Page 345 of The Christmas Wife

Abby spits out the non-alcoholic beer she’s been drinking. She’s six months along and glows with that radiance that pregnant women seem to exude.

"Really, Gio?" Summer says mildly.

"He probably got a glimpse of my stockings." I try to shrug in a nonchalant manner.OMG, he saw my pantyhose, and probably a hint of my panties through the material."Though, I doubt it made any impact on that man." I glance up at Summer. "Has he always been this…inscrutable?" Of all of us in the room, she’s known Edward the longest.

Summer straightens and slips into the armchair next to mine. "He’s always been the quietest of the Seven, and the one who always seemed the most wounded from within."

"So, he was like that even before he left the priesthood?"

"He was, maybe, more hopeful when he was a priest." Summer twirls a lock of hair about her fingers. "He seemed to have a purpose then. But after what happened with Ava—" She firms her lips.

"Ava?" I frown.

She lowers her hand to her lap. "Pretend you didn’t hear that name from me."

"But—"

"It’s not my place to tell you, Mira. You understand that, right?"

I purse my lips. "I understand, but don’t agree."

"Did she break his heart?" Gio asks.

"Is he still carrying a torch for her?" Abby muses.

Summer merely shakes her head. "Not fair guys. I don’t want to speculate about his love life?—"

"Aww, where’s the fun in that?" Gio protests.

Summer sets her jaw. "It’s Edward’s story to tell," she insists.

"Well, give me something.” I lock my fingers together in my lap. “He’s my boss. It’ll help me manage him better, considering it’s so difficult to read him.”

Summer seems conflicted.

"I need this job so I can prove to my family, and to myself, I can be independent. And I can’t do that unless I have an advantage."

She glances around at our faces then sighs. "There was an incident," she finally says.

"An incident?" I frown.

She shuffles her feet. "When the Seven, including Edward and Sinclair, were in school, something happened. It’s how they formed a bond that's lasted all this time."

"You’re saying something affected all seven of them when they were young, and that’s how they forged their friendship?" Gio narrows her gaze.

Summer nods. "And that’s all I’m going to say."

"Aww, not fair," Gio begins to protest, but Abby pipes in, "I think Summer’s right. Whatever happened to Edward, it should be his prerogative to share or not."

I take another sip of the wine. "I know you’re right, but given how uncommunicative he is, not to mention how mean he was to me, it probably means I’ll never find out what happened and"—my phone chirps from my bag —"and I guess that means I’m going to have to find another way to survive on the job."

My phone stops, then starts again.

"You going to get that?" Gio stares at my bag. There’s a feverish look in her eyes. Woman has her own phone strapped to her palm, and thanks to her PR background, leaving a phone unattended is akin to a worldwide disaster.

"Fine, you can get it for me," I offer.

"Oh, thank you!" She springs up, pulls my phone from my bag, and holds it out to me.

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