Page 31 of Some Kinda Romance

“Not a thing.” I let out a dramatic sigh. “I just thought I’d set the record straight before these rumors got out of control. I wouldn’t want to disappoint any of my fans. I know a lot of them have been rooting for me to find someone new, but right now, that’s just not where I’m at. Healing takes time.”

“Of course,” he said. “Thanks for calling me and for the free interview. It was unexpected, but I appreciate you taking the time to tell your side of the story before it got away from us all.”

“I live to serve,” I teased. “Thanks, Eli. Have a good one.”

“Yeah, you too.” He hung up and so did I, relieved that it was done and that he seemed happy to have something new to print.

Julie walked in a few minutes later, closing the office door softly behind her as her gaze met mine. “How did it go? You had that meeting with Diana this morning to tell her about the band, right?”

“Right,” I said.

Gosh, had that really been just this morning? I blew out a slow breath, centering my thoughts before I nodded at her. “You were right. She wasn’t mad about it at all. Dash, on the other hand, was pretty mad. He would’ve torn me a new one if it had not been for her interference.”

“Well, I’m glad she was here, then,” she said, pushing away from the door and striding further into my office. “If she was fine, why do you still look like a hornet in a kicked nest?”

I huffed out a breath. “Is it that obvious?”

“Yep.”

Leaning back in my chair, I looked into her eyes, knowing she would understand why this had hurt me so much. “Dash asked me to talk to the media about the rumors that have been circulating about us, but get this. He didn’t ask for his own benefit or mine, but because he didn’t want Ethan to get the wrong idea. Apparently, Ethan’s a realprofessional and he doesn’t want to upset him.”

She blinked slowly, doing a double-take as she stared back at me. “Are you serious?”

“Unfortunately.”

She grimaced, not exactly sticking up for Dash but not nearly as angry at him as I’d have liked her to be. “Well, he doesn’t know Ethan any better than anyone else in the world. Few people know the truth about him, but I agree that it shouldn’t matter. Either way, you guys are divorced and he shouldn’t care if people think you’re together.”

“I know. Exactly.” Feeling vindicated, I started venting and I didn’t stop until I got a call from the front desk. Picking up the phone, I checked the time and frowned. “Hello?”

I knew I didn’t have any meetings scheduled now and I suddenly had a bad feeling in the pit of my stomach. “Ms. Halverson? I have Mr. Langley here for you. Should I send him back?”

That bad feeling turned into dread that exploded from my stomach and spread to every inch of my body. “Yes, please. You can send him back.”

Julie made her eyes big at me as she mouthed. “Ethan?”

As I hung up the phone, I nodded. “The one and only.”

“What does he want?”

“No idea, but he’d better make it fast.”

“Do you want me to stay in here with you?”

I shook my head. “You know how he gets. It’s better if I just hear him out and send him on his way.”

Regardless, she stayed until he appeared in the doorway before she left, glowering at him on the way out. “You were a hundred percent better when I couldn’t see you.”

He arched an eyebrow at her but surprisingly didn’t fire back. Instead, he waited until she was gone before shutting the door and lifting his chin. Somehow, he didn’t seem haughty today, and suspicion zoomed through me as I wondered what he was up to.

At forty years old, Ethan didn’t look a day over thirty. With neatly styled white-blond hair and shimmering emerald eyes, he was still a looker. He jogged for at least three hours a day and it showed in his lean muscle and broad shoulders.

Seeing him, no one would believe the things I knew about this man, how he’d mentally abused me for years and dared me to let anyone know about it. He was such a gentleman in public, but as soon as we were alone, things had always changed.

He’d put me down constantly, breaking me to the point where I couldn’t imagine life without him. I didn’t believe I could ever be anything without him. He’d alienated me from my friends, convincing me they were just trying to get to him and using me to do it.

If I ever wanted to go anywhere without him, he’d gotten crazy possessive, accusing me of having affairs and threatening me with everything from money to murder. As I looked at him now, all those memories tumbled through my mind and I shied back a little, but I was careful about keeping my expression neutral and schooled.

“What do you want, Ethan?”