Writing Lanie - Forbidden Heart Series Book 2

34| Zero to Furious Bitch

"More wine?" Nate asked as he held out another bottle of red. 

"Sure," I answered with a smile. Well, as real a smile as I could make. We had finished our salads and were getting ready to eat dinner. This was also my second glass of wine. Thankfully Ayden was a master at covertly switching our glasses so it only looked like I was drinking it. In reality, not one single drop has passed my lips. 

Nate set the bottle of wine back on the table before he glanced over to Ayden who was sitting beside me. "Mind helping me get dinner while the ladies talk?"

Even though I silently screamed my rejection to be left alone with Jules, I made sure to keep my composure as Ayden got up from his seat.

"Sure," he answered Nate.

I glanced up at my older brother. He shot me a warning look to be on my best behavior. For Nate, I would try. But I couldn't make any promises.

When the boys disappeared into the kitchen, Jules cleared her throat and took a sip of her wine. "So, I'm surprised you attended this little dinner."

And here. We. Go. "Why wouldn't I be here, Jules? He's my brother and this is my house."

She shrugged and studied her freshly manicured nails. "Yes, but you do everything possible to avoid me." When I didn't answer her right away, she added, "Look, just because you couldn't keep a handle on your ex boyfriend, doesn't mean you have to get jealous of what Nate and I have. You should really treat him better."

And that is how someone goes from zero to Furious Bitch in sixty seconds. "Fuck--"

"Here's dinner," Ayden said quickly as he walked into the dining room and sat the roasted chicken on the table. The look he shot me told me he heard what she said and knew I was going to lose it.

Nate followed behind him with the potatoes and bread. Everything smelled amazing and it helped keep my inner beast at bay.

"Hope everything is okay in here," Nate drawled as he took his seat.

"Of course, it is. We were just having girl talk," Jules answered.

Yeah, right. I started putting chicken on my plate and I noticed Nate was staring at me.

"What?" I asked. Was there something on my face.

He pointed to my meal. "You...never eat dark meat. You hate it."

I looked down and noticed I grabbed a chicken leg. Fuck. I was craving this chicken leg. I needed this chicken leg. "Oh, well, I wanted to try new things. New Year's resolution."

Nate's eyes widened. "Okaaaay, then. Just weird. You were never the resolution type. What brought that on?"

I added some potatoes and a slice of bread to my plate. Okay, two slices of bread. With extra bread. Sue me, I'm pregnant. "I got tired of the same routine, I guess."

Ayden squeezed my thigh comfortingly under the table. That seemed to mellow me out a little and I was grateful for it. The next few minutes went by pretty decently. Most likely because Jules had her mouth full with food so it wasn't flapping away with nonsense. But all good things come to an end...

"What are your plans after you're done with the Army, Ayden?" Jules asked as she batted her lashes.

He finished chewing his food and glanced at her awkwardly. "Uh, not to sure yet."

She looked entranced as she leaned forward. It was as if he told her he knew the cure to cancer. I felt like I wanted to vomit; and it wasn't because of the baby.