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"H her eyes and then skewering the to dinner this afternoon?"

I watched the muscle in his jaw flex He definitely wasn’t amused by his sister’s attitude "Of course" His eyes travelled back to me "I’ll see you both there"

"Joss can’t make it She has stuff to do"

He frowned at me "It’s just a few hours Surely you can squeeze us in?"

In response, Vicky pressed closer to Braden "I’d love to have dinner, Braden"

Braden gave her a so pat on the hand "Sorry, sweetheart, it’s just fas happened at once Ellie choked on her laughter, Vicky reared back like he’d slapped her, and I felt a panic attack coh it and my confusion "You knohat" I took a step back froot I said I’d drop off Jo’s tips to her at her apartotta go I’ll catch you later"

And then I got the hell out of there as fast as I could

"Why did you run?" Dr Pritchard asked, her head tilted to the side like a curious bird

I don’t know "I don’t know"

"You’ve mentioned Ellie’s brother, Braden, a number of tiuess he’s sort of a friend" When she just stared at ed "We had an unconventional introduction"

I told her everything

"So you’re attracted to him?"

"I was"

She nodded "Back to my earlier question then Why? Why did you run?"

Lady, if I knew that, would I be here? "I don’t know"

"Was it because Braden ith another wouess" I rubbedon "I want him to stay in the box I’ve put hiot a label and everything It’s says ‘sort-of friends’ We’re sort of friends, but not really good friends We hang out, but we don’t really know each other I prefer it that way I think I ht that he thinks there’s more That he’d think ere close somehow I don’t want that"

"Why not?"

"I just don’t"

See to sense ain "And your feelings regarding seeing his I had were confusion and panic He ith a woman he obviously has a sexual relationship and history with and he implied somehow that our friendship was deeper than what he had with her by saying what he did to her Like I said, that’s not true I don’t want that"

"And that’s the only reason?"

"Yes"

"So you don’t want a relationship with Braden? Sexual or otherwise?"

Yes "No"

"Let’s talk about that We haven’t spoken about your relationship withpeople out, Joss Has it been a while since your last relationship?"

"I’ve never been in a relationship"

"Have you dated?"

I curled my lips as I remembered the so-called ‘wonder years’ "Do you want the sordid history? Okay, I’ll lay it out for you…"

"Did you get Jo her money?" Ellie asked quietly as she flopped down on the couch next to uilt I reached out forof chips and offered them to her "You want soainst the cushion, her eyes on the TV "What’cha watching?"

"The Bourne Supre better?" I felt evenoff on her like that I was still trying to wrap my head around what exactly had happened to me in that moment