕙𝕥 ➂

𝟚𝟠.

Cole practically drags me out of the conference room but the moment we're out I shove him away from me. "Get the fuck off of me, Cole." I spit the words out at him, making him give me an incredulous look. Well, him and a handful of other people who'd walked by as well.

"My office. Now." He turns on his heel and goes down the hallway. "Care to explain what in the actual fuck that was all about?" Cole shouts at me once we're behind closed doors.

"It's nothing, Cole." I wipe the blood away from my lip with a tissue I snatch from his desk. "Jamie and I just got into a bit of an argument."

"A bit of an argument? A bit?" He places his hands on his hips looking at me like I've lost my damn mind and hell, maybe I have. When it comes to Amelia, I really do feel like it sometimes. "What was the argument about, pray tell?"

"Cole, it's not something I really want to get into with you right now." I look away from him, not being able to meet his eyes. Cole is a good handful of years younger than me and he's also like a brother to me. I've known him for years. I can't tell him his sister and I are split up, in the process of getting a divorce.

"What do you mean you don't want to get into it? That is a potential business partner of ours out there that you were fist fighting with. The two of you were like teenage boys fighting over a girl." I let out a long sigh, feeling much like a hormonal teenage boy myself. I hated that I let Jamie get under my skin.

"Funny you should use that analogy." I look him in the eyes with a pained grimace. "Diana and I are getting a divorce, Cole. We've been split up for a while now. We've agreed to see other people." His face is blank, like he doesn't know how to process the information I'd just given him. "I know your sister wanted to tell you but—"

"What in the world does your relationship with my sister have to do with what the hell just happened in there?" I purse my lips, not sure if I should tell him the next part. "Rhoen, what does this have to do with James? Why on Earth would—" A look of recognition takes hold of his features, "Amelia? You... and... Amelia?" I feel my features fall as a sad look plasters itself on his face. That sad look confirms what I'd thought; Cole is into her. He likes her and not in the way that a boss should like an employee.

"Yes, Amelia and I met in Vegas. I gave her my number and we went out on a date."

"But James is just her childhood friend." I shake my head no to him and then he realizes something else. "They're more than just friends, aren't they?"

"Yes, Cole. They started a relationship when they were in Vegas after her and I had met. So, I tried to stop pursuing her." I'd tried and failed but I'm not telling him that. "Her and Jamie broke up before she came back home and well..."

"Is that why you've been in Boston so much? You've been here because of Amelia?"

"Yes, that's why I've been around more often." I admit, feeling rather ashamed.