Divorced, But Not Broken
Divorced, but Not broken Chapter 192

"You're late; that's not looking good for getting a remodeling. I made my PA call for quotations, Andrea, not at all!" Joseph was standing outside the restaurant with a scowl; still, he was helping me out and paying for my car when the driver took off, probably flipping me off, f**k him too. "I'm here now, babe. What more do you want? Now, where are your parents?" I smiled at him, mainly because it made him even more pissed off when he escorted me inside, making me look around the elegant place. Joseph really knew his good tastes. This place looked like the ones that Kayla had brought me into, using her... talents..... I smiled when it dropped, seeing a long thing man and a curvy shorter woman seated in the central by the big glass walls, the best table to have, and here they were, looking just as lost as I was, good.

"Mother, father, this is Theresa Larsen, my girlfriend." I smiled warmly when the man looked at me from head to toe, not knowing if he liked what he was seeing to my insult. What?! Wasn't I pretty enough for his uptight son!?

"Hello..." I sat down, and Joseph was doing the whole show of being a gentleman to my liking, but he wasn't touching me, but then again, his parents weren't either.

"Could have taken us to the market, Joseph. I could have cooked at you; this place is so ... expensive...." Mrs. Miller made a face that was either shocked, stunned, unlinking, or proud simultaneously. She looked cute, though, with her scrounging nose and blonde hair, seeing where that babyface that Joseph was spotting came from.

"Mother, please, this is the best restaurant to dine at. What is wrong with not eating at home for once?" I made another smile when the wine lists came inside, and joseph snatched mine up right away, making me scowl. What, no wine!? He would pay for taking me out, and I was having what, sparkling water!?

"Just water, or do you want something else, father?" Joseph was talking to the thin man, that made a sigh, and Joseph nodded to the guy that had brought them, and I made a sigh, f**k.

"So, you're the one that's been taking up all the time of my boy. He is such a gentleman, isn't he? We raised him right, didn't we, Earl?" I made a chough hearing the older woman speak to her husband to the glare of Joseph to shut up when I felt the slight kick from his shoes to my frown. That shit hurt more than he knew!

"Yes, that is correct. I have been so lucky to see your son. You did raise him right, Mrs. Miller...." I beamed when she perked up hearing that, and his dad seemed to look the slightest friendlier as well; good to know..... Joseph looked happier, too; if you could call his face happy... I sighed, seeing the water coming to our table, and it was tap. Goddammit!

"Oh, that is so lovely to hear, Joseph has told me all about you, and yes, you are a bit dared in your choice of clothes, but that's okay. I was a like that at your age too.." Joseph made another smile that I was passing the test when I was so confused, but I knew that it was better to play along. Whatever he wanted his mother to believe, I was selling it.

"It's so hard finding a good girl these days, and... Joseph told me you are converted, and that is alright too; where are modern people, aren't we, Earl?" she made a nod to the man that was staring out into the street, looking unapproving at well.. everything and everyone, yikes... I was sipping some water when Joseph made a scowl, making me put it down immediately. What was wrong now?!

"Enough, mother.... Let Theresa be..." Joseph frowned slightly at his loving mother, whom I instantly became jealous of. Lucky bastard didn't know how good he had it, having a mother that loved him, even if he hadn't told her he was gay.

"Oh, but how can I?! look at you two! I'm finally going to have a daughter-in-law, and I want to have grandchildren. Joseph, you know I'm the only one back home who doesn't have grandchildren yet?" Mrs. Miller made a demanding frown like she really wanted to have that; to my horror, what the f**k was happening? I was soo not marrying Joseph and having kids with him. No money in the world would make me do that!

"Joseph?" When he smirked back, I turned my head the slightest, looking scared. Oh, he was going to have to give me a big raise for this, huge!

"I want that to mother. You know I love children...." He smiled bigger at me when I stared at him like he was crazy. I know he was happy when Kira was born and thought my twins were cute but did he love kids? I didn't know if I believed that... nope...no, he wasn't that kind of guy, but then again, Jonah wasn't a big lover of kids, even if he had one with me.

"It alright, Theresa, I was nervous too when I married Earl, and it's nothing to worry over; I wished we had more children.." she looked sad suddenly when Joseph made a sigh like he didn't want to hear it like it was the thousand time he had to see his mother's face when she was speaking so sad that it was breaking my heart.

"I still miss my sweet girl, my Eden, such a sweet girl... never cried..." she was staring at me when I didn't know what to say or do. Who was she talking about? Did Joseph have a sister that I wasn't aware of? Back where his parents came from, did she die? "I'm sorry... for your loss..." I was saying it hesitantly when Joseph made another sigh like I was fueling his mother instead of helping her.

"Eden is not dead. She just ran away with some guy that she met online. She didn't want to live the Mormon way, alright, Theresa!?" He was scoffing at me when I made a frown, but why was his mother crying like she was dead? I bet if she ran away, she still was out there and wanted to have her parents back, right!?

"Oh..." I was looking even more awkward around the table that was getting so tense, oh yes and no wine to ease the tension, perfect.... The waiter came back with the menus, and surprise, I didn't get to choose shit, worst date ever.

"Such a beautiful girl too, long blond hair that she cut off... oh, it was the worst day of my life...." Mrs. Miller was sniffling even more to both men's growing annoyance and my confusion. They were morning her like she was dead, at least the older sweet woman. "Enough." Mr. Miller was speaking, and the woman sighed like she was trying to collect herself, not crying in public. I knew how that felt like...

I looked at the food when the plates came outside, wishing I had never come along, seeing the weird salad on my plate. Did they even do anything edible at this place?

"Eat." Joseph was making motions with his fork when I picked up my cutlery and took a small bite expecting it to taste like dirt. Still, it was delicious, to my surprise, making me take another bite.

"It's good... I was still chewing when Joseph made a genuine smile, the first one since I had arrived, making me snort without being able to stop it. He was not converting me to be a salad eater, not after I had been starved when I was a f*****g taken for ransom. "You have nothing to worry about, Theresa, Joseph is a good man, and I'm glad he finally found someone as devoted as he is to our belief." Mrs. Miller was beaming again when I made a nod, yeah sure, committed to the cause, whatever it was... still eating when Joseph was looking at me like he didn't know how the fuck someone like me actually had passed his mother's test or his father's maybe that didn't speak a damn word, showing me that lovely personality that his son had.

"Yes, he is Mrs. Miller, a good man...." I took a sip from the water, meeting Joseph's eyes, making me smile more, which is why I was good at sales.

Mrs. Miller talked for everyone making it easier for me to keep up with what to say and what not. Apparently, there were many not before the older couple took their leave and said no to the car that Joseph wanted to send after to get them back to their hotel. They said it was better to use your feet on the earth God had made; they weren't wrong about that part.

"Finally!" Joseph was snapping his fingers when the waiter came back, giving us a big smile, and I looked over the wine list again, pretending to know shit when I didn't. I really didn't.

"You have white wine, right?" I was staring up at the waiter, that made a badly concealed smirk. Oh, I didn't care if he was laughing at me. I spent two hours listening to Mrs. Miller talk about my upcoming marriage with the stern man on the other side of the table who looked like he wanted to smack me for even saying that out loud.

"She will have Pinot Grigio... just bring the bottle and... I will have what you recommend...." I made a giggle seeing the waiter seeing the obvious flirting that Joseph was doing; well, I didn't blame him. He was kind of cute, the waiter, I mean.

"Yes sir, excellent choice!" he made a preppy smile, disappearing when I leaned back, giggling more, so this was his plan, me marrying him? What happened when his mother wanted those grandchildren she really wanted to have? "Shut up, I know what you are thinking, they come over once a year from salt lake, and when they leave, you and I are breaking up. You cheated on me..." he made a triumph smile when I pouted. Why did I have to be the one that cheated? Maybe he was the bad guy? "I don't want to be the cheater, and you can be the bad one for ones...." I smiled, seeing the waiter come back, poring me the glass I hated and wanted so much. I didn't drink much, but screw, I was getting married!

"I can't, Andrea. Look at me. I'm a fucking role model..." he made a wink at the waiter that was smiling at him. Oh wait, did they have a connection, and why was that making me jealous? He wasn't my real boyfriend, just some shame, just like my real ones... "Sure, you are.... And remember, I want the whole floor to be redone, everything, and the lunchroom too; that place sucks." I was raising my glass when he made a smile, toasting me, having his eyes on the a*s of the waiter taking our second order of food. Good, I was starving!

"how about we do a smaller renovation, and you can come and work for me?" He was looking at me again when I did a gasp, ashamed that the wine was already gone, tasting like heaven, the best I ever had. Was he serious with me?!

"I already work for you, idiot...." I made a snark when I was going for the bottle, making Joseph frown before taking my wrist and taking the bottle himself, pouring it for me like a real gentleman. Wow... his mother did raise him, right, didn't she?

"No, you don't... you work for at least three more people underneath me, and I'm not counting the floors. I mean, come work where you f*****g belong. You are smart, Andrea. I can barely tell you never finished college..." he was done poring when I made a gulp, not even surprised he knew that, or maybe I had told him sometimes; anyway, he knew.

"Joseph.... I think that is the nicest thing you ever said to me...." I smiled at his serious face, still not letting go of the glass like he was holding it, hostage when I was trying to take it from his hand.

"I'm serious. Yes, I know I had said a lot of shit at your face, but... shit, I think you are great, always had. Jonah has no fucking idea what he lost, and when he did, you were gone....." He made a smile now, making me bat my eyes slowly, not really understanding why he was being so nice. Was he drunk?

I looked over at the untouched glass of whatever he was drinking.

"Joseph...please just stop..." I was wiping my eyes fast. Why did he make me cry all the time he was talking? I should deal with everything better, but I couldn't, not when he was saying it so f*****g honestly. He really believed in me. Nobody ever did, nobody. "I care for you, Andrea, I do... I don't even know why; maybe it's because my own sister is a f*****g meth head that refuses to get help, and you are the only thing that is going to close to what I respect." He made a confused face at my hurt look. Was she? That was awful. No wonder his mother was grieving her so much...

"I'm sorry, Joseph, I didn't know that...." I reached out my fingers, and to my surprise, he let me touch him, making me smile more at his stern face. He always was the fun guy, wasn't he?

"Nobody does, not even our parents, and it's going to stay that way; at least my mother can imagine she is living happily married somewhere, hiding her grandchildren..." he chuckled, making me fall in. Yeah, that was probably for the best... "Hey, thanks for telling me...." I pulled my hand back when he cleared his throat, caught in the seriousness of the moment the waiter came back and served the food, making me clap my hands seeing the steak before me. Joseph was a f*****g saint! "Yeah, you don't drink white to beef, but since you are as cultured as a swine, I'm not going to care...." I made a snicker hearing that before eating, not caring when he looked at me happy when I stopped. What was his problem anyway?

"Joseph, please, I know that you think I'm a pig, but stop staring; it's rude!" he made a frown again when I was staring back, still eating, knowing that it was pissing him off. I couldn't resist it.

"Pig? Andrea... what are you talking about, yes, you have the table manner of a stray cat, but you are not a pig; look at you, not even half the size of when I first saw you. I don't know what happened to you. Still, feeding you steak is the least of my problems..." he stopped ranting, taking a small sip from the wine and making me feel bad. I know I had lost some weight after having the twins and wasn't that great at eating. Still, it couldn't be that bad, could it?

"What the size of that dress you have on anyway, right? Yeah, you are more in need of a six babe, and that's me being generous..." he was looking over the dress when I felt bad even more, so the dress was loose. It was one of the smallest ones I had gotten on some stupid whim long ago.

"Shit..." I was staring at him, hurt, so that's why he was feeding me. He thought I was too skinny, great.... People never were happy with how I looked like.

"Yeah, not eating will do that to you...." he sounded like he knew what he was talking about, but I didn't want to ask. He wouldn't tell, and Joseph only told you if he wanted; otherwise, you could just f**k off.

"What are you waiting for? Eat!" he made frowned at me when I took up the cutlery again, eating more slowly, looking over my dress again, wondering how the f**k I had become a size six; that was weird as hell.

"Joseph.... Do you want me to work under you? That's a huge risk, and I don't know anything about computers or IT, not enough to act as I do...." I was drinking my second glass, feeling dizzy, but I didn't care. I felt better I did, and it was all thanks to him, the a*****e with a halo.

"fuck yes, but not in that dress... you're lucky my parents are Mormons, covering up most of your tits anyway whit that hideous thing.." he was chuckling when I flipped him off, not caring that we could be seen by anyone that was around, screw everyone else, and him.

"Yeah... sure... I'll buy a new one when you f*****g get me that raise...." Joseph took out his phone when I was dragging my finger along the gravy on the plate before pushing it inside my mouth, cursing there wasn't more.

"Done. Now, let's get some champagne!" he was calling over the waiter again. I swear that this time, he was sneaking in a business card in his hand when he was whispering what he wanted, making me snicker, reaching for the empty bottle that was to my disappointment.

"Champagne!" I was clapping my hands again, making Joseph smirk when the bottle was coming inside, I hadn't had that since my ex-husband's wedding, or maybe my first ex-husband was a better term. Shit, I was going for a record; it seemed! I was staring at the glass when the cork popped open, and I was laughing. The result was busy, and I was glad more people than I seemed to have been drinking since I wasn't that used to it.

"Andrea Wilson, cheers to you, the only woman to ever survive Jonah fucking Sullivan and live to tell the tale!" Joseph was getting a bit drunk, even if he could handle more than me; that was laughing my a*s off hearing that. Yeah, I f*****g did. I survived whatever was coming my way, and f**k people that hated me!

"Cheers to you, Joseph Miller, my third husband-to-be. May our marriage end better than my first two!" I was drinking when he did a snicker hearing that, staring more at the waiter than at me as the night came along, but I didn't care. He was right. I was a fucking survivor!

He was still laughing when I was taking another sip, this was sweeter, and I just remembered that I didn't drink champagne not because I couldn't, I didn't like it that much, but Joseph did when he was sipping it looking so fucking pleased on the other side of our table.

"oh shit!" his face changed in a heartbeat when I wasn't sure what had happened; he was too drunk to care when he grabbed my hand, looking into my eyes, trying to focus.

"Don't fucking look, but Jonah is fucking here!" He started to breathe faster when I made a giggle, taking my hand on his face, shaking it playfully when he made a sneer at me for being drunk and stupid in his eyes. I wasn't that f*****g gullible, not this time, no matter how drunk I was.

"Yeah, right... not falling for that this time... that fucker can burn in hell... fucking paying Buck to look after me, that mama's boy...." I pushed his face back playfully, reaching for my champagne glass when Joseph touched my chin, forcing me to turn around and stare at him.

He was just as tall, wearing a suit, looking, talking to the hostess that was pushing her tits up more, smiling like she wanted him to come around the back and fuck her.

"Fuck!" I slapped my hand, realizing that I had almost screamed, and Joseph was looking like he was really going to smack me now for making sure that all eyes in the f*****g restaurant were on us! Motherfucker! Jonah was here, and I was f*****g drunk, not just tipsy, drunk!

"You are a goddam idiot!" he was pushing me down when I stood up, making sure I didn't turn my head back again. Why the fuck was he here!? I needed to get out right now!

"omg... omg.... omg.... I thought that you fucking checked reservations or some shit like that. Didn't the name Sullivan pop up like a fucking red flag when you chose this place!?" I was sneering at it, starting to panic. This was it, Jonah was here, and he was going to see me, and then it was game over. I was going to be dead, killed, dumped in a f*****g plastic bag when my kids were screaming after me!

"How!? Even if I fucking did, you don't think he can't just walk inside of this place, he is a fucking mob guy, and they get what they fucking want, Andrea. Now stay the f**k down, and let's just play it f*****g cool...." Joseph wasn't looking cool. He wasn't when Jonah was around, everyone else was dirt, but Jonah he was afraid of, same as me.

"I don't know!? You are the fucking rich one here, not me! I thought that came with some fucking benefits!?" I was staring, accusing him, when he snorted, thinking I was stupid. Well, I was, I f*****g was, and I knew it! Having just blown my cover to the only guy in the world that I didn't want to see, that was the reason I had left in the first place, that fucker!

"You know what?! Why should I fucking hide, right?! He is the one that is the asshole here, not me!" I was getting up again when Joseph pulled me down, showing me that he didn't agree with me screaming at Jonah all over the full restaurant was the best decision. Yeah, well, I wasn't listening. He hadn't been in my shoes. Nobody had!

Joseph was throwing himself over me, dragging me back from the table with me struggling, when he held his hand over my mouth, making me panic even more. What the f**k was he doing anyway!?

"Shut the fuck up, it's not just him! can't you fucking see that, or do you want to have us killed by the end of the night!?" I was breathing heavily into the palm of his hand when I shook my head. No, f**k no! I just wanted to tell him that he could go f**k himself, him, and that f*****g whore he married!

Joseph was right; it wasn't just him, she was here too, the wife, and she looked gorgeous coming up beside him, smiling like she was happy, showing off the neckline that made me want to die; it was a knot and heart.... Oh god, that was my necklace, the one he gave me when he told me that he loved me, the night I had met Fiona and her husband, not knowing that they were f*****g criminals, just like Jonah was.

"that's.... that's my necklace.... look at it, Joseph... "I was staring at the beautiful woman wearing it, laughing at something the most handsome guy in the room was whispering to her like it never was mine.

I was the one that was supposed to be fucking happy standing there alongside him! He was my f*****g soulmate, and now he was looking like I never existed, never had a baby, and never f*****g had the love that I wanted back more than anything right now! "Andrea, let's go!" Joseph was taking my hand, pulling me backward, making me stumble, feeling a sharp pain in my ankle when the heel broke off on the cheap high heels I had worn for years. Shit!

"Joseph, wait!" my ankle was hurting, it was dull, but I could feel that something was wrong when he made a curse before picking me up, me against his chest when he turned around, leaving the place when the door slammed after us into the kitchen. The last thing I saw was the burning green-blue eyes following me.