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“What’s shaking, Hollywood?”
“Glad you’re home, too.”
“How about one of those hugs?” he invites.
“Don’t dare move.” My grip increases.
She rolls her eyes, but does it smiling.
“Who needs a drink?” Alex speaks up.
“Sounds good,” Talon is quick to answer.
“Should we break out the champagne or something harder?” Cruz raises an eyebrow to Rowan.
“Champagne is great.”
They go to the kitchen, leaving us alone. I tip her chin to me, searching her face and noting the exhaustion and sadness.
“Talk to me.”
“I’m good.”
“You’re a shit liar.”
“No, you’re just a trained interrogator.”
“Doesn’t take training to see the tear tracks. Did you have second thoughts?”
Her attention goes over my shoulder and she chews her bottom lip, working through something. “No. It was harder than I expected.”
“You should have signed yesterday and let your realtor handle the buyers today.”
“Sitting across from them wasn’t the issue. Their excitement was almost contagious. Witnessing someone starting a new chapter in their lives was beautiful. I made the right decision.”
“What hit you hard?”
She drops her gaze back to me, hesitation etched on her face. “Baby—”
“With each stroke of the pen, the memories slammed into me. When I got to my car, it became too much.”
“What was too much?”
“Happiness, sadness, excitement, failure, bad decisions, and vulnerability. The range of emotions was overpowering. I was so… so…” She searches for the word.
“Alone?” I finish for her.
She nods, and anger snakes through my veins. “Why didn’t you call me?”
“You were at work.”
Her answer is immediate and direct, fueling my rage. “I should have fucking been here.”
“Really, Ford, it was nothing. Just a moment of weakness.”
“Those are the moments you reach out to your friends.” Cruz’s voice barely contains his frustration.
From all three expressions, they heard her admission. Talon’s face is hard, his eyes locked with mine. His own anger emanates from his dark glare.
