Mister Know It All by Amélie S. Duncan

FORD

I’ve met someone

I called Cecile, and just like the other times I reached out, she let the call go to voicemail. I’d leave a message into her void, hoping whatever she heard in my voice would make her pick up or return to me out of love. But this time, my heart didn’t burn in my chest.

“Cecile, this is my last phone call to you. I don’t want to get back together. You were right about the proposal. I made it out of fear, not love. I didn’t want to lose you, but what I’ve come to realize in the months you’ve been gone is that I lost you well before the accident. Not just because of Andre, but because we weren’t right for each other. You may think I started seeing Jasmine out of revenge. But even if she left, I would want to end our relationship. Like I told you on my previous call, my feelings and needs have changed, and I will no longer compromise myself to keep you.”

The weight on my chest lifted, and all brooding thoughts evaporated. I took a deep cleansing breath, then checked my watch. Jasmine should arrive from the Peabody Hotel soon, and I wanted to pay for her cab.

I peered at the enlarged photo of Jasmine I had on the canvas that I’d taken after we had sex the first time. I’d been afraid the lighting wasn’t good, but it turned out just right. My eyes could make out the sheen of sweat on her skin, the swell of her full lips still wet from letting me suck on them. But the star of the image was her eyes lit with amusement, lust, familiarity. There was intimacy on display that clued any viewer in on what had happened without seeing us in the act.

Jasmine had me right in the palm of her hand.

Dammit, Jasmine.She wouldn’t see me, and I could hardly blame her. I’d kept Cecile on a pedestal, and she’d left me. I should’ve explained what had happened between us.

The studio door creaked, and Blair walked in. Her movements were less stiff, the swimming working to strengthen her legs. She came over and beamed at the picture. “Damn, this photo is fire. So intimate. Martin will lose his head.”

“Fuck Martin,” I growled. “He operated on impulse as usual. He didn’t see a problem until it blew up in my face.”

“You’re forcing me to side with Martin, which I won’t forgive you for. Photographs are a snap in history. There is a pattern of attraction. It’s hardly your fault that Jasmine and Cecile both have a doe-eyed gaze when they fall in love with you.”

“You’re trying to goad me. It’s not what I need now,” I snapped, and she laughed. What I saw in the photo of Jasmine’s face were lust and trust. There was also fear. I recognized the same in myself.

“Jasmine is not in love with me.”

“You captured her unmasked, so she looks besotted and scared. That’s what I feel when I fall in love.”

My brows rose. “Are you in love, Blair?”

She smiled. “Maybe.”

“With whom?” I asked, but I suspected Ivan, her bodyguard. He treated her like she was a precious stone.

“Too early to jinx,” she said and sat down on the three-seater leather couch, the only thing to sit in the room beside the stool I had next to the pedestal my canvas was on.

I painted flower petals freehand onto the canvas, then stood back. Perfect. “You and Martin can both stop interfering in my personal life.”

“I’m interfering because you should have ended it with Cecile when she left you. I understand time apart. I wanted to disappear after my attack, but you didn’t allow me to hide away, and I’m glad you didn’t. You don’t cut those you love and care for out of your life.”

I put a brush in a pot of water and folded my arms. Blair had said nothing I hadn’t thought before. I’d refused to allow her to self-isolate after her attack and the physical abuse by her stalker. She’d wanted to hide her disfigurement, but I pushed in and got everyone who mattered to support her recovery. Even my dad had performed her surgery pro bono after I asked him to meet with her.

Blair carefully pulled her legs up on the couch and blew out her breath. “So, what are you waiting for? Cecile to break up with you? I’d say she’s already done it. She left three months ago. Plenty of time for you to get over her.”

“I ended things with Cecile.”

Blair’s mouth dropped open. “What did she say?”

“Nothing. I’m still only able to leave messages.”

She pursed her lips. “She’s a cold-blooded bitch. Whether or not she listens, she’s been told. Go see Jasmine.”

I rubbed the hair on my jaw. “She doesn’t want to see me. Martin called and said he’s taking them to the Guggenheim.”

She snorted. “Martin lowering himself to play hostess? He must be desperate for your show.”

“He’s desperate for money. He’s told me his client Peter has blank-checked a commission series from me of Jasmine. Martin also wants to fuck her friend.”

Blair gagged. “Please don’t make me think of Martin and sex.”

Blair had sex with Martin, and both had nothing good to say about the other afterward.

“What did he do?” I asked for the billionth time.

She scrunched up her face. “Martin talks a lot during sex. It’s like having sex with a sports commentator. ‘Martin’s making his move.’”

I laughed. “No way, but if that’s true, I don’t want to know about it. Are you going to swim?”

“Nope. I need to go shopping for your dad’s birthday party. I’m not going to tell you what to do, but Aldric and Wendy have a big announcement.”

I walked over to the couch, lifted her legs, and sat down. “New baby. Tell my brother and his wife congrats and thanks for the invitation but no thanks. We’re destined to be alone.”

“Speak for yourself,” she said dreamily.

“You’re going to have to tell me who he is sooner or later.”

“I choose later,” she said. “Now go ruin Jasmine’s time at the Guggenheim.”

My phone buzzed, and I showed Blair it was Andre calling.

She snorted. “Again? When will he give up?”

Apparently never. He thought calling me would get me to change my mind. His dad gave me his summer home in his will so that other people with ALS like him could use it as a vacation with their families. Not let Andre waste the money as he’d done with everything else.

“You’re not getting the house. So what the hell do you want now?” I said into the phone as I answered.

“You already know what I need,” he said back. “I filed papers to challenge your ownership. My dad was incapacitated when he signed that will and his property over to you—”

“We both know he wasn’t.”

His father’s ALS had advanced three years later from the date he signed his new will. He changed it after finding out his son had lost millions on another financial scheme.

“Do you really want to waste time on a legal battle? Just give me the house, Ford. I will even agree to donate some of the money to ALS.”

“I’ll only consider giving it to you if your donation is enough to purchase another house for people with ALS and has the same medical needs modifications.”

“You need to get over it, come on, Ford. I barely flirted with Cecile, and she was on me. It didn’t take much for her to fuck behind your back. She’s not worth our friendship. I’m sorry, okay? Let’s get past this and meet up?”

“Don’t you get it? I don’t want anything to do with you. I’m not with Cecile. Do whatever the fuck you want to, but don’t call me again.”

I disconnected the call and cursed. “God, that man makes me furious.”

“I’m sorry he’s still harassing you, Ford. He’s an egotistical asswipe,” Blair said haughtily.

I laughed at that. Blair had never been a great fan of Andre, but now, even less so.

“Egotistical asswipe. I’m keeping that.” I took a deep breath and then sighed. I just wanted all the hostility and futility to be gone from my life. I wanted the girl back who was starting to bring me back to life.

Time to find her and bring her home.