I've been preparing dinner robotically for the past hour or so. Rhoen still isn't home from the office yet and I'm glad for that. I don't know how he's going to react when he finds out what happened between Diana and I today.

I had tried to act professional with her, even after her initial slight. I'd brushed it off and had tried to introduce myself with confidence for who I am, my skills and title. But, I'd eventually had to excuse myself because Rhoen's ex-wife was savage, to say the least. She didn't care who I was professionally and definitely care about what I had to offer.

I look around the house and think back to her words. What a lucky young girl to get the man I groomed him to be. Must be nice to steal a man away from his family. Good thing you're smart or people might think you're a gold-digging whore. I quickly wipe the tears away from my eyes.

I'd never been referred to as a whore in all my life but Rhoen's wife must've said that particular word a handful of times. Rhoen was separated when I'd met him. I didn't steal him away from her. He was in the last process of getting a divorce when we got together. But somehow that makes me a money-grubbing, family-wrecking whore.

When Rhoen and I had started looking for homes together he told me that people would start talking. He'd laid it all out for me, trying to prepare me for the possible shit-show that would come my way. That once we were living together that rumors would fly because, even though he and Diana had been separated, they weren't public about their split. Up until the day of their divorce had the two of them kept up the facade.

So, said shit-show was thrown directly in my face. I was the media scapegoat for why the Rearicks got their divorce. I felt like I was in high school all over again with all of the rumors and lies.

I hear the doorbell sound off in the distance and wipe my hands on my apron. After a few deep breaths, collecting myself, I head off to answer the door. Once I open it I'm met with a smiling Jamie, holding a bottle of wine. The moment he sees me his face automatically falls.

"Amelia, is everything alright?"

"Yeah, I'm fine." I step aside, gesturing for him to come in and he does. I look out the door seeing no one else behind him. "Where's Adriana?"

"Something came up at work so she's staying late." I nod my head and then he looks around much like he'd just done. "Where's Rhoen at?"

"He should be home any minute now." I walk into the kitchen and grab the pan full of enchiladas, sticking it into the oven afterward.

"Smells delicious." He takes another deep breath saying, "I'm starving."

"Thanks, I'm glad you're hungry. I just hope it comes out as good as it smells. My minds been a little all over the place since this afternoon."

"I'm sure it has." I hear the cork of the wine come out and when I turn around I see Jamie pouring us both a glass of wine. "After that meeting this afternoon I can only imagine. Don't let that woman's words get to you, Mellie. You're not any of those things she said or the tabloids say. Diana just seems like a bitter bitch."

I feel the tears come to my eyes and say, "yeah, I know shouldn't let her get to me." He hands me the glass of wine and I take a sip, feeling some relief once the liquid touches my lips. "It's just..." My voice catches and I look away from Jamie, biting my lip, holding back the angry tears. "Everyone thinks I wrecked their marriage. I'm just this girl who worked for him and coerced him into leaving his wife. So, I'm sure that's what they're saying is what everyone now thinks of me. I'm just some money-grubbing whore who just spread her legs for her boss."

"Amelia, no." I feel Jamie's arms wrap around me, enveloping me into a hug. It's the first time he's hugged me in so long. I can't even remember the last time he's embraced me. "That's not who you are. You know that." That's when the tears really fall. "Mellie, darling, shh." He takes the wine out of my hand and sets it on the counter before embracing me again. I cling to him, missing the way his body feels against mine. He's familiar and comforting.

"Oh Jamie, I've missed you so much." I've missed my best friend more than words can describe. We've slowly gotten back to being closer over the last little bit but I still feel like there is a wedge between us.

"Shh, you know how much I hate it when you cry." He kisses the top of my head, "You know I've missed you too." The loud sound of Rhoen clearing his throat comes from behind me, making Jamie tense.

"Am I interrupting something?" Rhoen's voice is tight. I'm sure this doesn't look good in the least. Jamie lets go of me and the moment I turn around Rhoen's irritation immediately turns into worry. "What's wrong, Amelia? What happened?" He's quickly by my side, looking over me worriedly.

"It's nothing." I wipe the tears out of my face.

"Not only have the tabloids been trashing Amelia but your ex-wife came into the office today and insinuated that people think Amelia is a gold-digging whore." Jamie says from behind me.

"I thought Cole was supposed to be the one coming into the office today?" He grits out in aggravation.

"Yeah, that's what we thought too." He shoots back at Rhoen. "But instead, Diana came in and had a few choice words for Amelia. Even when Amelia did nothing but try and be professional with her she kept on."

"Are you fucking kidding me?" Rhoen is angry, really angry. "She did that?"

"Rhoen, it's alright. It's no big deal. She's probably just angry and hurt after everything."

"She's the one who thought we should get the damn divorce in the first place." He shakes his head angrily as he pulls out his phone. "I can't fucking believe she would stoop that low so she could fucking talk to you like that."

"Rhoen, don't." I reach for his phone, to try and take it from him but he jerks his hand away from me. "Rhoen, I don't want any more of a problem. I—"

"No, Amelia. She purposefully went there so she could see you and say those things to you." He gives me a stern face. "No, she doesn't get to talk to you like that." He storms away from me with his phone up next to his ear. "Diana? Yeah, you and I need to have a fucking word." That's the last thing I hear before he slams the door to his office.

"He's a good guy." Jamie says from behind me. I grab my wine off of the counter and take a sip before turning around.

"He really is." I give him a small smile because I knew it had to take a lot for him to say that after everything that's happened between the three of us.

Over the past few weeks Rhoen and Jamie have spent some time together. They even trained together, which I thought would go terribly but it surprisingly hadn't. Rhoen had actually said it went well. They're even doing business together again, now that they've learned how to get along.

"So," Jamie grabs his wine and looks me over with a smirk, "what's it like sleeping with an old guy?" I grimace automatically at him. "Oh so it's bad?" He lets out a laugh.

"No, it's not bad at all. He's um," I feel the redness go to my cheeks, "he's very attentive to my needs." Now Jamie's brow furrows. "It's just he gets off more on..." I swallow uneasily thinking how inappropriate this conversation is. "Okay, you know what, no. We're not going there." I wave him off and turn away from him.

"No, no," Jamie is directly behind me again, "continue. I want to know."

"No, you really don't."

"I do. I'm curious." Of course he is.

"Jamie," I turn around and have to look directly up at him because he's right there.

"What's he get off on?" The look in his eye is one I can't decipher. It's something I've never quite seen before.

"My pleasure." He cocks a brow, urging me to continue. "Watching me." I say the words low enough but it's loud enough for him to hear because he looks over my features and nods in understanding. "I told you I shouldn't have said anything. Now I'm embarrassed."

"Is he—" He runs his hands through his hair and then turns away from me, downing the rest of his wine. He refills his glass and takes a seat at one of the stools that are lined up against the other side of the island. He's now sitting directly across from me.

"You can't compare the two experiences." I say the words, eyeing him knowingly. "I'm sure being with someone like Adri is completely different too." Jamie looks up at me and shakes his head with a small smile.

"I don't even have to say the words and you already know the question I am going to ask."

"I know you, Jamie. I know what you were going to ask." I shrug at him. "It's just different, not better or worse. That's like me asking if Adri is..." I sip my wine not wanting to finish the sentence because I don't want to know the answer. Not even a little bit.

"It's like you said, it's not better or worse. It's just not the same." My eyes flutter back to his and the way he's looking at me makes a funny feeling happen in the pit of my stomach. "But it's still really good." The last line kills all of the odd feelings I'd started to experience and I try to give him a reassuring smile, one that says that I'm happy for him.

"I'm glad things are working out for the two of you. The two of you seem well suited for one another." From the sound of it she liked living the same lifestyle. She's wild and likes doing crazy things, much like Jamie does. Adri is a much better match for him than I could ever be.

"I'm really happy for you, Jamie. Honestly, Adri seems like she's really good for you."

He nods saying, "yeah, I think she is too. I can't believe we've stayed together this long. This is the longest relationship that I've ever had." Something about that sentence pains me in the oddest of ways.

"That's good. I'm proud of you. I'm ha—," my voice catches and I don't know why. "I'm happy for you." I make myself finish.

"Thank you." He takes a hearty sip of wine then continues with, "and you and Rhoen. You guys seem really happy, Mellie. I'm so glad it's working out." We stare at each other wordlessly, both of our eyes searching each other's.

I know Jamie and there's something else there, something he wants to say. There's something more behind those hazel orbs.

"Amelia, I—" The door to Rhoen's office closes with a loud slam before I can hear the sound of his shoes walking toward the kitchen.

"Dinner smells amazing." Rhoen says, upon entering. "What'd you make?" He pulls me in for a kiss and I don't deny him.

"Chicken enchiladas." Jamie's favorite.