Page 81 of One Reckless Night

“I do know you,” she said. “I know you better than you think. You’re just scared to let anyone in.?”

Anger seized me like a fist. “Gemma, I need you off the island by the end of the weekend. I’ve made myself clear I’m not interested in a relationship with you. Personally or professionally. I don’t need you around here stirring up trouble and that’s exactly what you’re trying to do.”

“Stirring up trouble?” She let out a sharp laugh. “I’m trying to save you from yourself.”

“Go save someone else. I’m doing fine.”

“Fine?” Her voice rose. “You’re a disaster. Everyone can see it.”

“Why are you still standing here?”

“You worked yourself sick and I brought you back to life.” Her expression softened. She set the scotch on my shelf with an air of belonging there. “You need that again.”

“Not from you,” I said quietly.

She hesitated, and for a moment, her mask slipped. “Then who? That woman that clearly never learned how to dress for her size?”

I flinched at that, and she knew it hit a mark.

“Thought so,” she said, folding her arms.

“Leave it alone, Gemma. I’m not going to let you talk shit about her.”

“That girl? Really, Jared? She’s not even your type. She’s all… big.”

I felt a surge of anger. “This has nothing to do with Amelia. This is about you and me. And the fact that we’re done.”

“This has everything to do with that woman and her giant tits and ass,” she muttered. “She’s a passing thing. You’ll get tired of all that extra fluff. You know you will.”

“Get the fuck out,” I growled. “Amelia is ten times the woman you’ll ever be.”

She laughed. “Exactly my point.”

“Keep insulting her like the insecure woman you are,” I said. “She doesn’t insult anyone. She doesn’t have to. She’s beautiful and she doesn’t need to compete with anyone.”

“Oh, Jared, come on. You can’t seriously be into her. She’s what? A glorified lab tech? And let’s not even get started on her wardrobe. Those sweaters she wears? It’s like she’s trying to hide a small country under there.”

My jaw tightened, my fingers gripping the edge of the door so hard I thought it might splinter. “You don’t get to talk about her like that.”

“Why not?” She tilted her head, her voice dripping with faux innocence. “It’s not like she’s even in your league. I mean, let’s be real here. You’re Jared Welch. Billionaire surgeon. Genius researcher. And she’s, what? Cute? In that ‘I just rolled out of bed and put on whatever was on the floor’ kind of way?”

“Amelia is more than that,” I snapped. “She’s brilliant, compassionate, and she doesn’t need to tear people down to feel good about herself.”

Gemma rolled her eyes, clearly unimpressed. “Please. She’s frumpy and average at best. And let’s not ignore the fact that she’s not exactly a size two. I mean, come on, Jared. You? With someone like her? It doesn’t make sense.”

“Please leave before I call security. Get off my island.”

She stared at me for a moment, her eyes blazing, and then she shook her head. “You’re making a mistake, Jared. You’re going to regret this.”

“I regret the day we ever met.”

She walked out and I shut the door behind her.

I shook my head, trying to push the thoughts away. Gemma had hurt me, more than I wanted to admit. I’d been in love with her once, or at least I thought I was. But she’d cheated on me, and it had shattered something inside me. For a long time, I’d blamed myself. She’d twisted it, made it sound like I was always competing with her, like I was too focused on work to give her what she needed. And I’d believed her. I’d believed that I wasn’t meant to be in a relationship, that I wasn’t meant for love.

But then I’d met Amelia, and everything had felt different. She was smart, driven, and beautiful in a way that made my chest ache. She’d made me feel things I hadn’t felt in years. But I’d messed it up. I’d pushed her away, treated her like she was just a fling, like she didn’t mean anything to me.

I ran a hand over my face, feeling absolutely defeated. I just couldn’t seem to make any right moves lately. Brain surgery was so much simpler than falling in love.