AllFreeNovel
Share Us
She nods, signaling the bartender for another round before her green eyes are on me again.
“Emma. Why didn’t you tell me?” I take her hand that’s resting on the bar and give it a gentle squeeze.
“I wanted to. But I thought it would be easier if I handled it alone. I didn’t want to have to talk about it or answer questions. I just wanted it over with and to move on.”
“You know me better than that, Emma Barrett Mills,” I say, nodding to the bartender as he slides two more cosmos in front of us.
“I see now how stupid that was.” She lifts her drink and takes a sip. “I just wasn’t ready for anyone to know.”
“Are you okay?” I ask the only question I need answered.
“I’m still a little sad. But yeah, I’m okay. Robert has been amazing and we’ve decided we’re gonna wait a couple months before trying again. I honestly don’t know what I did to deserve that man.” She smiles through the tears that have welled behind her eyes.
“More like what he did to deserve you,” I tell her matter of fact. “You know I’m here, right? Anything you need.”
“I know.” She leans into me, her head coming to rest on my shoulder. “Have I told you how much I love you?” she asks, looking up at my profile.
“Less than five minutes ago,” I remind her with a smile.
“Well fuck.” Her head shoots up and she looks around. “I’m really drunk,” she announces.
“No?” I question sarcastically, laughing when she shoots me an evil glare. “Perhaps I should call Robert.”
“I think that might be wise,” she advises before snagging her still full Cosmo off the bar and draining half the contents in one large gulp.
“Perhaps I should call him sooner rather than later.” I laugh, immediately going for my phone, but freezing when a familiar voice washes over me from behind.
“Lennon.”
I slowly turn, locking eyes with Gage who seems just as surprised to see me as I do him.
“Gage.” I force a smile, trying to be polite.
“What are you two doing here?” he asks, his eyes bouncing between me and Emma. She’s biting her tongue to keep herself from telling him where he can go stick himself. “Up to no good I see.” He eyes the Cosmos in front of us on the bar.
“We just finished a project. Decided to have a celebratory drink.” I shrug.
“Or five,” Emma grinds out, throwing me what can only be described as awhat the fucklook.
I shrug, hoping Emma isn’t about to cause a scene. Yeah, Gage is an ass and what he did to me hurt like hell at the time, but things have changed a lot since we broke up and I’m not the same person as I was then.
Honestly, in a way I’m grateful to Gage. If he hadn’t royally screwed me over, I never would have reconnected with Hudson and therefore would not be with the person I truly feel like I belong with.
“Mind if I join you?” he asks, beer already in hand.
“Aren’t you here with some bimbo or something?” Emma slurs, typing away on her phone.
“I deserve that.” He sighs. “I’m actually here with a couple co-workers. May I?” He gestures to the stool next to me.
“I can’t stop you,” I say in a way that I hope conveys that I don’t want him to but somehow know he will anyway.
As predicted, he slides up on the stool and leans back, swiveling it so he’s staring at my profile.
“So how are you?” he asks.
“Good.” I sip my Cosmo, ignoring the way his eyes on the side of my face make me feel like I’m about to crawl out of my skin.
How I ever thought I could marry this man is completely beyond me.
