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MARTI PACED THE CONFINES of the freebie closet where she had called her best friends to an emergency meeting. Like any good besties, they rushed to her aide. It wasn’t often one of them sent an SOS, but when they did, everything else could wait.
Caroline and Mel sat wedged between the shoe racks and the makeup counter, as she recapped her evening with sweaty palms and knots in her stomach. Each word out of her mouth felt like a heavy stone, pressing against her chest.
Mel and Caroline were her friends. They wouldn’t judge her. They wanted what was best for her. Yet, as soon as she finished describing her parting encounter with Logan, she thought she might be sick.
“Wow. Just wow.” Caroline’s blue eyes widened. “That is the most romantic thing. Maybe ever. I’m so jealous, I might hate you.”
Marti glared at her. “Caroline, that’s not helping.”
“What?” Caroline threw her hands up. “I can’t help it. I’m a hopeless romantic and that is so hot. What did he say again before he kissed you?”
“I’ll make you fall.”
“Um, hello?” Caroline shouted. “Am I the only one that thinks that’s the most swoon-worthy thing to happen to womankind?”
Marti met Mel’s gaze, then wished she hadn’t. Her hazel eyes bore into hers, calculating some kind of equation in her head. If 2 + 2 = 4, then Marti + Logan = love.
“You really like him, don’t you?” Mel asked.
“What?” Marti picked at a stray thread on the hem of her shirt. “No.”
When Mel continued to stare holes through her, she shook her head. “I don’t know. Maybe a little. But it doesn’t matter. I don’t like him enough to throw away everything I’ve ever worked for.”
“But your column is doing better than ever, thanks to your relationship,” Caroline pointed out. “Heck, according to Blue, it’s doing as well as the very first year you started. We’ve all seen the numbers. She’s all but shouted them from the rooftops in a prayer.”
“Yeah, I know, but—”
“But what?” Caroline asked.
“Why are you getting angry with me?”
“I’m not getting angry with you,” Caroline insisted.
“Yes, you are.”
“I just think it’s crazy that you have a guy like him practically begging you for a chance and you’re going to throw it away because of . . . what? An image you’ve created for yourself? That’s insane, Marti. We’re talking about real life here.”
“Exactly. I don’t want a relationship. I never did.”
“So you’re falling in love, but don’t want a relationship? That’s rich. You’re like every guy I’ve ever dated.”
Marti scowled. “That’s unfair.”
When Caroline shrugged, Marti turned to Mel for backup. If anyone understood, it was her. She’d been burned so badly by her ex, she’d never let another man in.
Mel sighed and shook her head. “I don’t know. If you like him, don’t you think you owe it to yourself to explore that, especially since Blue wants you to keep dating him?”
Marti blinked at her in shock. What was happening? Even Mel agreed with Caroline?
Mel reached out and squeezed her hand. “Just because some relationships end badly, doesn’t mean they all do.”
MARTI STOOD AMONG THE stars. Music tinkled in the background, along with the steady buzz of conversation. The last thing Marti wanted was to attend a party and pretend everything was fine when she was twisted up inside. But Blue had requested her presence. Gladys Jewelers had placed a giant campaign with PopNewz, and tonight was a celebration of their new relationship.
She stared out into the distance, ignoring her guilt at leaving Logan to fend for himself. She needed a moment of quiet to breathe, to think.
If she had her way, she’d be at home, nursing a bottle of wine as she tried to gain some clarity on her situation. Instead, here she was, with Logan as her date, the night after her failed dinner with her father. They’d barely said two words to each other before Marti rushed off, unable to face him for fear of what either of them might say or do.
Her breath puffed around her, despite the rooftop heaters, and she hugged her wool wrap tighter around her shoulders.
