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25
Bradford
I walk away from Kristen and just like every other time I do that, my legs don’t want to work.
Fuck.
If I’d known she’d be here this weekend, I would have stayed home. I’ve got too much I need to focus on and the only thing in the world that has ever been able to distract me is Kristen Blaise. Regardless of anything I’ve said to her, I don’t want to walk away from her. And I don’t want her to walk away from me. But if the years have taught me anything, it’s that Kristen doesn’t want to run to me, only from me.
Kristen isn’t the one who got away. She’s the one I never got.
My father drags me from my thoughts when I receive a text from him.
Dad: Sources tell me Senator Adler will be indicted for fraud soon.
Me: How soon?
Dad: Likely within the next month. Possibly as soon as two weeks.
Me: Good. Keep me updated.
Adler looks like he’ll be my ticket into the Senate. If he is indicted, his New York Senate seat will become vacant. Governor Wakefield has indicated that he’ll select me to fill it.
I slip my phone back into my pocket and make my way to the table where everyone’s sitting. As I take a seat, Jenna finds my gaze. “Where’s Kristen?”
“She left.”
Jenna frowns at that before turning to Beckett and saying something while pushing her chair back. Watching her walk away from the table, I wonder how much she knows about me and her sister. I suspect not much since I’m the guy Kristen kept to herself, and Jenna has never given me any indication that she’s aware of what happened between us.
My phone sounds with a message from my assistant and I deal with that while the girls discuss their spa day plans for tomorrow. It’s a work problem that takes five minutes of my time. I’ve just finished with that when my brother texts me.
Hayden: I thought we were done with the marriage contract?
I frown. I thought so too.
Me: We are.
Hayden: You might want to talk with your fiancée. I’ve just received an email from her.
Christ.
Cecelia will be the fucking death of me.
Me: Forward it to me.
Hayden: Done. I won’t do anything until I hear back from you.
My attention circles back to the girls when laughter erupts around the table.
Adeline catches my eye. “It’s good to see you, Bradford. You’ve been working too much lately. We’ve missed you.”
I was dragged into this group six months ago when my best friend, Owen, met the love of his life, Charlize. I never had a chance in hell of not joining with Charlize in control. She has a magnetic way about her that I’m convinced would encourage people to follow her into outer space if that’s where she decided she wanted to go. The first time I met her, she dropped into Owen’s place while we were in the middle of a dinner party. She stayed for dinner and by the end of the night she had the women eating out of her hand without even trying. She had me eating out of it from the second time we met, something his ex-wife never managed to achieve.
Over the last six months, I’ve enjoyed dinner with the couples every few weeks, caught up with them at various galas, and have now joined them on two of these Vegas weekends. I’d never experienced a couples’ weekend away before they invited me and didn’t think I’d enjoy it. However, here I am again, and not because Charlize twisted my arm.
I look at Adeline. “I agree, I have been working too much.”
She smiles. “Congratulations on For Me. I can’t wait to see what you guys do with that app.”
