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“It’s not an exact science,” she said with a laugh, taking his hand and slipping into his arms.
His chest tightened as she forced his arm to wrap around her.
Whitney loved to dance. She’d pull his awkward ass out onto the dance floor all the time. He’d fallen in love with her in his arms in this very spot years before.
Angel started to sway, and he struggled to breathe as he forced his own feet to shuffle across the wooden floor. The sultry twang of a guitar and the soulful sound of the singer’s pain echoed, resonating in Trent’s head.
Time wasted on a love that was never his…
He swallowed hard as Angel rested her head against his chest. “The only way to heal is to give in to the pain,” she said.
He was afraid if he did that, he’d never survive.
He breathed in the scent of her hair, and it only reminded him of how much he missed the smell of Whitney’s hair when she was lying on his chest in bed. His grip tightened on Angel, but all he was envisioning was holding Whitney in his arms as they swayed to the music, late after the bar was closed and they were all alone…
He cleared his throat and started to move away. He couldn’t do this. This drowning in sorrow in an effort to kill the pain and resurface a new man, without the lingering, torturous heartache wasn’t a method to healing he wanted to go through. He wanted to keep pushing down the pain until it was buried so deep, it could come back in moments of weakness.
And he certainly didn’t want to lean on a friend like Angel.
“Trent, there’s something I’ve been needing to tell you,” she said, and he immediately tensed at the serious, apprehensive tone.
“What is it?” As he pulled away, a loud, smashing noise interrupted whatever she’d been about to say, and the bar door burst open a second later. An angry-looking man in a suit entered and stalked straight toward them.
“The bar is closed,” Trent said, meeting the guy halfway and preventing further access to the place. Were people really so pissed he was closed that night that they were breaking his damn door down? This guy was definitely an out-of-towner.
“Brad? What the hell are you doing here?” Angel asked, rushing up behind Trent.
Brad? Her ex? Trent took in the tall, thick man in front of him. Made sense, actually. He’d never seen Angel’s ex, but this guy was exactly what he would have pictured, if the guy had warranted any of Trent’s headspace at all. Expensive suit and shoes. Rolex on his wrist. An arrogant ego that filled the room.
“This the asshole the boys were telling me about?” he asked Angel, glaring at Trent.
“No, and it’s none of your business anyway,” Angel said, attempting to step between them.
Trent held her back carefully. The guy reeked of alcohol, his pupils were dilated, and he looked more than ready for a fight. Angel hadn’t told him everything, but he suspected the guy was abusive.
Brad turned to her. “Not my business? Damn right it’s my business. We’re still technically married. And you’re shacking up with someone else, in front of the boys?”
“You have a girlfriend living with you,” Angel countered.
Trent gave her credit for not wavering. This man was trying to intimidate her, but she was standing strong.
“She’s not living with me, and it’s different,” Brad said. “Do you really want the boys to see their mother like that? Hooking up with strange, random men?”
Wow. Double standards. Even if that wasn’t at all what Angel was doing, she was entitled to live her life any way she wanted. She owed this clown absolutely nothing.
“Get out of here, Brad,” Angel said.
“We need to talk,” the man said, moving closer to her.
“We’ll talk through our lawyers. Please leave.” She folded her arms across her chest, and Brad reached for her, obviously changing tactics as his expression softened.
“Come on, Angel, let’s just talk.”
Angel moved away from him. “No. I’m not letting you do this to me anymore. This manipulation and gaslighting. I’m done, Brad.”
“I’m the manipulator? You’re trying to destroy the relationship I have with my sons. All the lies you’re telling them about me. And actually, I don’t even care about Eddie—he’s not even mine…”
What? Angel had never mentioned that. He glanced at her, and she looked more than a little panicked.
