She needed to be ready because she had no intention of being the next victim.

Chapter Forty-Seven
Jessa

Three days after the big office partnership surprise, Jessa wanted to go back to Faith’s house, crawl into bed, and hide. Life came at her in flashes. She got thrown from one end of the spectrum to the other—shocked, lost in horror, as she watched a man get hit by a car, then flooded with happiness at finally meeting her goal at work.

The up-and-down exhausted her. But rest and hiding weren’t possible. Tonight called for a celebration . . . or so Faith insisted. She’d reserved a small party room at one of their favorite Italian restaurants in Bethesda. It was supposed to be a surprise, but when Jessa refused to change back out of her lounge clothes after work and into something party-like, Faith rolled her eyes and spilled the secret.

Now Jessa sat at the bar as she pretended to wait for Faith to show up and their table to open. She ignored the entrance of a notoriously late-for-everything couple, more Faith’s friends than hers, as they snuck in the door and slipped into the private room.

“Congratulations.”

That voice.

No way. If Faith invited him . . .

Jessa turned on her bar stool and saw Tim. That pretty face and stupid grin. He cried out to be slapped, and she toyed with making that happen. “For what?”

He frowned. “The partnership?”

“Right. I forgot how you knew about things happening in my office at the same time as, and sometimes before, I did.” She turned back to her drink, pretending like the blackberry mojito in front of her was the most interesting companion in the world.

He shifted his weight from foot to foot but didn’t leave. “I know you worked really hard for this. It’s a hell of an accomplishment. I’m happy for you.”

“Uh-huh.” She took a bigger sip than intended and had to fight off a coughing fit.

“Look.” He slid his arm along the bar and leaned down until their faces were only a few inches apart. “We should talk about what happened.”

“When you dumped me because I failed to fulfill your expectations of being perfect and maintaining a shiny reputation that made you look better?”

The bartender’s eyebrow rose. She seemed to be hovering, listening in, ready to take on an obnoxious guy, if needed. Jessa appreciated the support.

“It was a temporary separation. Everything I said made you angry back then. You wouldn’t listen to reason or any advice, really.” Tim shrugged in his poor me, what was I to do? way. “I thought you needed some space to figure out your work issues.”

Somehow, he made kicking her out of the house they shared when she was at her lowest point all her fault. He really was begging to get slapped.