Gorgeous, six-feet, olive skin, piercing brown eyes, slick hair, and a body to die for, Dion is something out of a movie, and he knows it. He gets female attention everywhere he goes and that’s because he’s so fucking good looking you wonder what he sees in you when he’s by your side. You know he could have better, and that’s part of the reason you always go back.
Pathetic. Pathetic. Pathetic.
“Baby girl,” he murmurs, reaching me and pulling me into his arms before I have the chance to tell him I’ve changed my mind and he should go.
As his big arms wrap around me and my face is pressed against his chest, I can’t help but feel a familiar comfort, the kind that eases something in your soul. Makes you feel better for just a second. I close my eyes and let that feeling surround me, only for a moment, and then I pull back and take a deep, shaky breath. “Dion, you can’t be here. I was upset, but I shouldn’t have told you to come around. I’m sorry.”
“Why do you keep doing this, Maggie?” he asks me, eyes narrowed. “You give me an inch and then you snatch it away as if it never existed. It’s not fair. You know I want to be with you, that I’m trying, and you’re playing with me.”
There it is.
No matter the situation, Dion has an expert way of making you feel like everything that happens is your fault, even if it’s glaringly obvious that it’s not, he’ll make it seem that way and you’ll feel this irrational guilt, when you know deep down that it has nothing to do with you.
“I’m not playing,” I say calmly. “I admit I shouldn’t have given you the address, I’m taking that on, but I did tell you I didn’t want to be in a relationship anymore.”
“Why do you keep doing this to me? You’re messing with my head. You call me over here, let me hold you, and then tell me again you don’t want to be with me.”
“I said I’m sorry,” I say carefully, because I am sorry. This one is on me.
“You say that every time and then you keep pulling me back in.”
I close my eyes for calm. “I have never pulled you back in, Dion. If anything, it’s you who pulls me in and then it all goes bad. You know this relationship can’t work.”
“Because you refuse to let it,” he points out.
“How? How do I refuse?”
“You listen to some stupid therapist and when you did, you decided I was a certain way and that was that, you never gave me a god damned chance. Now you’re telling me it’ll never work, but not once did you actually make the effort for it to.”
Here we go.
“I’ve put everything into this, everything. I haven’t even looked at another woman. I bet you can’t say the same.”
He’s right, I can’t.
But I refuse to feel guilty about it.
“We’re not together, Dion. Both you and I can do whatever we want.”
He goes silent, his face tight. “So you have been with someone else?”
“Dion ...”
“You know what, Maggie. Fuck you. I love you. I’ve done everything for you. And for what? Huh? What?”
He turns and walks toward the car, fists clenched. “Dion,” I call, walking after him.
He’s done it.
He has made me feel guilty.
He gets in the truck, and I open the door before he can drive off. “Look, I’m sorry you’re hurt. I am. But I made it clear we weren’t together quite some time ago. You know this.”
He shakes his head. “You lean on me only when you need something, and then I’m not good enough for you. You’ve got problems, Maggie. Yet I still love you, I’m still willing to give you everything. I deserve better than this. You know that, right?”
I exhale, remembering what my therapist told me. Stay calm, even when you think you’re going to lose it.
“Dion, please, let’s just agree to disagree and let this go.”
He stares at me. “I’ll never let it go.”
Then, he starts the truck, nudging it forward so I have no choice but to slam the door.
He speeds off.
Well, that went exceptionally well.
“OH HELL NO, HELL NAH, no fucking way,” Gabby says, shaking her head. “Those bitches aren’t getting away with that. No way in the world. You have an event at the country club again this weekend, don’t you?”
“Don’t even think about it, Gabby,” I say. “I’m not going to do anything.”
“Oh, but you are. They are going to pay for how they treated you. You need to show them who is boss around here.”
Ramona nods. “Oh, I’m with Gabby. They need to be taught a lesson.”
“Mmmhmmm,” Poppy says with a mouth full of muffin.
Eve grins. “Oh yes, I love a good revenge plan.”
I laugh. “I’ve heard.”
Eve winks at me.
“No, but seriously,” Gabby goes on, “there is just no need for them to treat you the way they have. It’s ridiculous. Don’t let people like that bring you down, honey. We need a little trick to play on them, to show them you’re not one to back down.”
“I couldn’t come up with a trick if I tried,” I say, “I just don’t have it in me.”
“That’s what you’ve got us for.” Poppy grins. “We’ll fix this issue, tell us everything you know about the event, who is going to be there, and what you have access to.”
I go over everything with them, including the fact that the nannies are responsible for going in and baking a bunch of treats for the ladies having a luncheon. Apparently, they do it every year and it makes them feel “important”. I’d rather gouge my own eye out with a rusty fork, but Delilah has begged me to go so she can prove to everyone that we’re solid.
Whatever.
“Oh, that is perfect.” Eve claps. “I can tell you every baking trick under the sun to make sure everything that comes out of that kitchen is pure crap.”
“You just have to make sure you’re not involved in the cooking, so they look like idiots when they serve their masters the wrong food.” Ramona grins.
Oh boy.
“And how exactly will I do that?” I ask.
“Simple, you tell Delilah you don’t want kitchen duties, because you don’t feel she’s respecting you. If she’s into Hugh, she will give you something else to do,” Gabby grins. “Someone has to watch those babies while those nannies cook, you do it.”
“How will I screw up their cooking if I am watching the babies?” I ask.
“You go in a bit earlier,” Eve points out. “You swap everything out and just let them carry on with their day. It’ll be perfect.”
I mean, it’s a pretty good idea. To be embarrassed in front of everyone the same way I was, but still, I don’t know if I have it in me to be that kind of person. I’m just not evil.
“I don’t know if I can do it,” I say. “I’ll feel so bad.”
“Why?” Eve demands, crossing her arms. “They had no problem making you feel like an absolute idiot. They all deserve it.”
I bite my lip.
“Honey, you’re doing it,” Gabby says. “Nobody messes with my girl and gets away with it.”