𝔹𝕖𝕥𝕥𝕖𝕣 𝕋𝕙𝕒𝕟 𝔹𝕣𝕚𝕘𝕙𝕥 ➂

𝟛𝟚.

"You're moving to Vegas?" I watch as Rhoen slowly lets her go, their private moment interrupted by yours truly. I don't really fucking care though considering Amelia's doing something I'd never thought she'd do; leave the east coast.

She gives me a soft, unsure smile before saying, "Well, maybe not Vegas exactly but Nevada, yes. I think I am." Rhoen squeezes her hand tightly and I can see the happiness all over his face. A part of me wants to be mad because a part of me feels jealous she's moving for him, even though I really shouldn't.

"What's going on?" Adri says, coming up to stand beside me. I look down at her, my beautiful girlfriend, and immediately forget the jealousness I'd previously been feeling. "What?" She asks, her cheeks reddening slightly underneath my gaze.

"Nothing," I shake my head and then gesture to the two in front of me saying, "good news, actually. Rhoen and Amelia are moving in together. Amelia's moving out our way."

"Oh wow! That's so awesome!" Adri says excitedly, looking at the two of them. "You're going to love it, Amelia! There's so much to do and there's so much fun to be had! I can show you around."

Amelia gives her a genuine smile and says, "I'd love that, Adri."

I thought maybe the two would be jealous of one another, considering my and Amelia's past but no. Adri reaches forward grabbing Amelia's hand and then pulls her into the living room, talking about all of the things there is to do and the places she wants to show her. But that's Adri for you, one of the most confident women I've ever met.

Amelia has never really had any girls as friends, it had always just been her and me. Adri and I are a lot alike though. So, if I had to guess if they'll actually get along, I'd say they will. Something about that fact is actually pretty comforting, especially since Amelia will be moving to Nevada.

"So, you got her to move." I say to Rhoen after a moment of awkward silence between us. "You convinced her to leave the east coast."

"I think I did," he lets out a little laugh before adding, "but she hasn't moved yet. So, I suppose we'll see."

"I'm impressed." And I honestly am, Amelia had once told me she'd never move. So whatever he's been doing these last few months is obviously working. "I'm happy for the two of you." He cocks an incredulous brow, like he doesn't believe the words that just came out of my mouth. "I'm serious, Rhoen, I know you and I have had our differences in the past but Amelia seems happy, really happy. I mean, she's moving to Nevada for you. You've got to be doing something right."

He runs his hand through his hair and shrugs. "I really care about her, Jamie. I just want to make her happy. It's all I've wanted since the day I met her."

"Well, you've definitely wanted her since the day you met her." My words weren't said maliciously or to be hurtful, just a statement of truth.

After gaging that response for what it is he says, "you're not wrong." And I know I'm not. If there was one thing I'd learnt about Rhoen Rearick it was that throughout his career when he wanted something he made sure he got it. The man is self-made and self-sufficient. I could learn a lot from him, even if I hated to admit that fact.

"As long as she's happy then I'm happy." He nods to me and we stand there a bit uncomfortably. "Listen, about what's happened between you and I in the past..." I don't exactly know how to continue but I do anyway. "I want you to know that if Amelia moves I'm not going to try anything. I'm happy with Adri, genuinely happy with her."

The sex is great and the relationship is low maintenance. Neither of us have really set high expectations on one another. It's just been easy; no complications.

"That's good. Adri's a good girl, albeit a little wild." He looks off into the living room, eyeing Amelia and Adri. "Seems like those two are going to be good friends. Amelia is Denver's daughter so you know Adri is almost like her sister, right?" Oh fuck. I had not even thought about that.

"Yeah, that's not going to be weird or anything." Rhoen lets out a snort at my words. "Suppose that means I'll be seeing more of you."

"I suppose so." The two of us eye each other and then we both let out a small, uncomfortable laugh.

"So we should probably try and get along." I admit.

"Yeah, that would probably be for the best."

"Maybe you and I can learn to do business with one another again." He regards me seriously for a moment, as if debating that idea. "I promise I won't throw another punch at you."

"Good, cause I'd hate to have to give you another black eye." His tone full of mock arrogance.

"Yeah yeah, old man. Take it easy."

"You know, you fight pretty good, kid." The way he said the word kid wasn't in the demeaning tone he'd once used so I take it as a compliment. "We should spar sometime."

"We should."

✩✩✩

The phone on my desk rings and I pick it up. It's Jessica telling me that my two o'clock appointment is running a bit late. I'm fine with that considering I still have a bit of paperwork to go over.

Rhoen's company had cut ties with Edison Industries which meant rearranging some of things on our end financially. It wasn't that big of a deal since Amelia had started working for Warner Enterprises a few weeks back. Amelia was my best friend before but I guess I'd never really realized just how smart she is. She made the loss of Edison group almost a seamless process as she went over all of the documents, editing them where need be with ease.

"Hey Jamie," Amelia says after coming into the room with a binder and a few folders underneath her arm. "Am I early? Or?" She looks at the clock on the wall.

"No, Cole is just running a bit late. He'll be here in a minute though." I gesture for her to take one of the seats in front of me. "How's your day going?"

"Good, I'm a little nervous about seeing Cole after everything." I nod in understanding.

Instead of having Cole fire her she'd actually given her two weeks. A few weeks later her and Rhoen had found a house then moved in together. I suppose you can't really call it a home though since the thing is a fucking mansion.

"So, how's Adri? I haven't talked to her all week. I've been to busy closing out the accounts." She holds up the binder in her hands to emphasize her point. "I haven't called her."

"She's good. Are we still on for dinner tonight?"

"Yeah, if you guys are still up for coming to ours we'd love to have you. I was going to cook your favorite." She gives me a wide smile and it feels good to be on the receiving end of it again. For a good six months she could barely look at me after the miscarriage. Now that she's moved out here, a change of scenery from where it'd happened, things are much different.

"Oh, I don't know, you cooking my favorite is probably going to be a hard pass." She lets out a laugh when the door opens, interrupting our conversation.

"Hello, I'm sorry I'm late." A woman says upon entering. She's actually quite beautiful for a middle-aged woman.

"I'm sorry but, who are you?" Not a lot of people just barge into people offices, quite like she'd just done.

"Oh, you'll have to excuse me, I'm here for Cole Edison." She gives me a blinding pearly white smile. "I'm Diana Rearick." Oh fuck. I look over to Amelia, who's now the color of a ghost. "Nice to meet you, Mr. Anderson, I presume?"

"Uh yes, sorry." I stand up automatically. "It's nice to meet you Ms. Rearick." I put out my hand and give her slender one a shake before she turns to Amelia. "This is my colleague Miss Lemieux." I try and avoid her first name but that doesn't matter because I watch her features automatically tighten.

"Amelia Lemieux?" She looks at Amelia, cocking a brow and saying, "So you're the one who's fucking my ex-husband?"