"Pumpkin?" Her father's voice was softer than usual.
"Hi, Dad. I was just checking in. I know Alex went ahead with the suit on Stephen and I wanted to see how everyone was handling it." She walked to the window and let her eyes move across the city. It was a beautiful day, and the need to get out and breathe a bit of fresh air on a long walk later that afternoon left her feeling needy.
"About as well as you would expect. Stephen’s a weasel. He doesn't see the wrong in what he did, but you knew he wouldn't. He's shouting that the world should know that the media lies." He grumbled something that she couldn't make out.
"That sounds about like him. I guess he was served papers?" Jamie brushed her fingers by her lip as her stomach sickened a little. Her family was already messed up enough. They didn't need anything else adding fuel to the fire.
"Yes. He was at the house when it happened, and your mother was actually excited about the trial. I swear she's gone off her rocker." Another sad sigh. "It's like any publicity is good publicity, and yet everything that's happening is so far from center of where I live my life."
"I know, Dad. Let's have lunch soon."
"I'd like that. We haven't seen Stephen since the papers were served, so just be careful. I don't think he's the type to get violent or anything of that nature, but the boy has a temper. I thought we were going to have to boot his ass at Christmas when he and your sister were having so many problems."
"Is Christine with him now?" Jamie turned and walked back to her chair, dropping down in it and leaning back.
"No, she's with your mother on a shopping day. She's pretty torn up since Stephen isn't answering her calls."
A shopping day. Must be nice.
"Okay, well, keep me in the loop. I love you." She hung up and set the phone down as a knock resounded at her door. "Come in."
Kristen poked her head in the room. "You doing okay?"
"Sort of. Kind of. No. Not really." Jamie ran her hands down her face. "I keep thinking things are going to die down, but they keep bubbling up."
"Yeah, the story in the paper about you and Mark was so farfetched. It's crazy how they can take those pictures when you're not looking and turn nothing into something." She walked in and closed the door behind her. "You got a minute?"
"You bet." Jamie stood and walked to the small table in her office. "Have a seat."
"Thanks. I won't be long." She sat down and glanced at her hands before looking back up at Jamie. "I just wanted to let you know that I'm putting in my notice. I need to get back to my folks, and my life. This has been great, and I honestly thought I would like it here, but I miss my real life."
"I understand that." Jamie pulled out the résumés that she'd gone through and Alex had simply nodded at. "I owe you these. Let's get them scheduled over the next few days if we can."
"Good." She let out a sigh as a smile lifted her lips. "I was worried you would be upset."
"Not at all. I think we all knew this was temporary, right?" Jamie reached out and touched the girl's arm.
"Yeah. I need to tell Paul and Mark." She sat back and bit at her lip. "I like them both, but I'm honestly not looking to date right now. Mark needs to heal, and Paul needs to grow up. A lot."
"He's still pretty young." Jamie chuckled. "I was wondering which one of them you were leaning toward."
"Neither." She shrugged. "They're both great guys, but they don't give me that overwhelming, heart-pounding feeling that I want when I start dating someone. I know it turns into more of a slow burn over time, but I want the thrill at the beginning. You know what I mean?"
"All too well." Jamie tapped the table between them. "I've been with Alex for eight months and I still feel like butterflies are dancing in my stomach when I see him. Don't settle for anything less than that. It exists."
"I'm glad to hear it." Kristen stood up and picked up the résumés. "Let's have lunch soon. I think you need to unload a bit. I would need to if I was stuck in the middle of all of this craziness."
"I'd like that." Jamie stood up and walked to the door, opening it wide and moving back. "Let me know when Alex is out of that meeting. I want to know what happened."
"I can do that. He's got a meeting with his lawyers later today too. He blocked off the afternoon for it. I assume it's related to everything you guys are dealing with, or is it business related?"
"No clue, but I'll find out about that too." Jamie watched her go before diving into her own thoughts.
No matter what was going on around them, knowing that Alex was hers and would be going home with her later that day left everything seeming alright. It was all external junk that they could handle together.
As long as they had each other.
Chapter 10