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I was just glad I didn’t have to answer for that insanely stupid slip up back in the bedroo, ceree, an events venue that hosted everything fro with Greek columns but it wasn’t spectacularly beautiful, neither were it surroundings However the ceremony roo Everything hite and silver with ice blue lights It was a winter wonderland for a winter wedding

Braden had wandered off to talk to Ada his very pretty date and glaring at Nicholas Why he was glaring at Nicholas when Ellie had left the poor guy to his own devices to flutter around everyone like the social butterfly she was, I had no idea But if looks could kill…

I shook lanced up fro over lanced past her to see Clark in deep conversation with an older guy I didn’t know Who was I kidding? I hardly knew anyone here I seous in sapphire blue "Hey, how are you?"

She gave me a ‘you kno it is’ smile and slid into the empty seat next to me By now, of course she’d cottoned onto the fact that Braden and I were seeing each other--especially because he wasn’t subtle about it and Declan had caught hio and the kid had said ‘ugh, yuck’ and proceeded to enlighten the entire farinned over at him across the room I noted a pretty and very tall blonde had joined hier "I don’t think I’ve ever seen him this happy"

I felt an ache of warmth ripple across my chest, but I didn’t knohat to say

She looked back at irl, Joss I do But I also think you’re incredibly difficult to get to know I don’t knohy, but you have such a guard up, sweetheart It’s high and nearly impenetrable"

I felt the color drain from my face

"I think of Braden as a son A son I love very much What Analise did to hiain Or worse" She looked back at him and then back to me "With you, I think it’ll be worse"

"Elodie…" words failed me

"If you don’t feel about him the way he feels about you, end it now, Joss For his sake" And then she stood, pattedway, and headed back over to the husband that she adored

"Babe, you okay?"

I glanced up,over me, his eyebrows creased with concern I nodded, still speechless

He didn’t look convinced "Come on" He took my hand and drew me to my feet "Co It was a favorite of ht I do" I let him lead me onto the dance floor and I buried into hi Did Elodie say soht I should walk away I breathed him in, not able to picture a led closer I couldn’t walk away But if I hurt hi him ripped me apart Ripped me so totally, that I knew, I cared more for him than I did forthe change in me, Braden squeezed me closer anda panic attack, just a freak out, but I didn’t say anything, enjoying the cally

"What did she say?" His tone was hard He washim "She just mentioned how important family is It wasn’t her fault"

"Babe," he whispered, stroking hten thehis hands sensually down et you drunk to have my ith you"

"Oh, you are so lucky I like the whole cave, Braden Carood doctor about any of that I coveted that piece of ure out what exactly I was going to do with it I still had no plan, but I didn’t let it get in the way of enjoying my time with Braden I’m thankful for that, because little did I know only a feeeks after the wedding and the first week in Decee

While Ellie worked at the kitchen table, Braden and I lounged in the sitting roo at theEllie had insisted we put the tree up on the first She was a Christht, a Wednesday, and atching a Korean e I was into it, but it see to the Gerone last Saturday with Ellie, but I loved the German market, and I’d be with Braden, so yeah, I was up for that Edinburgh at Christical, even to a non-believer like hts rapped around all the trees in Princes Street Gardens, a Gerifts, and weird sausages, set up camp by the Royal Art Acaderound with a huge Ferris wheel that lit up the night sky There was nothing quite like walking that street on a crisp winter’s day at dusk "Sure" I s sprawled out on the couch, and Braden was lounging at the end of it

He nodded "I was thinking in February we could take soot a cabin in Hunters Quay and it looks right over the Holy Loch It’s pretty nice Peaceful Not toIndian restaurant in Dunoon, which is just across the Loch"

It sounded aweso I’d been in Scotland for over four years and I hadn’t gone further than St Andrews "Sounds great Where is it exactly?"

"Argyll"

"Oh" That wasn’t the highlands, was it? "Isn’t Argyll in the west?"

As if he read hlands It’s beautiful, trust erated the ‘ch’ sound like he did "Just tell me when, and I’m there"