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Closing his eyes, he tented his hands and placed them against his mouth. “Felicity thinks …” Letting the sentence trail off, he lowered his arms and met my gaze. “She thinks you’re doing this to get my attention. To make me jealous. Hurt me.”
I went still. “Is that whatyouthink as well?”
“No. You’re not a person who plays games. But why else do this?”
“You don’t seem to be getting that I don’t have any interest in explaining myself to you.” The concept wasn’t rocket science.
Grimacing, he showed me his palms in a universal gesture of peace. “I’m coming across as a dick right now, I know, but I don’t mean to. I’m not trying to piss you off. I’m not of the opinion that you owe me anything. It’s just … the image of your bucket list popped into my head. On the list of stuff you wanted to do before you died was get married.”
Realization dawned on me, and I looked away with a heavy sigh.
“When I heard you’re not only engaged to Dax but gonna marry himveryfucking soon completely out of the blue”—he grabbed a clump of his hair and raised his shoulders—“I started panicking, okay. Please tell me that’s not what this is about.”
Oh, the idiot. “I’m not dying.” When he only stared at me, his expression dubious, I added, “Really.”
Relief flickered in his eyes, and a long breath whooshed out of him. “If it’s not that … I can’t figure this out,” he said, a lot calmer now. “You and Dax aren’t each having a premature middle-aged crisis, are you?”
I frowned. “If I was having one of those, I’d do something a lot more creative. Like get a llama and start dressing as a fairy or something.”
The smallest, amused snicker left him. “Yeah. Yeah, knowing you, you would.” He glanced down at my hand, and his throat bobbed. “Nice ring,” he said, the slightest quake in his voice.
I flexed my fingers. “Yep.”
“White gold?”
I nodded.
He gave me a wan, trembly smile. “Just like you wanted.”
When we’d talked of our plans for the future, I’d described my dream engagement ring. He’d flashed me a smile full of promise and then planted the softest, sweetest kiss on my mouth. It was about a week later that he went skulking back to Felicity.
Hinges creaked as my front door swung open.
Alicia blinked at us in surprise. “Oh. Hey.” Her forehead creased as she focused on Grayden, and I sensed she was about to give him an earful.
Not wanting a scene, I returned my gaze to him quickly. “You should go now.”
Taking a step back, he sucked in his lips. “Yeah. I’ll say things that I shouldn’t if I stay any longer.” He went to turn away but then stopped. “I’m not sure why you’re doing what you’re doing, but … he’s a lucky man.” With that, Grayden stalked down the driveway.
I wasted no time in shrugging past Alicia, who shut the door and examined my face closely, asking, “Everything okay?”
My chest expanded as I drew in a long breath. “Fine.”
“What the hell was that fool doing here?”
“He heard about the engagement from Felicity, who heard about it from Dax. Grayden’s naturally confused and he hoped I’d explain.”
Alicia frowned. “It’s none of his damn business what you do.”
“That’s pretty much what I said. Like with everyone else who I don’t intend on telling about the pact, I let him make his own conclusions.” Placing one hand on my hip, I swiped the other hand down my face. “It was stupid of him to come here. Felicity’s got friends around these parts. If they saw him, they’ll tell her, and she’ll go psycho on his ass.” Maybe even on mine, though I would like to think she’d be too scared of Dax to dare.
“Why didn’t he just call you?”
“He did try to. I didn’t answer.ThenI blocked his number.”
“Which clearly delivered the message that you didn’t want to speak to him. But I’m not exactly surprised that he didn’t let it hold him back—he doesn’t respect your ‘no contact’ wish.” She sniffed, crossing her arms over her chest. “If he knows what’s good for him, he’ll stay away from now on. Dax isn’t gonna be okay with his fiancée’s ex coming around.”
“Speaking of Dax … I have to get changed. I’m having dinner with him tonight. And I’ll get a tour of what might be my new home.”
