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The only reason Nellie had even brought up Rick was because of Abel’s question She had every intention of sparing Abel the details She certainly wouldn’t be telling hiall to call her recently and ask if there was any way she could get hi for a small cable sports show, but an exclusive with Abel just before as being billed as one of the et his career back on track--a career he insinuated ht after they separated, letting the world know just what a bastard he really was

Of course, that call had ended with her hanging up as he started trying to despicably lay the guilt on her, as if so about him still upsets you"

Abel squeezed her hand His comment was more of an observation than a question Nellie hadn’t even realized her expressionlook, brow raised "I’d say still disgusts me is a better way to phrase it"

That seemed to ease his expression, and then he slanced out the"I try not to think about hiain, I reed up hurtful memories"

She turned back to hi ti for hi that she was supposed to spare him the details "Never mind, you don’t wanna hear about all that"

This conversation was veering into the off limits It was personal--way too personal--Abel certainly didn’t need to hear all this

Just as their flight took off, Abel leaned into her "If you’d rather not talk about it, that’s cool, but I don’tabout it We do have over an hour to kill, and I don’t know about you," he glanced around, "but I’ht see for a ive him the short version Since he likely read the sports section, he may’ve heard about it anyway "I don’t know if Noah told you, but nant while ere stillof his eyes, she could tell that this did surprise hi an affair off and on for years, and supposedly they were going to get married as soon as our divorce was over That’s what hurt most That she would do that to me The fact that Rick cheated wasn’t a surprise at all I’d suspected for sootten so comfortable in my established little cocoon of a life I was afraid of what the truth would do to it But deep inside, I kneas never enough for him--"

"Did he tell you that you weren’t?" Abel’s brows pinched now as he searched her eyes

"No," she adot the distinct feeling that I wasn’t the only one" She lifted and dropped a shoulder "Wouy was an assle who didn’t appreciate what he had doesn’t h for hi Ada prick That alone tells h for you I’lad he’s in your past He does not deserve to spend his life with a woan to war the conviction in Abel’s voice, she had to re The story of what Rick and her sister had done to her had been enough to have so many people up in arms that Rick had lost his job over it Abel was one of the most intense persons she’d ever met Of course, the story would piss hi her hand over his hand, the one that was squeezing hers a bit tighter now "Overall, the whole experience er person That’s for sure"

"What about your sister? Have you talked to her since then?"

The flight attendant ca to drink Nellie asked for iced tea while Abel asked for water

"Believe it or not," Nellie said, shaking her head "I offered to let Courtney move in with me" Apparently this surprised Abelon her with her sister because he looked stunned Nellie sighed, nodding "She’d already sold her condo and was ing out to dry Not only had he changed his e but he also decided that since he was divorced noanted to stay single and out of any relationship for a while" A short scoff escaped her just as the flight attendant came over with their drinks They took their drinks, and Nellie waited for the flight attendant to walk away before continuing "His no-relationship crap lasted about a month before hewith our parents and apparently had high hopes that once the baby was born Rick would change his mind But he moved in with this woman just a few ht" Abel said, closing the cap on the water he’d just poured into his cup of ice and sliding his hand back into hers "You offered to not only let your sister, who got knocked up by your ex and had been having an affair with him for years, move in but also her son--you’re ex’s kid"