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In response, he brushed his thu go

And then, ere two friends spending tiether We talked about all the usual stuff Music Movies Books Hobbies Friends We s Braden was careful tohe kneouldn’t answer And when I stumbled over a question because it related to the past, he cracked a joke and changed the subject This was a s up dessert when a sultry voice with an accent as melodic as Ellie’s, drifted across our table "Braden, honey, I thought that was you"

My eyes lifted to the wo down to kiss Braden’s cheek, giving him an eyeful of her s and as sultry as her voice She gave ht srinned and stroked his cheek affectionately "Better for seeing you"

Oh hell I tried not to shift uncoed in irlfriend Aard

"How’s Alan?"

Who the hell was Alan? Please be her husband

"Oh" She waved the question off with a gri date"

Well, go back to hiet on with our date

Shit! Not a date! Not a date!

Braden smiled and turned around to nod at me "Aileen, this is Jocelyn"

"Hi" I smiled politely, not really sure how to converse with an obvious ex As I looked over the tall, blonde glamazon, I was convinced more than ever that I was the opposite of Braden’s usual type

Her eyes were assessing as they washed over me After a second her sirl who doesn’t look like Analise" She touched his shoulder affectionately again "I’lad for you"

"Aileen" Braden pulled back, his jaw clenching

Analise? My eyebroere raised in question Who was Analise?

"Still sore I see," Aileen tutted and took a step back "I guess we all are about spouses Takes ti and then, as if suddenly realizing she was intruding on our dinner, she laughed a little eet back to Roberto Take care, Braden It was good to see you And nice toto hide the fact that it felt as though sout Spouses? I sucked in a breath, a shot of adrenaline kickingno idea she’d caused tension between me and Braden

My lips felt numb "Wife?"

"Ex-wife"

Why did I feel betrayed? That was stupid Or was it? He’d said ere friends And Ellie… Ellie was my friend, and she hadn’t told me Braden had an ex-wife Did it , Joss

No, I hadn’t But I also hadn’t been hed, and I lifted ranite "I would have told you about Analise eventually"

I waved him off "It’s none of my business"

"If that’s the case, why do you look shell-shocked?"

"Because I’ot into this with you because you were a serial dater Not a one-wouy" I touched a hand to my chest What the hell was that pain in there?

He ran a hand through his hair and then sighed heavily again The next thing I knew, he had hooked a leg around

I stared up at hily, lost for a ot an softly, quietly, his eyes studying me as he explained "Her narad student We’d only been together a year before I proposed, and ere only reat The next three ht a lot Mostly about lass, dropping his gaze now, "And when I think about it, that was true Thank fuck" His eyes ca her – someone as vindictive as her – all my personal crap…"