Heartbreak 'n Heels

Chapter 29

Jennifer had been ignored long enough. Her blood was boiling after that display of Erica kissing her man then preening like she was queen of the castle, lording her good fortune over her. This was only temporary; she would get Deacan back. She wasn't all the way sure of how she would do it, but she wasn't going to let Erica have him. Deacan belonged with her and she would make him see that. It was just a matter of time. Jennifer just had to hold out hope.

Erica had talked in the past about opening a dance studio and was finally doing it. Great! Another dream she gets to live. Ugh, she hated Erica and her fucking perfect life! That's why Jennifer wore a gold dress. She knew gold was one of Erica's favorite colors so there was a good chance she'd be wearing gold for her opening. Well, Jennifer would make sure to outdo her and pull everyone's attention to her, especially Deacan's.

She'd been here for about an hour and Deacan hadn't said anything to her. No attention...none. They'd done some mingling and Jennifer had tried to get close to Deacan, but it was like he could sense her and would distance himself. Steven was talking to a couple about an event the staffing agency was planning. She stood there, pretending to give a damn, eyes boring into the back of Deacan's head.

Why had she brought this man with her? When she'd heard some of the folks in the office talking about the opening, she knew she had to come, but she couldn't show up alone. Steven had been the best option because he'd begun working at the agency when Erica was leaving so he knew her, but hadn't been close enough to her that she was able to turn him against Jennifer. Because that's what Erica did. She turned all the men Jennifer wanted against her. Not this time though because Steven was here with her. He hadn't picked Erica.

Jennifer hadn't thought about how social Steven was so she was finding it hard to steer him in the direction she wanted him to go. Her plan of being demure was going to have to be revised. She needed to move Steven along because she needed to talk to Deacan.

"Steven," she said with a light giggle when there was a break in the conversation, "enough work talk. We still need to congratulate Erica." She wrapped her arm around his waist and moved him in Erica's direction. Erica was making a plate of food while Deacan kept whispering in her ear. Of course Erica would have a plate of food in her hands. No wonder her ass was so big. How could Deacan want Erica and not her? Jennifer couldn't understand why both of the men she wanted had picked Erica. And what the hell was he saying to her that kept making her smile like that?

She'd put a stop to these intimate displays. When they reached the table, Jennifer cleared her throat. Neither Erica nor Deacan acknowledged her. Steven looked between the three people and blushed at the awkwardness of the situation. Jennifer put a hand on Deacan's arm. He'd taken his suit jacket off and his sleeves were rolled up. She'd needed to touch him and since he was being difficult in getting back together, this might be the only opportunity she had for a while.

Deacan looked at the hand on his body and registered how foreign it seemed to him now. It was like an invading force, her touch making him sick. "Move your hand," he said in a low, flat voice that only they could hear.

Jennifer's hand lingered. She wasn't going to move it until he looked at her. Deacan refused to look at her. Steven was uncomfortable in this frozen moment with the couple in front of them refusing to look at them. He couldn't take the tension so he removed Jennifer's hand from the man's arm. He cleared his throat and spoke to move this along.

"Hey Erica! The studio looks great. Congratulations on it. I'm going to have to tell my sister about it," Steven said as he extended a hand to her.

Erica passed the plate she was making to Deacan and shook Steven's hand, "Thanks and thanks for coming. You should've brought your sister with you." It wasn't missed by anyone that the way she said that last sentence, the unspoken "instead of Jennifer'' was implied. "This is my love, Deacan. He helped make this place."

"Nice to me -"

"He was mine first." Jennifer hadn't meant to say that out loud. Or had she? She didn't know, but it was out now so there was nothing she could do. It was killing her to stand here, watching Deacan shower Erica with looks of love as if she didn't even exist. He was so proud of her, so proud to be with her, and Jennifer hated it. He still hadn't even looked at her. Neither of them looked at her. They treated her like she didn't matter, but she did. She wouldn't be ignored anymore, no, COULDN'T be ignored anymore. So maybe she had meant to say it out loud, because now, all three of them looked at her.

Steven was bright red, mouth hanging slightly open, eyes wide. Deacan's face held nothing but disgust. Erica shook her head and laughed. It popped out of her, loud and quick. A few people turned and looked at them, but they went back to what they were doing. Not all the people did, though. Maya, Colin, Clark, Sheri, Mitchell, Lacy, and John made their way over to the group.

Maya stood next to Erica, hand on her hip, "What's going on over here?" She looked Jennifer up and down and scoffed.

"Erica, I -"

"No, Steven, you're good," Erica interrupted him, never taking her eyes off Jennifer. "You," Erica pointed her finger in Jennifer's face, "thought you could come here, shake that little ass in your little gold dress, give my man some longing, loving looks across the room like we're in some romance novel, and Deacan would just fall at your damn feet. Chiiile, please! I almost called you out your name, but my mama's here and that'd be an insult to dogs."

"Well damn," Mitchell threw out as he chuckled.

Erica continued, "The only reason I haven't whooped your ass today is because this is my place of business. The only reason I haven't whooped your ass in the past is because you don't deserve the energy it would take for me to do it. You are pathetic and that's why Deacan doesn't want you. You are despicable and that's why Deacan doesn't want you. You are a sorry excuse for a woman and that's why Deacan doesn't want you. Try as you might, you will NEVER be better than me because your insides are rotten. Now get the fuck out of my studio before I have to show my ass!"

Jennifer couldn't believe Erica had just embarrassed her that way. Steven looked at her with such pity that she wanted to claw his eyes out. She wasn't pathetic and she'd prove it. She stepped closer to Erica, fist balled up, and glared at her. Could she take her? No, she needed to be smart. As much as she wanted to be a badass, Erica could probably kill her and she was on her territory so Maya would definitely help her. So she took a step back and relaxed her hand. Now wasn't the time.

"Smart move," Clark said. "Let me show y'all out." He pointed toward the door and Steven turned quickly to get out of there. Steven didn't even look at Jennifer, didn't reach out to her to take her with him, didn't do anything to protect her. Didn't choose her. Again, once again, another one had picked Erica's side. Once again, no one wanted her. Once again, no one loved her. Once again, she was alone.