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“Why are you here, Kennedy?”
She gave another little shrug, then started to finger the diamond necklace on her neck. It was clear she was nervous, especially when she darted her gaze to me. “Would you mind giving us some privacy, please?”
Before I even had a chance to say anything, Bryson spoke. “Anything you have to say, you can say in front of Rose.”
Kennedy glared at me, then sighed. “Fine. Have it your way.” Focusing back on Bryson, she said, “I want you back.”
I nearly choked on my tongue. Bryson let out a humorless laugh as he shook his head and stared at Kennedy. “You want me back? Have you lost your mind?”
“No. My mind is clear for the first time in months. I know what I lost, and I want it back.”
My mouth fell open, and I took a step forward. “I’m sorry, but you can’t have him back.”
Kennedy looked at me like I was beneath her. A bug she wanted to stomp on and crush into the ground. The way her judgmental eyes traveled over me should have made me shrink away. Instead, it did the opposite. I lifted my chin and smiled at her. This was who I was, and I wasn’t ashamed of it. Besides, sweatpants were easy to shed when Bryson and I lost control of ourselves like we had earlier. A pantsuit wouldn’t have been.
“And who might you be?”
“Me?” I asked as I pointed at myself with my free hand. The other hand was holding the painting, and for a hot second I wanted to hit her over the head with it.
“Bryson! Bryson, over here!”
All three of us turned to see a reporter with a cameraman following him. Bryson shot a look at Kennedy. “You brought a reporter?”
“I did. I thought it would be good publicity for you.”
Scrubbing his hand down his face, Bryson growled under his breath. “Jesus Christ, Kennedy. I don’t want publicity. I’m retired for a reason. I don’t need any good publicity because I don’t want any publicity. I want to live a quiet life here in Montana with Rose.”
Kennedy stepped back and put her hand to her cheek as if Bryson had just struck her. She looked at me, and for a hot second, I swore she was going to spit on me. Instead, she squeaked out one word. “What?”
The reporter walked up, and Bryson put up a hand. “You’re on private property, and you need to leave, Zane.”
My eyes bounced around from the reporter, who apparently was named Zane, to Kennedy to Bryson and back to the reporter.
“Wait, Ms. Owens granted us the interview. She said you had a big announcement.”
Glaring at Kennedy, Bryson shook his head. “No big announcement. The last one I made was big enough.”
Zane looked at Kennedy, who seemed to be pleading with Bryson. “There isn’t a big announcement? Tell me we didn’t waste our time flying out here for nothing, Kennedy.”
Kennedy opened her mouth, then shut it as she looked down at the ground.
Poor Zane looked like he was about to be sick.
“I’m going to be fired for this. I talked the bigwigs into letting me fly out here to interview Bryson and promised them an exclusive. You told me it would be an exclusive.”
The last sentence had been directed at Kennedy.
Stepping up in the middle of everyone, I extended my hand. “Hi, I’m Rose Shaw.”
Zane shook my hand. “Hey there.”
“I think I can help you with that exclusive.”
Perking up, Zane asked, “You can?” at the same time Bryson said it.
I nodded and smiled at him. “I do believe Ms. Owens was about to leave, though, were you not?”
Bryson covered his laugh with a cough.
“No. I wasn’t. Bryson, we had a good thing, and I don’t know why you’re throwing it away.”
Zane looked confused and leaned into me and asked, “I thought they broke up like a year ago.”
“They did,” I replied with a roll of my eyes.
Looking confused, Zane asked, “Then what is she doing?”
I exhaled as I watched Kennedy and Bryson argue back and forth. “Unfortunately, Zane, she is making a fool of herself, and Bryson is giving her too much of his time. Will you please hold on to this—for dear life—do you hear me?”
Handing his mic to the cameraman, Zane took the painting. I spun around and stepped between Kennedy and Bryson.
“That’s enough!” I yelled out. I put my hand on Bryson’s chest and said, “Why are you doing this? Stop arguing with her. It’s all she wants.”
“Hey!” Kennedy said with her hands going to her hips.
“And you, go home, Kennedy. You’re only making yourself look desperate. You had your chance with Bryson, and you blew it. Now it’s my turn, and honestly, it’s starting to piss me off that you’re trying to win back the man I love. He’s mine, sweetheart, so back the fuck off.”
