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A cold fist of fury clenched in her stomach Really? she wanted to say Broken, as in "heartbroken"? And ould that be? Because you jilted ? Because you left me for soed you when in fact I loved you with all my heart for seventeen years? Why on earth would you worry?

"I wasn’t sure you’d ever get overout to tuck some hair behind her ear

She jerked back "Well, soo"

He gave her a sad smile, and she remembered it well The commiseration smile, back when he was fat and she was a stutterer, the "yeah, I knohat that’s like" s of all How dare he feel sorry for her? How dare he worry about her? How dare he bring back her stutter when she really should be past this, goddauy will be as happy as Nay and I are" Nay How gross "Are things serious?"

"Yep In fact, we’re engaged"

Oh, shit and whiskey Not sreat to see Kevin’s mouth drop open The stutter, too, was shocked and retreated to a corner to regroup

"You are?" Kevin asked His cheeks lanced down at her left hand "Where’s your ring?"

"It’s being resized" Well, well, well Sees you never knew you could do until you had to

"I’ but

Guess Kevin had gotten a good bit of satisfaction, thinking about herho like no one would ever fall for her again (Fine! She had those thoughts, all of them!)

Even so, this walk had just beco married?" he asked

"We haven’t set a date yet"

"Well Uhthis is great, Emmaline"

"Thanks," she said "Listen, I think I’ll run the rest of the way, okay? See you later"

Because satisfaction aside, she had to tell Jack Pronto

"Sure I’ll see you back at the ranch You’re playing soht?" He smiled, but it wasn’t the sweet Old Kevin smile froet you ht"

Oooh War had been declared

"Not everyone is fixated on physical appearance," she said sweetly "Some people put more emphasis on kindness, loyalty and decency"

"Yeah I used to tell o Burn those calories Hey, I’ll race you"

JACK WAS SHAVING when the police tried to bust down the door

Correction When Officer Neal tried to bust down the door, dressed in running shorts and a T-shirt, drenched in sweat and blowing like a stea up "Aliens? Meteors? What’s--" She pushed past hi only a towel "Why don’t you coh--wo She followed, flipped down the lid of the toilet and sat herself down "We’re engaged," she panted

"Make yourself at ho--what?"

"I’m sorry I know I said I didn’t want the whole pretend boyfriend thing, but I told Kevin we’re engaged"

"Then I dehts"

"Shut up, Jack"

"Is that any way to talk to your fiancé?" He rinsed the razor and continued shaving

"He was being so nice He even pickedsarcastic Save it, pal Anyway, he was very sweet Then he was all condescending, and then I said soed Just let it ride, okay?"

"And your faically incapable of keeping a secret I can’t tell them I’ll call them after we leave this hellhole"

Another set of frenzied knocking broke the quiet, this time on what sounded like Emmaline’s door

"Emmaline?" said her mother "Open up! Why did you keep this froled eave," he said "Better open the door, Pooh Bear And give et dressed, okay?"

She finally noticed Her face went red She glanced away from him, then back at his torso, and Jack smiled "We have a lifetime to explore each other," he said "Now open the door before they get a battering ra," she muttered

"Your other option is to co thatdoor into her roo, rinsed his face and pulled on jeans and a T-shirt Doting fiancé, check Hey Wos like this Hadn’t Colleen O’Rourke asked him to pretend to be her boyfriend? Or was that Shelayne Schanta? Whatever Woot squirrelly around their exes It was a known fact

"I knew it!" Angela crohen Jack joined them "Jack! You devil!"

Eorously "Welcome to the family"

Her mom looked puzzled "Eave her a gentle nudge "Well," she a--aard because E?" Angela asked