Page 98 of Hunted: Season Two

Alright.

Notsomething I adore about this female.

Her unfortunate language skills tend to lean towards stereotypes I wish weren’t true.

“Casual?” I retort unsurely. “Maybe something that says, ‘pleased to meet you’ but not anything that screams ‘he’s clearly thinking about having sex with me in your bathroom’?”

Posie’s snickers spark my own, yet the scoff of disgust in the background smothers it. “Doubtful that it’s you he’s thinkin’ ‘bout screwin’ in the bathroom, honey…”

The woman across from me shakes her head in hopes I won’t engage; however, I toss an incredulous look over my shoulder at the same time I investigate, “And who are you implying that heisthinking about, Jolene?”

“The same person he wasclearlythinkin’ about whenwewere together.” Additional repulsion spreads across her makeup heavy complexion. “Kipp.”

“That’s true.” I don’t bother batting away a smirk. “He does spend a good amount of time thinking about him too.” Smugness slips into my expression. “And of course all three of us together.”

“So hot,” murmurs Posie under her breath.

“Oh…darlin’…” the red headed headache slowly states. “How are youthatdumb?”

“Excuse me?”

“How are you missin’ what is clear as goddamn day?” Her lackadaisical stroll around a rack of sweater dresses suddenly halts. “Those two don’t wantyou.” She nonchalantly braces her arm against the structure. “They only want each other.Youare nothin’ more than a smoke screen to keep the town from talkin’.” Another judgmental glance of my frame is stolen. “And it ain’t workin’ ‘ cause theyaretalkin’.”

“Let ‘em talk,” is attached to an indifferent shrug. “I know what’s true for us, and that’s all that matters.”

“There is nous, sweetheart. There’sthem,” her finger points towards the doors, “andyou.Andyouaren’t needed for there to be athem.”

“Maybe not.” It’s impossible not to sardonically smirk. “However, I am needed for there to be anus, which is what we are, and what you knownothingabout.”

An annoyed eyeroll prompts Posie into poking, “Why so bitchy, Jolene? Still pissy that super, mega, rich hot client, called off the wedding with his fiancée, leaving y’all with a gap in the scheduling?”

“Ugh,” she grumbles as she drops her attention back to browsing, “doesn’t help.”

Not her.

But it does further demonstrate Brad is taking my warning seriously.

And he should.

Nothing will stop me from protecting this baby or the men responsible for helping me raise it.

“Have you actually talked to him since he called it off?” Posie pushes the penguin wrapping paper in my direction for Nolan’s grill related gift. “You did brag that you two had a connection. Maybethat’sthe reason why they cancelled? Because it would be wrong to marryherwhen he has feelings foryou?”

Her adorable optimism is what leads me to keeping my mouth clamped shut.

“If only,” my boyfriend’s unhappy ex grunts. “Supposedly she’s pregnant, and he wants to wait untilafterthey decide what to do with the baby.”

Dread dribbles itself down my spine despite my resistance.

How does he know I’m pregnant?

Did someone tell him?

Did he hear it?

Seeit?

How does he have that information?

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