Page 39 of Groupthink

“Eden, this is Grace. I told you all about her.”

‘Her.’So I was reduced to the ‘her.’Not even ‘ex-fiancée.’ Not even ‘ex-girlfriend.’ I was just some woman from his past. Just… ‘her.’

“Grace!” Pleased to meet you!” she said warmly, extending her hand.

This wasn’t happening; this couldn’t be happening. I searched her face for an ounce of jealousy or insecurity, but there was nothing but kindness. It was clear that she was one of those people too wonderful to hate.

I felt like a cold corpse as I shook her warm, perfectly manicured hand.

A hand with a huge diamond glittering on it—it sparkled in the light as she tucked an ebony lock behind her ear.

“Grace, this is Eden, my—my fiancée,” Grayson said happily.

But was that a guilty hesitation in his voice? Did he feel ashamed?

My eyes tracked Eden’s shimmering diamond as she lowered her hand. Everything moved in slow-motion:

Her palm rested protectively on her flat stomach.

Suddenly I couldn’t hear anything. I felt myself nodding and saying things during the overly-polite conversation, but my mind was absent. My ears filled with fluid and I was drowning, drowning…

Something warm touched my elbow. “Grace? I brought you some water.”

I blinked and looked up into Sam’s face, his expression tight with concern.

“W-water?” I squeaked.

I saw a dozen clever ‘thirsty’ jokes pass behind his sapphire eyes, but to his credit, he withheld them. “Here.”

He handed me a cool, sealed water bottle dripping with condensation.

“Th-thank you.”

As I twisted the cap, I couldn’t help but marvel that Sam came back to me. I’d ditched him and chased after Grayson like a desperate puppy.

But now, Grayson’s eyes darted from me to Sam.

They darkened with the shadow of jealously.

I liked that.

I liked it a lot.

“And who isthis?” Grayson asked in his silkiest lawyer voice.

“Sam,” I answered shyly.

“Sam I am,” Sam proclaimed proudly; annoyingly.

Grayson frowned.

Sam smiled.

An invisible set of scales had tipped.

“How do you two know each other?” Eden asked with a dreamy smile, completely oblivious.

Sam cleared his throat. “We’ve known each other forever, but we’ve only just met.”

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