Page 23 of Yours to Keep

I smiled, rocking my head from side to side before I finally shrugged. “Yeah, so do I. This just feels like a worthy cause, you know? It’s good to feel like I’m fighting for something that actually matters.”

We ordered another round, the conversation finally drifting away from my woes at the hospital to more familiar territory. Our families, their work, husbands, and the never-ending onslaught of administrative emails.

But eventually, the drinks loosened my tongue just enough to make me blatantly honest. “It’s just such a shame that Sullivan is such a jerk.”

Ellora’s lips curved slowly, her own eyes now glassier than usual and more than a little amused. “Why?”

“Because objectively, he’s hot. So freaking hot.”

There was just a single beat of silence before Mercedes burst out laughing. “Oh no.”

Ellora’s grin widened. “Don’t you dare leave us hanging like that. We want more. Say more, Bree.”

“I will not,” I said immediately. “That was a mistake.”

Mercedes wagged a finger in my direction. “You said it’s ‘such a shame.’ That implies regret.”

“The only thing it implies is aesthetics,” I argued. “You’ve seen him. In pictures, anyway, and those really don’t even do him justice. Seriously. He’s got these eyes, and a jawline, and he’s actually annoyingly smart.”

“Eyes, a jawline, and a brain, huh?” Ellora nodded thoughtfully. “That’s a dangerous combination.”

“Stop it, you know what I mean,” I moaned, lowering my forehead to my hand on the table. “It doesn’t even matter because I do not like him.”

“Mm-hmm.” Mercedes grinned. “That’s what I said about Kody.”

I lifted my head up immediately and pointed at her. “You hated Kody.”

“I actively loathed him,” she agreed, a knowing smile ghosting across her lips. “God, I hated him so much, I thought I might break out in hives whenever I saw him.”

“And yet,” Ellora said sweetly. “Here we are. Didn’t you also used to think that he was hot? Objectively, anyway. Because I swear I remember you admitting it. Eventually.”

Mercedes winked at her. “Oh, I knew he was hot. My blinding hatred didn’t actually blind me, and it’s an objective fact that my husband is incredibly, blazingly fucking hot. Just like Bree just pointed out about Sullivan.”

I groaned. “You two are not allowed to use your marriages as evidence.”

Ellora smiled. “Holden was rude.”

“Rude is generous,” Mercedes said. “He made you feel like you crawled out of a dumpster when your whole life was already on fire.”

“Exactly,” Ellora said. “He was so rude and he made me feel awful about myself, until he didn’t. Then he started making me feel⁠—”

I shook my head and cut her off. “It’s not happening.”

Mercedes raised an eyebrow. “You’re telling me if Sullivan Crowne apologized⁠—”

“He won’t.”

“What if he apologized and fixed the gowns?” Ellora asked, her eyes sparkling.

“He definitely won’t.” I sighed. “Will you two cut it out already?”

“What if he apologized, and fixed the gowns, and stopped acting like a corporate Bond villain?”

“Please stop,” I said.

Ellora laughed. “Relax. We’re only teasing.”

“I know, but seriously, even teasing me about it is a total waste of time. There’s no way I’m ever going to fall for an infuriating billionaire of my very own.”