She barely
turned her head from the window as she spoke.
I laughed and glanced inside. I saw Aaron
using his hands to describe whatever it was he was talking about,
and I knew where I belonged. Right next to him. “Thank goodness. My
French is really rusty.”
She hardly gave me a look as I climbed the
steps and paused. “Are you coming inside?”
Her gaze was fixed on the window when her
voice caught. “No. I just. I thought I knew someone inside.”
I pushed away the feelings of worry that
started to steal my wits. The very wits I’d prided myself on for so
long. The party I’d left was quite lively, and the energy could be
felt by anyone who happened to steal a glance. I was certain that
was all that was going on with the woman next to me.
She looked on intently, almost as if she was
wishing herself inside, and that was when dread filled my entire
body as I realized I was staring at Elizabeth, his ex-fiancée.
I had two options. I could continue on, open
the door and go inside, or I could turn around and introduce
myself. One option allowed me to ignore fate and the chance
encounter standing behind me, and the other option forced me to
face the truth that Aaron had been so good at hiding. As my hand
rested on the door, I took a deep breath and knew which option I
had to choose. I heard laughter from inside the building, and I
almost chickened out. It would be so much easier to pretend this
woman didn’t exist.
But she did.
My heart threatened to break silently as I
turned around slowly and walked down the steps to introduce myself.
The woman looked startled as I stopped in front of her. I debated
what to say, and I realized I had absolutely no idea as my smile
slipped away. Her brown hair was in a pixie cut, and her dainty
features only accentuated how large and beautiful her eyes were.
She was quite pretty. It was hard for me to imagine Aaron being
attracted to me after being with her, and I hated myself for
thinking such a ridiculous thought.
“Is there something I can help you with?”
she asked, finally disconnecting her gaze from the window and
connecting with mine.
“Is your name Elizabeth?” My heart pounded
so loudly in my ears I could barely hear my voice when I spoke.
Her blue eyes widened, and she bit her lip
before speaking.
I glanced behind me and saw a couple walking
up the steps to the party. I returned my attention back to the
woman and drew in a breath.
“I am,” she replied coolly, but her
trembling hand slid down her dress.
A shiver ran through my body as I stared at
Aaron’s ex-fiancée. What had I thought I’d accomplish by
introducing myself to her?
“Thank you for recommending Aaron for this
exhibit. It’s such an amazing opportunity. I’m sorry. I’m his
girlfriend, Brandy.” I stuck out my hand rather robotically and she
politely shook it.
“I didn’t really do anything. His work
speaks for itself,” she assured me. Her body relaxed slightly and
mine tensed. “It’s nice to finally meet the woman who tamed
Aaron.”
“I don’t think there’s ever any taming
Aaron,” I laughed, but my voice was unexpectedly strained.
I glanced through the same window Elizabeth
had been staring at and saw the back of the man we’d both
loved.
“You have a point there,” Elizabeth chuckled
slightly. “But with everything he’s been through, I’m surprised
he’s willing to finally settle down. I honestly didn’t think it was
in his DNA.”
I wriggled my fingers in front of her. “I’m
not sure it is.” The color drained from my face when I realized
what I’d just done. I didn’t feel that way. It had to have been the
champagne. I wasn’t sure what was coming over me. This man had been
by my side during my darkest days, and now I was dismissing the
importance of everything because he didn’t mention the woman
standing in front of me.
“True.” Her lips pressed together, and then
her mouth broke into a smile. “But I can tell you, he’s
turned her head from the window as she spoke.
I laughed and glanced inside. I saw Aaron
using his hands to describe whatever it was he was talking about,
and I knew where I belonged. Right next to him. “Thank goodness. My
French is really rusty.”
She hardly gave me a look as I climbed the
steps and paused. “Are you coming inside?”
Her gaze was fixed on the window when her
voice caught. “No. I just. I thought I knew someone inside.”
I pushed away the feelings of worry that
started to steal my wits. The very wits I’d prided myself on for so
long. The party I’d left was quite lively, and the energy could be
felt by anyone who happened to steal a glance. I was certain that
was all that was going on with the woman next to me.
She looked on intently, almost as if she was
wishing herself inside, and that was when dread filled my entire
body as I realized I was staring at Elizabeth, his ex-fiancée.
I had two options. I could continue on, open
the door and go inside, or I could turn around and introduce
myself. One option allowed me to ignore fate and the chance
encounter standing behind me, and the other option forced me to
face the truth that Aaron had been so good at hiding. As my hand
rested on the door, I took a deep breath and knew which option I
had to choose. I heard laughter from inside the building, and I
almost chickened out. It would be so much easier to pretend this
woman didn’t exist.
But she did.
My heart threatened to break silently as I
turned around slowly and walked down the steps to introduce myself.
The woman looked startled as I stopped in front of her. I debated
what to say, and I realized I had absolutely no idea as my smile
slipped away. Her brown hair was in a pixie cut, and her dainty
features only accentuated how large and beautiful her eyes were.
She was quite pretty. It was hard for me to imagine Aaron being
attracted to me after being with her, and I hated myself for
thinking such a ridiculous thought.
“Is there something I can help you with?”
she asked, finally disconnecting her gaze from the window and
connecting with mine.
“Is your name Elizabeth?” My heart pounded
so loudly in my ears I could barely hear my voice when I spoke.
Her blue eyes widened, and she bit her lip
before speaking.
I glanced behind me and saw a couple walking
up the steps to the party. I returned my attention back to the
woman and drew in a breath.
“I am,” she replied coolly, but her
trembling hand slid down her dress.
A shiver ran through my body as I stared at
Aaron’s ex-fiancée. What had I thought I’d accomplish by
introducing myself to her?
“Thank you for recommending Aaron for this
exhibit. It’s such an amazing opportunity. I’m sorry. I’m his
girlfriend, Brandy.” I stuck out my hand rather robotically and she
politely shook it.
“I didn’t really do anything. His work
speaks for itself,” she assured me. Her body relaxed slightly and
mine tensed. “It’s nice to finally meet the woman who tamed
Aaron.”
“I don’t think there’s ever any taming
Aaron,” I laughed, but my voice was unexpectedly strained.
I glanced through the same window Elizabeth
had been staring at and saw the back of the man we’d both
loved.
“You have a point there,” Elizabeth chuckled
slightly. “But with everything he’s been through, I’m surprised
he’s willing to finally settle down. I honestly didn’t think it was
in his DNA.”
I wriggled my fingers in front of her. “I’m
not sure it is.” The color drained from my face when I realized
what I’d just done. I didn’t feel that way. It had to have been the
champagne. I wasn’t sure what was coming over me. This man had been
by my side during my darkest days, and now I was dismissing the
importance of everything because he didn’t mention the woman
standing in front of me.
“True.” Her lips pressed together, and then
her mouth broke into a smile. “But I can tell you, he’s
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