ic," Chloe

ot pan

ushing you

a glanc

expensive leather bag so tightly tha

tely loosen

g it. I'm checki

stared

ng to mu

want to

sert table i

stop t

nd lifted her c

Alexander Blackwood w

an irritating talent he had possessed throughout their marriage. He could sit across

t attention had ma

her want to hid

an with a business to run, bills t

let Alexander r

," she to

he

ere he

know a beaut

he

essert

closed

wonder why we

ful, funny, and emo

re hu

at

toward the

five steps when a fami

abe

fr

iling as if silently a

whispered. "

a turne

it fitting him so perfectly that it seemed to

controlled, but his

ked su

oked

wasn't mistaken,

that she

she replied

we

talki

vate

lanning to conf

ows drew

n everything

ppear every

ited to th

't life wonder

vered he

r glance

ncourage her to

red. "I'm her best friend

e doing a t

you.

a almos

der no

he remembered the woman who used to laugh at his terrible

moment di

please. Fiv

lded h

have

iv

ne

e impo

re wastin

aled s

invite you

le

lla b

topped

ssing behind them

la burst ou

expression

see what'

d the corner of her eye. "I ju

ha

rri

w tigh

abe

r dinner. I cooked your favorite meals, waited until midnigh

pa

here inviting me to dinne

e mist

lite way to descr

kno

yo

nce answ

noise of the ballr

ce danced while waiting for pasta to boil, and the rainy evening when Alexand

red the lit

cruelest part

e enormous betrayal

g how happy you had been be

lowed th

want from m

irectly int

conversation.

hy

nt to know ho

ared a

ave asked tw

ession t

ould

o quiet that she

nd, she felt the famil

mbered the di

while Alexander stood by the w

ment with two suitcases and a hear

he said

abe

move

es dar

ve

sm

succes

seeing

ad snapped

use

er igno

tilted

you want

d a que

why you're

id no

laughed

l me you'r

ot jea

n my answer sho

urned

caught h

as quick, almo

ingers touched her sk

t g

ed her im

sor

hurt her, but because the familiar contac

e without perm

won

was diff

ie

say something else, but the words

sed to help h

ed towar

n. I ne

odded s

ate or

ot

rtbreak require

ked away

remained w

eyes following her, bu

on

t was what sh

ity betrayed her approxim

d over her

till standing i

was s

smile he wore when nego

most disbel

al had somehow

mediately f

with that man

nded her

you want m

ly with h

k anyone has

ughed despi

nutes, she concentrate

an on her jewelry, and exchanged business cards with a h

going

uspiciou

nde woman appea

bella Rose,

lla t

he chandeliers. Her blonde hair fell in perfect waves

d smiling in a way that immedi

la replied. "

ian

t mean anythin

someone had announced the

n not

you've he

orced a

gs about several people.

xpression

xander's

arly droppe

d it carefully

O

d Vivian

atulat

n bli

nk y

picked up

u like so

e a stran

stared

use

ined. "The vanilla one tastes like somebody desc

away, laugh

mile becam

you to be

oked genuin

ut w

nder a

O

ok another

uld I b

u were marr

"Past tense. A very usefu

cheeks

n't care, but I know ho

owly put do

n lik

ept that their ex-hu

, Isabella s

she s

xander back, I wouldn't

oman's face

hed into h

ontinued p

njoy your evening, and stop worrying about a wo

s eyes

still cares

d discuss that

ed you to

's eyebr

re list

d to listen.

ou must have ex

ay games

eat cake, but you've interru

leaned

with someone who un

smiled

understand his

d

explain why he looks miserab

smile v

Isabella saw genui

reply, a familiar vo

re a pr

stood behi

sion was u

ediately t

from her face, replace

all. Isabella and I were

looked a

hat t

la shr

ged a few compliments. She told me you belo

moved tow

d s

aughed n

sunders

d s

stion made Vivia

had enjoyed enough

ed up he

but I have a business to ru

pped aside to

lked by him, h

ght, Is

d for half

e looke

ght, Al

no anger i

itte

dis

im more than any insult

ward the exit with

night air brushe

hotel doors closed behi

oman ha

esn't k

ou know she hates you

lla l

phone v

number had sen

looked beau

frow

message

ope you got

tared at t

she t

a: Who

rived almost

ho remembers how y

stopped fo

hated sugar in her coffee but always

pt with the bedroom window s

call her his little stor

xan

locked

she wh

lanced

ha

thi

hone vibr

Goodnight,

the message until

d the phone in

ved two years

iends, and learned how to smile witho

ot going

r his

his hand

cause he remembered

hl

es

every memory of Alexande

onsider

art with h

es

s photo

es

ensive watch

la hes

e ga

You still ha

very nic

h from your

time, Chloe. T

rst out

offended, but she could

all the way

believed she could face the past wit

ntion of return

whats

ning would bring an unexpected o

ght be the biggest

truth she had been waiti