HINA'
but at least the burn reminded
ed her glass high, her vision already s
d, cutting through bodies that moved frantically, everyone da
closer, breathing fumes in my
. The liquor burned its way down, spre
"Thirty days from no
riddance! What kind of husband lets some wom
eyes going wide, fixed on
na, over
like someone dumped ice wa
ed tonight-a short skirt that showed off her legs, dark hair spilling down her back, looking almost unreal under the
aring a smile I'd never seen
r. Then Rose pushed up on her toes, threw her arms around
still for one second.
ted tight. For a moment I
mmed her glass down, already halfway out
t her a
sounded strange-too
t me. "They're doing that right in front o
one from my bag and snapping photos of
her, kissing deep, faces visible, the crowd around them obvious.
, already pulling Angela toward the exit. "
eter this time. At least we wou
after ordering two whiskeys. "I thought you
hadn't even hurt as much as I'd expected. Maybe because my heart was alre
Angela dropped her voice low. "H
aid with a harsh laugh. "Didn't even
gela spat. "A man like that should
o drink, when something caught
froze in
y to the side. He wore a dark shirt tailored close, sleeves rolled
trength visible through the fabric. His profile cut sharp-
m F
, better than before, more refined somehow
ce, keeping just the right distance. He had that quality t
ed up suddenly. M
owing where I was looking. "Wow, that guy's gorge
glass and grabbed my bag, alre
ooked confused but fo
nst my skin. I pulled in several deep
my arm. "You're acting weird. Y
for a while.
id quietly. "He's... like a b
a blinked. "Like
ack bordered theirs. So,, they were good friends.. Our families stayed tigh
eeling my th
crash. After that, Adam became more than family-like a father and
gela said, still puzzled. "Wh
ries I'd buried for five
heard sounds coming from his room-breathing, low and strained. I stood frozen, not understanding at firs
a... Sera
n
so hard I thought it might burst. My thoughts s
home for three
how it sounded when he said my name, what he was doing... My face burned hot eve
t out by then
ikes a brother. The wa
felt the same, that we could try being together, regard
day, Adam came
y and confident in ways I'd never be, every movement deliberate. Ad
elt like the wor
iling behind. Caspian was impressive too-good-looki
me out alone. We
"I know you've always seen Adam as family, but you need to understand-he can't feel that wa
aking my hand. "I really love you. I want
and hearing those words felt like grabbin
ough preparations and I married him almo
I never spoke again.
ll open. "You married Cas
smiling wi
n my pho
an Th
ng tightening in my chest. It's late-shouldn't he be
found the d
eping my voice
ame through cold and tight wit
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