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Jenna’s cheeks turn a raspberry color, which only heightens the difference in her skin tones because of the scarring from her jaw down to her neck. “Um… well… I kissed him and he sort of kissed me back, and it was a really good kiss, you know? The type that kept us on the floor and…”
Brienne and I snicker.
Jenna gives a sheepish shrug. “I didn’t get to even look at the ring until a bit later.”
With joy-softened eyes, Brienne pulls Jenna into another hug. “You got one of the best ones out there.”
“Yours isn’t so bad either.” Jenna laughs as they break apart.
By all accounts, both Gage and Drake are good men.
Mitch was a good one too. One of the best. A stunningly strong stab of pain hits me right in the middle of my breastbone, robbing me of air. Pressing my hand briefly to my chest, I turn away from the women, focusing my attention on my laptop to exit out of the presentation. It’s been a while since I’ve felt that… the keen sense of loss.
“Anyway,” Jenna says with a giggle, “I’ll leave you two alone so you can finish whatever it was you were doing. I’m going to my office where I will log on to my computer and then stare at my ring all day.” Jenna levels a pert wink at Brienne. “You might need to dock me a vacation day.”
“I’ll come talk to you later,” Brienne says and then I hear the door close behind Jenna.
I turn to face my boss and ask, “Anything else we need to go over?”
“What’s wrong?” she asks, hands on her hips and that no-nonsense look she wears very well.
Plastering on an innocent expression, I say, “Nothing. Why?”
Brienne merely watches me, refusing to address my lie and waiting me out. I know how stubborn she can be, so with a sigh, I give her the base version. “I’m so happy for Jenna. Truly. But it made me really miss Mitch.”
“Oh, honey,” Brienne coos as she moves to me. Her hand goes to my shoulder. “I’m sorry. I know things like that have to be hard.”
“Yeah… I know. I love seeing you and Jenna happy and in love. I remember that feeling so well. All the butterflies, giddiness… the excitement of being near your man. Having someone to watch out for you.” I level her a knowing look. “Someone you can have crazy sex with on the kitchen floor.” Brienne’s eyebrows shoot high and I laugh. “You know what I’m talking about.”
“I do,” she replies with a gentle smile. “And you might not believe it, but you’ll have that again one day.”
A flood of memories assault me and they’re not of Mitch but rather Camden. Our date. Our first kiss. Laughing with him at dinner last night, stolen kisses while he helped me with the dishes and Travis finished his homework. One very hot kiss on the front porch when he left. The orgasms he gave me.
Today… it was his call first thing this morning to hear my voice and I suddenly realize… Camden is all those things I just described to Brienne. I’ve been nothing but butterflies and giddiness since our first date, and there was probably a bit of it going on before he asked me out.
“Actually, I think I have found it again,” I admit.
Brienne’s mouth drops open and she stares at me with astonishment. She finds her voice and asks, “With who?”
I pinch the bridge of my nose and give myself a quick pep talk. Once I let the cat out of the bag, this becomes very real. Exhaling, my hands fall away and I look Brienne dead in the eye. “It’s Camden.”
“Poe?” she exclaims. “Camden Poe?”
“Yes.” That one word comes out laden with guilt. “It’s wrong, right? It’s gross and a betrayal to Mitch and everyone will hate me—”
“Stop,” Brienne snaps and my mouth slams shut. “Does he feel wrong to you?”
“No.”
“Gross?”
“No.”
“Do you care what people think about you?”
“Not really, but I do care what they think about Camden.”
There… that’s the real issue. Camden is the one with all the doubts because of his relationship with Mitch.
