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“Yes. I believe she is.”
“Can she ever get out?”
“Doubtful,” he says, kissing my hand. “I think we said our final goodbyes upstairs.”
“Me too,” I say, feeling sad and relieved at the same time. “She’s safe,” I repeat. “That is ultimately what matters.”
“Except that someone stripped away her life.”
“Maybe she’ll find a new, happy one,” I suggest. “Like we did.”
“Like we did,” he repeats, his eyes warm on mine.
I settle my head on his shoulder, silently imagining a fairy tale for Ashley with her own Prince Charming, praying it comes true. We arrive at the restaurant only a few minutes later, and Cat sends me a text as we exit the car. “Cat’s holding a surprise birthday party for Reese at the house Saturday night. It’s a last-minute idea she had, she says. She wants us to come and Alex is invited.”
Cole’s hand settles on my back. “Let’s go convince him he needs to be at that party.”
We step inside the cozy entrance with stone beneath our feet, and wine bottles lining the walls left and right. “The pizza is the best,” he says, as we wait our turn for the hostess.
“Pizza it is, then,” I say, and my stomach is growling when it’s finally our turn to be seated. Cole and I step forward, and the hostess leaves us at the podium to check on our table. We maneuver to the side of the line when a man steps between us and Cole and I are momentarily separated.
Cole offers me his hand to pull me close, but suddenly a beautiful brunette throws her arms around him, and my hand falls from his reach. “My God, Cole. I thought you left.” She leans back, her deep cleavage right smack in the middle of the two of them, her smile sexy. “Let’s catch up, preferably not here.”
Cole untangles himself from her arms. “Shelly,” he says, looking for me, and literally taking a sideways step to catch my finger. “This is Lori, my wife. Lori this is Shelly Waller. She’s a corporate attorney that I’ve known for some years.”
Her eyes go wide. “Wife? Oh God.” She holds up her hands. “I’m sorry.” She looks at me. “Lori, I’m sorry. I would never—I wouldn’t—this is very awkward.”
“It’s okay,” I say, and then I smile. “Well, not really, but I’ll live.”
She laughs nervously. “Right. Okay.” She looks a Cole. “I’ll leave now.” She eyes Cole. “Congrats.” She disappears.
“Mr. Brooks,” the hostess says. “Your table is ready.”
Cole looks at me. “I’ll explain.” His arm wraps my shoulders and he kisses me before we follow the waitress, and I try to decide what I feel. This woman was clearly intimate with Cole, and it wasn’t a one-time thing. But he was free then. He was a gorgeous, successful man who, of course, had women lining up for him. I have no reason to be bothered by this. He’s my husband.
We settle into a half-moon-shaped booth, and once we’re alone, Cole’s hand comes down on my leg and he drags me close. “She was just someone I knew.”
“She’s very pretty.”
“She is very pretty, and yet I had no desire to see her or anyone else from the moment I met you. And that, my wife, pissed me off.”
I blanch. “Pissed you off? Why did it piss you off?”
“Because you left me and I had no idea how to find you.”
“Oh,” I laugh. “That.”
“Yes. That.”
“How well did you know Ms. Very Pretty?”
“Does it matter?”
“Yes,” I say. “It does.”
“I had a couple of women I dated casually.”
“You mean a couple of women you fucked?”
