She sniffled. Perhaps she was over reacting and should forgive Peter. Right now her entire body felt wretched and numb. Her eyes opened and she peeked at her friend.
"The thing is, though, he said he called it off."
Em shrugged her shoulders. "So?"
The casual shrug was not what she had hoped for. Em should have said 'forgive him because I would.'
Belle's shoulders quaked as she said, "So it means he's still in my heart and part of me wants to forgive him so I can see this through. Can you do something for me tonight?"
Em's gaze narrowed, and she stood up. "What do you need? Alcohol? We can hit the bar and drink away your tears?"
A bar might numb her mind tonight. She purposely took out her phone and charged it in the corner of the room. She'd not be tempted to drunk call Peter if she didn't have her phone. Her throat was sore from crying. She lifted her head.
"Yeah, that sounds good. You know me well."
Em headed to the door fast and smiled as she flung it open. "Let's stop in my room first. I want to change into a nice pair of jeans in case there is a hot guy for me. You're clearly off the market tonight."
This was a dress she had worn to be with Peter. Perhaps her friend was right that she should put on a pair of jeans and her tee shirt. She rushed upstairs and stared at her mother's picture on her bedside.
"I'll meet you there then in five minutes."
"We have a plan." Em walked to the door and let herself out.
The music blared as Belle made her way through throngs of people who sat around and drank. The dance floor under the moon played heavy samba music, and a few of the couples seemed deep into each other. She imagined how Peter might hold her as they made their way across the floor in this dance where hands and bodies moved in fluid motion.
She swallowed and turned away. She saw Em sitting at one of the tables to the side where there were less people. Belle nodded, wiped her hands on her jeans and maneuvered through the crowd.
As she neared the table, someone spilled red wine on her white tee shirt. She wouldn't stay out now. The man apologized, and Belle walked away.
She stood and showed Em the shirt. Em pointed to sit anyhow. Belle sank into the metal seat, so she'd not ruin any white cushions. Em pushed a drink toward her.
Belle stared at it. "I should go change."
"You're not looking for a man," Em said. "I say beep it and you drink your drink while you blast off all the reasons you hate Peter, and yet you want to go back to him."
Belle didn't touch the drink and licked her lips. "I do want to talk about Peter."
Em again reached across the table and pushed the wine glass into her hand. "So ignore the world and tell me. I won't judge, though I did find myself actually approving of Mr. Monopoly for that microsecond we met."
"Don't call him that, though I shouldn't be defending him."
If Peter were here, she'd be tempted to tell him to forget everything she had said. But part of her still felt as if a knife was slicing into her heart, and the pain was intense. She gulped her drink and then winced.
"I don't know what I want to do."
Em clinked her glass with Belle's and then sipped hers. "You know exactly what you want, but the problem is you don't want to admit it to yourself yet."
Right now she didn't have to do anything but hope this wound inside her healed. She sipped and finished her glass. "Is it wrong of me to want a guy who is interested in me?"
"No." Em refilled the bottle without waiting for the staff. "How did this whole bet thing start? How did you find out?"
Belle held the glass in her hand, but then saw how everyone on the dance floor moved in every direction as the music blared in her eardrums.
"Jennifer told me."
"The ex-girlfriend?"
"The same."
Em scooted closer and sipped hers, "And you believe her?"
Belle shook her head no. She'd never forget Peter Morgan.
She clutched the drink and said, "I shouldn't, but I asked Peter, and he admitted that he made a bet to date me before I even walked in the door of the party."
"He admitted it?"
"Actually I knew before Jennifer told me, and didn't ask him about it the first time. It wasn't until Jennifer told me to my face and it felt like derision that I got this upset."
Em clinked her glass again, and Belle tried to block her thoughts of Peter as Em said, "So you are giving Mr. Monopoly to his ex-girlfriend practically wrapped with a bow on his forehead and a tag that reads ‘he’s yours’, without asking yourself if you can let this all go?"
"I can't let him go." Belle gulped her wine. "But Peter has so much on his plate already."
Em sat in her chair. She sipped her drink. "His mother returned. You stood at his side, and you both seemed happy earlier."
Belle massaged her temples. Everything started to slow down. "I was, but I don't like being used. Once I give in, then it's a lifetime of giving in and being ignored."
Em placed her hand on her back. "Why in the world would that happen?"
"It's how my stepmother and father's entire relationship works these days."
"First they are your parents, so they are old fashioned, and second, forgiveness is not about giving in. It's about accepting you're humans who make mistakes."
She was probably right. "I should go find Peter."
She stood. She should have asked for details sooner. She was throwing away her chance, and she refused to continue on this path. Hopefully, Peter would forgive her.
Chapter Twenty Four
Peter unlocked the door to his home. Caro, the maid, ran away like she was frightened, despite the fact she'd been here in the house since she was a baby. Silence greeted his ears, but he smelled Chanel perfume. Now he understood. He narrowed his eyes, as he went toward his bar to fix himself a cocktail. Belle's words haunted him.
Then he heard a high heel click on the floor. His skin had no reaction, and the air was filled with Jennifer's perfume.
He grinded his teeth and called out, "Jennifer."
His eyes widened as she stepped out from the next room in black lingerie that showed off her ample cleavage. He held the empty glass firmly in his hand as he asked, "What are you doing here?"
"I missed you."
She sashayed over to him, and the flowery perfume curled his nose. He didn't budge or soften any of his muscles. She came over and wrapped her arms around him.
Her breasts pushed against his chest as she hugged him. "I made a huge mistake when we broke up."
He put the cup down and stepped out of her arms. Then he wiped his shirt like she might have put her makeup all over him.
Once clear of her, he said, "Jennifer, I'm not stupid."
She flinched, but then opened her eyes like she saw through him. Even her makeup was expertly done for this moment.
His body tensed as she said, "I never thought you were."
Once again Jennifer had gone too far, but this time it wasn't other people's lives. It was his. He cracked his knuckles, but then stepped away from her. Belle deserved better than this bitterness.