Dangerous Exes (Page 36)

She glared at Blaire first, then raised her eyebrows at her brother. “Ah, the traitor.”

Colin’s nostrils flared. “I see you’re spending the trust fund with accelerated speed.”

She rolled her eyes and touched her lips—ah, she’d just gotten them done, and by done I mean overdone. I was no stranger to Botox or getting a little help in the lip area, but she looked like you could toss her against a window and she’d stick. “I don’t need it anymore. I have Wayne.”

She turned her venomous glare toward me. “You know Wayne, right? Ex-fiancé? Successful director? The best lay I’ve had. Ever.”

If she was trying to hurt Jessie, he didn’t show it.

I, however, burst out laughing and then sobered. “Oh, I’m sorry, I thought it was a joke. Yes, Very Exciting Wayne, you know, when he can get it up without the little blue pill.”

Her face paled.

“But you know all about that, right?”

She crossed her arms. “Anyway.” We were getting dismissed.

The waiter brought our drinks.

Blaire’s panic was evident.

Vanessa wasn’t going to confess anything.

Damn it, we needed to get her drunk.

I reached for the mimosa just as she put on her sunglasses, and had no time to react as Blaire grabbed the drink and laughed. “Isla! You know you can’t drink when you’re pregnant!”

Jessie choked on his next sip.

My stomach dropped. “Uh, right, er, I just, it’s so new that I, um . . . forgot.”

Jessie patted my hand. “I just can’t believe it.”

“Me. Either.” I sent a seething glare to Blaire before forcing a smile at Vanessa. “It wasn’t planned, but hey, we’re already engaged, so . . .” I shrugged and leaned toward Jessie. He captured my mouth with a hungry kiss that felt just as real as this morning and last night. I grabbed ahold of his shirt and tugged.

When we parted, we were both out of breath.

“And now I know how babies are made,” Colin joked while Vanessa’s lips twitched like she was about to burst into tears.

“You guys,” Blaire said in her all-business voice, “are going to be the perfect little family. Aren’t they, Vanessa?”

“You bitch!” Vanessa spat out, teeth clenched. “What, your life wasn’t good enough? You had to steal mine!”

“Hey, you’re the one who had an abortion without talking to your man first.”

“I did what was necessary!” she said in a hushed voice. “For my career and for Jessie.”

“You are such a coldhearted bitch.” Jessie stood, towering over her. “And you had no right to do that. I was your husband.”

“It’s my body.”

“Don’t say it’s about your body when we both know it had everything to do with your career, not mine, yours. You were selfish then, you’re somehow more selfish now. And if you ever defame my character again, I’m going to sue the hell out of you.”

Vanessa snorted. “Oh Jessie, you can’t sue me for telling the truth.”

“Yeah.” Blaire held up her iPhone to show it was recording. “Actually he can, since you’ve been lying.”

I could see Vanessa’s wheels turning. Like she was seconds away from creating a scene by jumping across the table and grabbing the phone, so I stood. “Vanessa, you already have everything, you have a director boyfriend, and you’re going to the Academy Awards tomorrow night. Let Jessie go.”

She swallowed and stared at the ground.

“Let. Him. Go.” I said it with more purpose as I put a hand on her arm and waited for her to jerk away.

She didn’t answer.

She just shrugged me off.

And walked away.

But when she got back to the chair, she was wiping underneath her eyes. Wayne didn’t even notice.

Jessie exhaled next to me. “So, we got rid of one problem only to have a brand new one.”

“Huh?”

“Apparently we’re expecting.” He didn’t look amused.

“That wasn’t my fault!” I said defensively. “And you know Vanessa can’t say anything now!”

“Not Vanessa I’m worried about.” Jessie made a face then nodded toward the waiter. “He heard, I guarantee it’s going to get leaked.”

And because the universe was out to screw us, Blaire’s phone beeped, she looked at it, then hid it under her napkin and said with fake enthusiasm, “Congrats! You’re having twins.”

Jessie groaned and collapsed into his seat.

“Relax, guys.” Colin reached for his mimosa. “I’m sure her Goo-Poh has a tea for that.”

“So. Helpful,” Jessie said through clenched teeth while I panicked.

“Goo-Poh!” I sprang to my feet. “She’s going to die!”

“What?” Jessie stood. “Why would she die?”

“All she’s ever wanted from me is children!”

“I’m sure it’s not that bad.” Jessie put a hand on me.

“She used to pray it over me when I was six!” I said with a half scream. “When all the normal girls went to school with thoughts about prom, my Goo-Poh was at home lighting candles of fertility!”

Jessie hid his smile behind his hand.

“Don’t you dare laugh.” I pointed at him. “You’re going with me.”

“Going?”

“To explain to Goo-Poh that I most definitely did not accept your blessing wide and—”

Colin snorted with laughter.

I covered my face with my hands. “I’m so screwed, this is so bad, isn’t it? This is like a monumental screw-up!”

“At least you guys are already engaged,” Blaire pointed out.

“Yes, thank God, we’re already engaged before I bring a fake set of twins into the world!”

Jessie took a step back from me.

“Don’t attract attention,” Blaire said through clenched teeth.

I sat back down and reached for Colin’s mimosa, then put it back. “Damn it!”

“I’ve never seen you so . . .” Blaire looked like she was searching for a word. “Chaotic, I kind of like it.”

“This, this was not the plan.” I tapped the table with my fingernails. “Our plan was simple, get engaged, make everyone believe in the fairy tale, then quietly separate a few months after it died down. A baby is permanent, splitting while pregnant will not bode well for either of us. It makes Jessie look like he abandoned me, and it makes Dirty Exes look bad.”

“So . . .” Blaire leaned in. “You stay together.”

“But—”

“What’s the worst that could happen?” she asked softly.

Jessie had been quiet next to me. I elbowed him, but he only chuckled and said, “Oh well, I’m sure she has a list.”

I did have a list.

Never mind him.

“Dismemberment, poisoning, painting my walls, plotting my demise via Chinese food, yelling, so much yelling.” Of course he would add that. “Need I go on?”

“I did not try to dismember you!”

“It really is only a matter of time,” Jessie said seriously.

“I can’t believe this. Or you!” I jutted a finger at his chest and dug in. “You, you aren’t supposed to sit there and smile, I need you to freak out. I need you to do the rational adult thing and freak the hell out and then fix it.”