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Kelli had already moved around her, heading to the bar to talk to Padraig. Yvonne, also unimpeded, followed her.
Sunnie noticed when they both saw something and stopped mid-step.
That was when they came back and added two more bricks to the wall.
“What the fuck?” Sunnie insisted, trying to dodge them.
“Why don’t we all move the party upstairs?” Yvonne suggested. “You can change out of your scrubs and we’ll turn the intervention into a slumber party.”
“Great idea,” Kelli said.
Sunnie wasn’t fooled for a minute, but she pretended to be. “Sure. Sounds like fun.” She took a few steps toward the stairs, then deftly dodged to the right, around their circle—immediately spotting Landon sitting in the corner booth, holding Allison’s hand.
“It’s not what it looks like, Sun,” Finn murmured, placing one hand around her waist, still trying to guide her to the apartment. “She showed up here unexpected, just wanted to visit for a little while, catch up.”
Sunnie stared at the table. She couldn’t see Landon’s face. Hell, she couldn’t see more than the back of his head. But she could see his hand, holding Allison’s. And Allison’s tears. “It looks like more than that.”
“Sunnie—” Yvonne started.
“You guys stay down here,” Sunnie said, forcing her gaze away from the table. “I do need to change my clothes, freshen up.”
Watch something.
“I’ll be right back down, okay?” Sunnie didn’t wait for a response. Instead, she headed for the stairs to the apartment, allowing herself one last peek at Landon’s table.
He was still holding Allison’s hand.
* * *
“I don’t know why I stayed with him,” Allison continued. “Why I kept forgiving him. He swore on Christmas it was just a mistake, too much stress over not landing a big part he’d been hoping for. I believed him. Then he gave me a black eye in January…kept me in bruises through February and March.”
Landon’s temper rose at the idea of any man hurting her, hurting any woman. He recalled the bruise on Sunnie’s cheek after the mugging, then pictured Allison with the same. “What’s the man’s name?” he asked darkly.
Allison released a loud breath, part laugh, part cry. “I knew you’d ask me that. It doesn’t matter. I broke things off a month or so ago, got out.”
“I’m glad.” He gave her hand a friendly squeeze, then released it, resisting the urge to turn around and look for Sunnie.
“I saw the video,” Allison admitted.
Landon rolled his eyes, groaning in a way he hoped would make her laugh. She was clearly still fighting some strong emotions.
It worked. This time her laugh was genuine. “It reminded me of what I’d had. What I lost.”
Landon didn’t like where this was headed. “Allison—” he started, trying to head her next words off at the pass.
“I made a mistake. I never should have left you.”
Landon sucked in a deep breath, preparing to tell her about Sunnie, but she kept talking.
“I love you, Landon. I want you back.”
* * *
Sunnie stepped into her bedroom and closed the door, leaning against it and shutting her eyes.
“Dammit,” she whispered, recalling the image of Landon holding hands with Allison.
She’d been present for every single second of his relationship with the other woman. Heard every fucking detail, from the first date to that magical fourth kiss, from the hot sex to moving in together, his dreams of the future, the plan to buy an engagement ring, the move to New York, the year of heartbreak.
