Page 6 of No Ordinary Love

Amara was no coward. A weaker person would have pretended not to hear what I said, avoided the confrontation entirely. Most wouldn't have spoken to me at all after the way I broke them. But not her.

"Please, can we talk later?"

There was a long silence.

"Maybe," she told me. "But not right now. Next week?"

"I'll call you."

"We'll see," she said in response and hung up.

What the hell did that mean? Did she think I wouldn't even call her? That I wouldn't talk to her? That was bullshit. She should know me better than that.

I felt a combination of shell shock and confusion as I went down to stand with Grandma Rena.

"Where's Amara?" Grandma asked.

She was an elegant woman who reminded everyone of Audrey Hepburn. Petite, she may be, but she was a force to be reckoned with. I loved her and worked hard for her praise all my life because I knew it wasreal. She wouldn't lie to make me feel better.

"I think we broke up." The words scorched me.

Grandma cocked an eyebrow. "She dumped you?"

"Why don't you thinkIended the relationship?" I mused as she put her hand on my forearm.

"Honestly, I'm surprised it took her so long."

"What?" I stopped to look at her. "I thought you approved of her."

Grandma scoffed at that. "My approval doesn't matter. You're the one who has to live your life with your partner, not me. Honestly, I thought she'd leave you because of Patsy, who was doing everything she could to make that poor girl's life miserable, and you did nothing to stop it."

We stopped at the ballroom's entrance and watched as the first cars started to pull into the driveway.

"Mama was just bein'—"

"A bitch," Grandma cut me off. "Now, since you don't look heartbroken, which just hurts my heart some more for Amara, let's get this show on the road."

Chapter 3

Amara

Ididn't want to be here.

The Den, with its dim lighting and cozy atmosphere, had always been a place that felt likeours—Lucas's and mine. Now, it was going to be where we would officially end, even if the emotional break had happened two days ago.

When Lucas suggested we meet on Monday evening after work, a part of me wanted to tell him to go fuck himself. It had taken him two days to call meafterI told him I was moving out. I knew he was going to be busy with Rena's birthday, but the fact that I was so low on his priority list struck me anew. It hurt more than it had before because now I knew that he didn't love me.

So, even though I knew it'd hurt alotto see Lucas again, I also knew that I needed to be practical. I needed to be civil. I ignored thatlittlepart of me that was alsothrilledto see the object of my love and desire.

Lucas and I had shared a lot, and I wasn't going to let it unravel into ugliness. He'd asked to meet, and I knew we had to talk—not about us—there wasn't anusanymore—but about the practicalities—the townhouse, my investment, the life we'd planned that now felt like a distant, painful dream.

I spotted him immediately, sitting in the back corner where we always sat, a drink already in hand. He looked the same—perfectly put-together, every bit the powerful, confident man I'd fallen for. Only now, all I could see was the man who'd broken my heart with a single conversation.

"I love Kath. I'll always love her."

I took a deep breath and walked over, keeping my expression as neutral as possible. He glanced up as I approached.

"Amara." He stood as I reached the table. He was such aSouthern Gentleman, I thought scornfully.

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