Three weeks after I'd told Dominic I loved him, I was still feeling uneasy about having blurted out my feelings only to find out he didn't return them. There is something especially humiliating about telling a man you love him and him not saying it back. I think even an I'm just not there yet would have been more helpful than what he'd said back to me. Since that night, Dominic had been extremely gentle with me, approaching me carefully as if he was aware I was poised to run and was constantly trying not to spook me.
His watchful behavior could also have been related to Harper having disappeared on his stupid ass brother, not to mention Elizabeth leaving her hockey player -- emphasis on player -- to flee to England. Two of the Foster girls were in flight mode, and he wanted to make sure that count didn't go up to three.
We were both at my place watching TV one night, cuddled on the couch, when Dominic's phone began pinging with text alerts. Then it started ringing repeatedly, until he finally reached for his phone on the coffee table with an irritated scowl. "Probably club business," he grumbled, then looked at the name of the caller.
He answered, and he suddenly sat up after listening for a minute, his body tense. "Where are you? OK, I'll be right there." He listened another beat, then "OK. I will."
"That was Camille," he said, his voice agitated. "She's in the emergency room. Her boyfriend beat her up tonight."
"Oh my god! Is she OK?"
I mean, as OK as you could be after something that horrible.
Dominic was already pulling on his shoes. "I'm going to go to the hospital and take her home once she's checked out."
"I'll come with," I said.
He shook his head. "She asked me to come alone. I think she's feeling embarrassed."
Hmmm. I guess I could see that. But it didn't mean I liked it.
I would come to like it even less over the next two weeks. Dominic was staying at their house with her at night because she was so afraid her now ex-boyfriend would come back to finish the job.
One night, he and I were supposed to go out to dinner and guess who came along because she couldn't bear to stay alone at their house? Yep! Was I happy? Nope! Was I even unhappier when I saw that she was no longer respecting the boundaries Dominic had set and he was letting her get away with it because she was in such a fragile state right now? Hell, yes.
I tagged Dominic on it when he walked me to my door. (Yes, I was getting dropped off after dinner and he was continuing on home with Camille.)
"Really, Nic? You had to bring her when you've already spent the last five days and nights with her and I haven't seen you at all?"
That did sound kind of petty, but...he was staying at their house with her.
"Finland, I'm sorry but I've never seen her like this. She's terrified of this guy, she still won't give me his name and I have no idea if he's going to try anything again. She's my responsibility and I feel like I let her down."
I sucked in a breath and then let it go, trying to understand her fear and Dominic's need to protect.
But then it happened again, and she came on a second date with us. I hadn't spent the night with him since she'd been attacked and while I could understand her fear, I couldn't understand why I couldn't go over to their house and spend time with them. When I'd suggested that, Dominic had said she just needed time to calm down and it was better if I didn't come over because she was extremely agitated when anyone else was around.
Knowing I was upset, he tried to soothe me with the promise of a date with just the two of us for Friday night. He said he'd put a prospect on Camille watch that night so he and I could have some much-needed time together. However, since I knew Camille, I suspected she'd maneuver her way onto a third date with us. Like the good girlfriend I was, I decided to prepare and to illustrate the problem for Dominic.
So I talked with my neighbor Michael, who was into the local theater scene at night after he lawyered during the day, explained the situation, and he was all in. He'd taken copious notes about what I wanted, we practiced a few things and he expanded on some of my ideas. I told him Dominic and I had a date planned the following night and he agreed to be on standby. His partner Caden had been listening the whole time and kept shaking his head like this was a bad idea, but Michael was firmly on my side and was looking on this as the role of a lifetime.
Sure enough, when Dominic picked me up for our date, Camille was waiting in the car and I saw her give a little wave to me. Dominic said only, "She had a complete meltdown when I said I was leaving the house and bringing her along was the only way I could get her to calm down. I'm sorry, Gorgeous."
Did he even ask if I minded? Did he not see what a manipulative bitch she was? Did he miss everything awful about her?
As I approached the car, she leaned out the window. "Sorry, Finnie, my back has been giving me problems since my ex kicked me. It hurts too much to get in the backseat."
Of course her back was hurting and that made it impossible to get in the back seat. Sure it was. But Dominic bought it, so that's all that mattered.
Once I got into the back seat, I quickly texted Michael, "It's on" and the restaurant details.
One thing was for sure. After tonight, I was no longer going to be putting up with the bullshit.
Dinner began as expected. Dominic and Camille sat side-by-side on one side of the booth, and I sat on the other. Camille monopolized the conversation, I imagined various ways to torture her...the usual. We'd just ordered drinks when Michael walked by our table, then took a few steps back and looked at me.
"Finnie?"
I pretended to not know him for a second before recognition hit. "Oh my gosh, Michael? Is that you?"
I jumped up out of my seat and we hugged hard. "What are you doing here? It's been, what? Seven years since I last saw you?"
"You look great, Finnie," he said, stepping back a bit to give me a once over. "Smokin' hot. I'm in town for a week for a sales conference. Someone told me to try this place."
"Can you join us?" I asked.
He glanced over at a scowling Dominic and bemused Camille, then back at me. "You sure? Don't want to crash the menage vibe you got going on." I had to choke back a laugh at that. Who knew he was so good at improv?
"Absolutely! Come on, sit down," I trilled. Grabbing his hand, I pulled him into the booth.
"Michael, this is Dominic and Camille," I introduced them. "Michael's an old friend of mine from high school."
He shook Dominic's hand and Camille's from across the table, then turned his attention right back to me.
I'd gone over a long list of things he needed to do tonight – all things Camille had pulled with Dominic. He started right in. First off was inappropriate touching and pet names.
His hand brushed my hair back from my shoulder, lingering longer than was socially acceptable, as he said, "You look so good, baby girl. What have you been up to?"
Before I could answer, the waitress came and took Michael's drink order, then he turned right back to me.
"Oh my god, did you see her? She reminds me of our biology teacher. Remember how she always used to say, 'Class, your attention is required...'"
"'Up front!'" we both finished, laughing hysterically. Cross shared memories off the list of shit Camille had pulled.
We chatted about some completely made up high school memories, not paying any attention to Dominic and Camille, until the waitress brought all of our drinks.
"Still drinking those fruity girly drinks?" He lifted his glass to me and as we clinked our glasses, at the same time we said, "Go!" and chugged our drinks. He slammed his down first, then lifted a brow to me. "Fork it over!"
I handed him my drink and he took a sip before he handed it back to me. I giggled as I put my glass down.
"Baby girl's still messy with the drinks," he said as his thumb swiped over my lips and he popped the finger into his mouth.
Inappropriate intimate touching was crossed off the list. I didn't dare look over at Dominic, but the vibe coming from his side of the table was unhappy and pissed off. Welcome to my world, Nic. Through sheer force of will, Michael and I continued to leave them out of the conversation, chatting about old times, referring to more inside jokes, basically Michael monopolizing me. We were thoroughly covering leaving people out of our inner circle. Camille excelled at making me feel like the third wheel, drawing Dominic's attention whenever he tried to engage me in conversation.
When the appetizer came, Michael fed me one of the tiny crab cakes and grabbed my hand to steal an appetizer right out of my fingers. Dominic slammed down his glass, glaring at Michael.
We both glanced at him briefly, then turned back to each other and started chatting.
Things really began to get interesting when the food arrived. Michael kept up a steady stream of conversation while feeding me choice morsels from his seafood pasta offering.
"Baby girl, you have got to try this," he'd say, then lift his fork to my lips. Then he asked to try some of my food, eating off of my fork. All shit Camille had pulled with Dominic, all shit I had been told didn't mean anything. How's that shoe feeling on the other foot, Dominic?
Dominic wasn't eating at all, but his gaze was absolutely fiery. I tried to avoid it as much as possible so I wouldn't start laughing and give the game away.
Michael insisted on ordering dessert to share with me, while Dominic declined Camille's offer to share with him.
When it came to paying the bill, Michael and Dominic both reached for it at the same time.
"Let me get this, Donald," Michael said.
Dominic shot him a look and yanked the bill from Michael's hand. "I've got it," he muttered.
Cross calling someone by the wrong name off the list.
After the waitress took Dominic's money, I knew I had to end this the right way to drive home the final point on my list.
"How long are you in town?" I asked Michael.
"Another four days. I need to go check into my hotel."
Then I launched the final shot over Dominic's proverbial bow.
"You should stay with me!" From across the table, I heard what sounded like a growl come from Dominic.
"Seriously?" he asked. "I don't want to put you out."
"Not at all!" I enthused. "I have an empty guest room so it's no trouble at all. We can play catch up."
"You sure, baby girl?"
"Absolutely!"
He leaned in and pressed a kiss to my temple. And there we had the awkward living arrangement situation nailed down as well as unnecessary facial kissing. Let's see how Dominic liked me allowing another man to live in my space. He couldn't understand my objection to Camille living in his house since it was so innocent and he was never there...unless she got beaten up by an ex and he had to spend nights there for her protection and peace of mind.
"I take it your car's here?"
"Yeah," he said, then grabbed my hand and started sliding out of the booth. "Cameron, Don, nice to meet you two."
"I'll take you home," Dominic rumbled, getting up, his angry face telling me he wanted to have words with me. Words that most likely wouldn't be pleasant.
Michael tugged on my hand.
I looked pointedly at Dominic. "Oh, thanks, Dominic, but if I go with Michael, I can sit in the front seat. Thanks for dinner." Then before Dominic could move to kiss me or respond to my jab about the front seat, Michael led me toward the entrance.
Before we were even two steps away, Michael said, loud enough to be heard, "Finnie, you know I would never put you in the back seat. What are you talking about? Nobody puts baby girl in the back seat."
Awww, he'd even worked in a nod to the classic line from his favorite movie, Dirty Dancing. I wanted to kiss him right there.
I could feel Dominic's eyes burning holes in my back as Michael and I walked out, his hand at my waist. We laughed all the way home, and he'd been able to observe Dominic's and Camille's facial expressions more than I had. He said Camille had looked pissed because, try as she might, Dominic's attention was fixed solely on me, in a very unhappy way. She gave up trying to get his attention and semi-pouted for the rest of the meal.
We walked up to my apartment, laughing at Michael's brilliance and probably the most awkward dinner ever.
"I figure he'll be over in another thirty minutes. He has to take the queen home first."
"He was pissed," Michael mused. "I'm surprised he didn't launch himself over the table to kill me."
"He has no right. Every single thing you did was something she's pulled and I brought up to him. He said it wouldn't happen again, and then after she got beaten up, he let it start happening again because she was emotionally and physically fragile. I objected and all I got was an 'I don't notice her like that, Gorgeous. She's like a sister.'"
"I should be paying you, this is so much fun. Caden wanted video after he got over his objection to this."
"If it finally gets through to Dominic, it will all be worth it."
Turning serious eyes to me, Michael asked, "What if it doesn't, Finnie?"
With a sigh, I shrugged my shoulders. If this Hail Mary play didn't open Dominic's eyes, I didn't see much hope for us. "Then I have to end things. She wins."
He pulled me into a hug outside my apartment door. "It'll be OK. He didn't even spare the bitch a glance tonight."
"Maybe it's just because he doesn't like to share his toys. If it comes to a choice of her or me, I'm not sure which one of us he'd pick."
"You, all the way, every day and twice on Sunday."
I quickly changed into a pair of sleeping shorts and a tank. Then I got out a half-full bottle of wine and two glasses, splashing a little in each glass as if we'd been drinking.
Five minutes later, Michael walked back in wearing a pair of sleep shorts low on his hips, awesome ripped abs on display. I just knew Camille pranced around in skimpy nighties, so let's see how Dominic liked it.
Michael looked down his nose at the wine with disdain. "Is this the cheap swill you like?"
"Stop being such a snob," I laughed.
We chatted about Caden's new job for a few minutes, Michael's new schedule on the night shift, and about a new couch they wanted but couldn't decide between leather or microfiber.
Then I made him tell me about his tattoos, and in the middle of the explanations, a key turned in my lock and Dominic walked in, his face a mask of fury as he took in both of us on the couch.
Let the fun begin.