Reparation (11 page)

“See? Such a dick.”

“Shut up. When do I get my real present?” he asked, using one hand to pick up the bottle from off his desk. He turned the front of the whiskey towards her. She had used the label to address him, then wrote her own little note.

When this bottle is empty, you may return it for one night of anything-you-can-think-of-sex, and the giver
must
comply. ANYTHING. Happy Birthday, Satan.

“It says it right there, when the bottle is empty,” Tate replied. Jameson let go of her entirely and unscrewed the lid.

“You do realize, I have a very vivid imagination. You wrote '
anything
', and I'm going to hold you to it,” he warned her, before lifting the bottle to his lips and taking a healthy swig. She nodded.

“I know what I wrote. I'm just very glad you don't own any double ended vibrators,” she joked.

“
Yet.
”

“I said
anything
, meaning anything
you want
. I'm a woman of my word,” she assured him. He narrowed his eyes and took another drink.

“Sometimes,” he amended her statement.

“But I'm begging you, please, no threesome with the busty secretary,” she pleaded. He laughed and his hand cupped her jaw, tilting her head up.

“You said anything I want, baby girl,” he reminded her, then poured the Jameson down her throat.

Doesn't taste as good as him
.

*

Since she was on a roll with the apologizing and forgiving, she decided it was time to face her sister. She wasn't sure if Ang had already told Ellie about their dinner, but Tate figured she had to talk to her anyway. Just get it all out there. So she invited her sister out to the house that night.

She made Jameson promise to stay hidden in the library. He wasn't very happy about it – he'd had plans to finish the bottle of whiskey then possibly fuck her with it. She told him it was quite a waste of such an extravagant gift, was that the best he could think of? She was literally thrown out of the library after that comment, and told not to come back unless she was on her knees.

As she watched her sister waddle across the driveway, she couldn't help but wonder what Ellie was thinking as she stared up at the grand house. In another life, Ellie had thought everything would be hers. The house that Tate felt was more like home than the one she had grown up in, was meant to be Ellie's. The man Tate slept with, had been picked out for Ellie. The apartment in Spain, the penthouse in New York, everything, all meant for Ellie.

It must be hard. I should be nice to her.

“Did you find the house okay?” Tate asked. Ellie leaned down to air-kiss her cheeks.

“Yes. It's very beautiful,” she commented, and the wistful look was plain-as-day on her face. Tate shut the door and led her into the kitchen.

“There's a formal dining room, but I figured we could just snack in here,” Tate explained, gesturing to some stools at the end of the large island which sat in the middle of his kitchen.

“I can't believe I'm here. I always wondered what this place was like,” Ellie breathed, her eyes roaming over everything.

“You knew about this house?”

“Yeah, his father talked about it, a lot. His dad was originally from this area,” Ellie explained. Of course, Tate already knew that – but she didn't say anything.

“Oh. Well, he's done a lot of remodeling. The conservatory on the back is new, and he had all new hardwood floors put in, wiring, new modern bathrooms, the works,” Tate explained, waving her hand around. Ellie frowned.

“Pity. I would never have let him do that, I would've kept it as close to the original building as possible,” she commented. Tate frowned. She didn't care for Ellie's tone. It was one she recognized well; Ellie's “
I would've been soooooo much better than you, at everything you've ever done
” voice. Like Tate wasn't keeping Jameson in line enough, or something.

“I love it. You should see the master bedroom, he completely gutted it, doubled its size. The bed is
huge,
” Tate couldn't resist adding. Ellie frowned.

“I'll take your word for it.”

They sat in silence for a while, nibbling on snacks Tate had sat out. She and Ellie had never really reached a place where they were comfortable just chatting. They were a lot better than they were a year ago, but still not besties. Sometimes they could laugh and have fun together. Other times ..., other times were more like old times, and Tate felt like she was in a competition. This felt like one of those times.

“So when is the baby due?” Tate asked, glancing at Ellie's huge stomach.

“About six weeks. God, I'm over this. I'm just ready to meet him,” she laughed, patting her baby bump. Tate smiled.

“Still gonna name him Mathias?” she asked. Ellie scrunched up her face.

“I've been having second thoughts. Daddy still won't speak to me,” she replied.

“Join the club. I think we're better off,” Tate assured her. “What about Robert, is he coming down for the birth?”

Ellie's abusive ex-husband, Robert Carmichael, lived in upstate New York. Or rather, he hid. Jameson had once threatened to rip his jaw off, after he had slapped Tatum. When Ellie had first left him, Robert tried to get back together with her, but after he found out she had run away to Tate's apartment, he had left her alone. Granted her anything she wanted in the divorce.

Sometimes, Jameson being the devil was a very good thing.

“I hope not. I'll call him after it happens. He's not getting any custodial rights, so I don't know why he would,” Ellie snarled. Tate nodded.

“Good plan. So does Ang, like, go to lamaze classes with you?” Tate couldn't help but snicker. Ellie shook her head.

“Oh, no. We're not into all that, we're more like you and Jameson,” she said quickly. Tate's ears perked up.

“Excuse me? What do you mean?” she asked.

“Just sex. You know, like -,” Ellie started to explain again. Tate shook her head.

“Wait, wait, wait. What are you saying? You guys just have sex, and that's it? You're not boyfriend-girlfriend?” she clarified. Ellie nodded.

“Well, yeah. We don't go on dates, or stuff like that,” she said.

“But ..., but I thought you guys were dating. The word dating implies
going on dates
. He calls you his
girlfriend,
” Tate stressed. Ellie rolled her eyes.

“I know, it's horrible. I can't figure out how to tell him we're not like that,” she replied. Tate nearly choked on a pretzel.

“Apparently you
are
like that! Ellie, Ang hasn't had a girlfriend the entire time I've known him. He's a sex-machine, only uses women for one thing. If he calls you his girlfriend, then you're his goddamn girlfriend!” Tate snapped. Ellie frowned.

“I thought you were the liberal thinker, here. I'm just trying to be like you, you know, sow my wild oats. I never meant for him to get so attached,” Ellie whined.

“
Be like me!?
Ellie, I never pretended to be a guy's girlfriend so he would fuck me. I would
never
do something like that – I'm always honest. And don't say you guys are like Jameson and I, you don't know the first thing about us,” she argued. Tate. Was.
Pissed
. Ang had defended Ellie. Tate had felt guilty over Ellie. Ellie had only cared about Ellie. Big fuckin' surprise.

“I know that you guys use each other for sex. How come it's okay for the two of you to do it, but no one else!? Not me, not Angier?” Ellie snapped back.

“
Don't call him that!
” Tate yelled, jumping out of her chair and slamming her hands on the counter top. “His name is
Ang!
And you better fucking call
Ang
and tell him exactly what you just told me,
or I will!
”

“Stop being so dramatic, Tatum. I'll tell him in my own good time. It's not like I hate him. I like spending time with him, we have fun. I'm just never going to
be with
someone like him, we both know that,” Ellie stressed.

“I don't think
he
knows that. I can't believe you. Daddy won't even speak to you because he's such a fucking snob, and you're still the exact same way! You need to talk to him, Ellie. Seriously,” Tate insisted. Ellie sighed and lumbered to her feet.

“If I had known you were only going to bring me here to yell at me, I wouldn't have bothered,” she grumbled, pulling on her purse.

“I wasn't planning on yelling at you – but you're using my best friend. You came between us, made us fight.
Serious shit,
Ellie. You can't just tell me it was all over nothing, over
sex,
” Tate said, following Ellie out into the hallway.

“I'm so surprised at your reaction – I honestly thought you'd be proud of me. The way Jameson talked at home, the only thing you two care about -,”

“
Shut the fuck up
, right now. You don't know shit about what goes on between me and him. Is that what this is about? I fucked your boyfriend, so you fucked Ang!?” Tate demanded.

“No. I mean, it's still messed up that you slept with Jameson, when he was my boyfriend. Even you have to know that wasn't right. Angier was never your boyfriend, so I still haven't done anything wrong,” Ellie replied, standing in front of the door. Tate let her jaw drop open.

“Jameson and I never planned that night, it wasn't like we were carrying on some illicit affair behind your back for months and months. It just
happened
. Get the fuck
over it
. You are
using
Ang – I
never
did that to you,” Tate pointed out, her voice loud. Heated.

“No, what you did was worse. You always bitch that I ruined your life. Well, you kinda ruined mine, too, you know,” Ellie reminded her. Tate threw her hands up.

“Seriously!? HE WAS NEVER GOING TO MARRY YOU! It is time to let him go!” Tate insisted.

“I have, I
am
over it, I just don't think it's fair. I don't think it's right, that you're sitting in this house, pretending to be some fairy tale princess with him, when I was the one -,” Ellie started.

She had expected it to happen sooner, so Tate wasn't shocked when she heard the library door open. Jameson casually strode down the hall and stood behind Tate. Ellie looked stunned; no one had told her that Satan was in residence.

“Ladies. I am trying to get some work done. What seems to be the problem?” he asked.

Tate knew he was being facetious, but both she and Ellie burst out yelling at the same time. Curses were thrown, fingers pointed, Ang's name yelled
a lot
. Sanders eventually appeared from somewhere, and soon the two men were between them. Sanders was urging Tate backwards towards the library. She hopped around on her toes, watching as Jameson blocked Ellie from her.

“You're a snob, Eloise! A fucking snob! You're not fit to lick the ground
Angier
walks on!” Tate shouted.

“He knows what he got into with me! And at least we're consenting adults! You were practically a child when you stole my boyfriend!” Ellie yelled back.

“And it only took me one time, to get him to break up with you! So
GET FUCKED
, Eloise!”

Tate was completely shocked into silence when Sanders' arms went around her waist and he picked her up. She always underestimated his size, his strength. He carried her into the library like she weighed nothing. She didn't say anything, just let him deposit her in the middle of the room. She stood there while he shut the door behind them.

“I apologize, but you need to calm down,” he informed her. She nodded.

“I know, I know,” she breathed, almost panting from all the adrenaline rushing through her body.

“I don't know why you always let her goad you. You are better than her. It is beneath you to act this way with her,” Sanders pointed out. Tate groaned.

“I know,” she agreed, dropping her head. The library door swung open and Jameson strode inside.

“Outstanding, Tatum. You've really topped yourself, fighting with a pregnant woman. Why did I have to explain to her,
again
, that she and I would never have stayed together?” he asked.

“Because she's a stupid bitch who doesn't think I belong somewhere like here, with someone like you. And she's using Ang,” Tate replied. Jameson nodded.

“Yup, that'll do it,” he whistled through his teeth. Tate licked her lips.

“Did she leave?”

“Yes, I personally escorted her to her car and politely informed her that if she ever insulted you again, she wouldn't be welcome in my house,” he replied.

“She drove off?”

“Yes.”