Cole & Jamie

Chapter 24

Neal had held me hostage on the dance floor long enough, I desperately needed a trip to the ladies' room and a moment to rest my aching feet. High Heels, the joy of my life and the bane of my existence. 

"Oh no, no, where do you think you're going, pretty lady?" Neal asked pulling me back to him. 

I shimmied myself out of his arms and stepped a safe distance away. "I need to use the ladies' room. Point me in the right direction?" 

"Out the ballroom doors and to the left." He picked a new partner before I had time to get off the dance floor. "Don't be gone too long," he called over his shoulder.  

Before I left I scanned the room and didn't see Cole anywhere. Maybe he had the same idea I did. He didn't want to be here in the first place, I wouldn't put it past him to be hiding in a closet somewhere. 

The empty hallway was a welcome change from the crowded ballroom. Exhaling, I searched for the bathroom. Neal failed to mention that there were about eight doors lining the left side of the hallway. I opened each door, one beautiful closet, one sitting room, after the other, until I found the bathroom.  

It was just as ornate as the rest of the house, only this powder room had some ugly ass wallpaper. But I didn't care my bladder was about to burst. 

I kicked my shoes off as I sat down to do my business. "Aw," I sighed. What a perfect night.  Any earlier tension was shaken out on the dance floor, I could barely remember why I was so nervous in the first place. There were bound to be a few new gray hairs coming out of my head from the stress of it all. 

I'll know better for next time. Neal did say I was invited to the next party. After I zipped myself back into my dress and put those painful shoes back on I took a few selfies in the mirror. Cole was just going to have to get over it because he will be taking a picture with me tonight.

It was about time I made my way back to the party. I could use a few more minutes alone, but I would hate for Cole, or worse, Neal, to come looking for me. Didn't mean I wasn't going to take my time getting there though. 

Thankfully the hallway was empty so I could take my time. I trailed my fingers along the wall as I followed the music back towards the party. Before I could get completely down the hall, I heard voices coming from a secluded alcove. It wasn't polite for me to eavesdrop but one of the voices sounded familiar, a little too familiar. 

I stepped back, so I would be out of view. I closed my eyes as I heard his voice, it was hushed but I knew exactly who it was. 

"Do we really need to do this right now?"  

"Well, when is a good time?" 

This voice was unfamiliar, but it wasn't hard to guess who it belonged to. 

The cloud I was floating on quickly dropped from under me. 

 Peeking around the corner, I saw them. Bella and Cole stood across from one another in an empty side hallway. From the looks of it, the conversation was far from pleasant. Bella glared at him with her arms folded across her chest. Cole leaned against the wall like he was put out by even having to be near her. To the naked eye, he would seem unphased, but the tension in his shoulders and his clenched jaw told another story. 

 Goosebumps trailed up the backs of my arms as I stood there eavesdropping. The warning bells from earlier were ringing so loud that I could barely hear anything else. Nothing that was about to be said was going to make me happy, I knew this, and yet I still stayed in place. 

"I've called, and texted; you never answer." She laughed, humorlessly. "Now I see why."

Cole stepped forward. Jabbing a finger at her, he said, "Jamie has nothing to do with this. Our relationship was over way before I left New York."