Page 19 of Break Out

I loved Alexandra’s ruthlessness, and I often wondered if it came from Uncle Cal or Aunt Mallory. Odds were it came from them both, but the viciousness of her tone… I suspected Uncle Cal played a big role in her protectiveness of me.

“As Mom would say, it’s his loss.”

She sighed and kept quiet for a moment. “I get the feeling you’re leaving something out.”

For whatever reason, I couldn’t tell her about Steel. It wasn’t that I was embarrassed, I just wanted to keep him to myself for a day or two.

After a beat, I said, “I am, but I promise to tell you soon.”

She gasped. “Soon? How soon? Oh God, you’re gonna have me quoting one of my mom’s favorite songs. Just tell me what else happened. Jordan’s clearly a jackass.”

I wheezed with laughter. “You’re absolutely right, Lex. You had his number from the jump.”

After a lengthy pause, she said, “I should hold off on this, but now that he’s moved out, when can I move in?”

“Commencement is on Tuesday. The next day, I’m coming home for Christmas and staying until just after New Years. So, I guess any time after the second. Does that work?”

“You betcha. Bonus, you’ll be in town for the big Christmas bash. The Biloxi brothers always come out for that.”

The holiday party was in full rip-roaring swing. I came out of the tiny bathroom tiny bathroom only to dodge a new prospect leading a woman down the corridor.

“Simone,” Abby called from the end of the hall.

“Auntie Abs,” I murmured, and trudged toward her.

She grabbed my hand. “You okay?”

I nodded.

“I heard you’re done with Jordan.”

My brows arched. “I didn’t realize Alexandra had told you, but yeah.”

She gave me a wry grin. “At least you can make a fresh start in the new year. You didn’t need him anyway.”

My eyes widened at her. Seemed everyone had an opinion about him except Dad. Then again, he never had opinions about my boyfriends.

He’d once told me, “An asshole puts a ring on your finger, I’ll pay closer attention.”

He wasn’t fooling me, though. He paid very close attention to everyone I dated, and especially the man I’d lived with for two and a half years.

Abby eyed me for a moment. “You look… different.”

I grinned. “It’s the look of being single.”

Her head shook ever so slowly. “No, it’s something else. You’re not as torn up about him dumping you as I would have expected.”

Alexandra wandered up to us, handing me another beer. “That’s because something else happened after he broke it off, but she won’t tell me. I’m dragging her to Mom and Dad’s tomorrow for mimosas, brunch, and Sunday gossip. If she met someone, we need all the deets.”

Abby glanced from Alexandra back to me – her eyes assessing. “You had a fling, didn’t you?”

How was Aunt Abby so damned intuitive about relationships… or lack thereof?

Alexandra gasped. “Oh my God! That look says that she can’t believe you figured it out.”

I shook my head. “No, this isn’t the time—”

Abby gave me a pointed stare. “She doesn’t drag you to Cal and Mallory’s, I damn sure will.”

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