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It was pretty straightforward so I wasn’t concerned I’d mess it up

“I’ll just be five minutes while I speak with Mona”

I was looking over the booking systeuests were arriving (and sneaking a peek at what lucky devils would be taking my room when my vacation officially ended), when the bell over the door jingled

I glanced up, suests

However, a lone woaze around the inn When her eyes fell on me she tensed

I walked around the desk “May I help you?”

The woevery inch ofway She was a very beautiful woman, and it pained eous

That irritation only grehen she gave ness, however, didn’t detract from her beauty She was a little taller than me, slith brown hair frahtened near the ends with caramel-blond streaks Her eyes were ice blue and had an exotic tilt to the corners A perfect little nose h cheekbones I didn’t think I’d met anyone quite as beautiful as her

She stood in front ofto her toned curves and showcased long, lean legs I suddenly had this horrible feeling in ut

“Are you the doctor?” she said

“I am”

Her gaze narrowed “I’m Dana Cooper Lawson’s wife”

That feeling in ut worsened

Thisthis was Cooper’s ex?

Bailey had not been lying when she described her as outrageously gorgeous

Holy crap

I felt a wave of insecurity roll over me and instantly resented it

“Ex-wife, youroo it lightly “What the hell are you doing here, Dana?”

Dana flicked Bailey a dirty look before turning back to me, all wide-eyed with faux innocence “I’ton away fro, believe me, because he’ll only break your heart”

I narrowedI’d heard and more, and I couldn’t believe she’d had the audacity to show up to spooksure I sounded bored

“Because he and I have unfinished business Ito try to ood person you’d take a step back and let e”

She said it like it was completely reasonable

I was shocked Beyond shocked Plus, I was growingto be a problem for us

Bailey, however, opened her ed, I knew the put-down of all put-doas about to coave her a quick shake ofto leave this to me

She clamped her mouth shut

I stepped toward Dana and she took a step back in surprise, before trying to cover her surprise with a look of feigned nonchalance

Hmm

She was hoping I was going to be a pushover

Well, I’d faced bigger and badder things in this world than Cooper’s ex-wife and there was no way I was giving him up so easily Not when there was so ht noas too invested in that happiness to have it taken away from me

“Let ood man—with his best friend in the whole world, no less, thus stealing that friendship fro me away from him? If you have any decency left in you, you’ll let Cooper be happy and leave him alone”

“Cooper loves me” Dana tilted her chin up in defiance “We have history You can’t beat history I want hiet what I want” She set Cooper back and I also don’t care what I have to do in order to get him”

Fury rushed throughbut at the idea of her hurting Cooper My protective instincts hadup to her in a way I knew she hadn’t expected “Are you threatening me?”

So like uncertainty flashed in her eyes before she quickly hid it “Just a warning” She shrugged and then gave rin “May the best woman win”

The bell tinkled above the door as she swooped out of the inn

Bailey and I stood in shocked silence for a few seconds

Then“What The Hell?” Bailey said

I feltan enemy in my nen

“You’re not going to break things off with Cooper, are you?” Bailey said, visibly concerned

“Heck no” I screwed upthe stubborn determination fire my blood “That horrible witch hurt so to do that again on ht of hi special between us and I really believe he thinks that, too I won’t take this away from him because of one spoiled little brat”

Bailey grinned “Good” s pretty straightforward so I wasn’t concerned I’d mess it up