Page 117 of The Backup Bride Proposal

“Yeah.”

She patted the sofa cushion next to her. “Come, sit down and talk to me.”

He shook his head. “I’ve already hurt one woman I care about. I won’t hurt another.”

She frowned, then her eyes widened. “Mae. You and Mae? This is about the photo in the tabloids, isn’t it?”

He didn’t answer.

“She thinks it really was you and me, doesn’t she? You didn’t tell her?”

He gave her a straight look. “I don’t betray my friends.”

“Oh, Kane, I’m so sorry I put you in that position. This is such an awful situation.” Everly pondered. “You told her it wasn’t you, didn’t you?”

“No. I just said it wasn’t what it looked like.”

“That’s not the same thing.”

He shrugged. “It’s not my story to tell and you know that.”

Everly inhaled and let out a deep sigh before standing up. “What a mess. I’m sorry. I’ll fix this.”

“How are you going to fix it?”

“I don’t know, but I’ll think of something.”

She started to walk out.

“Everly.”

“Yeah?”

“Don’t do anything you’ll regret. It’s bad enough one of us is hurt. Don’t hurt yourself trying to make things right for me, okay?”

She smiled at him. “I won’t. Just get your head together so we can get that scene knocked out today, okay?”

“You got it.”

She walked out and left him alone with his thoughts.

Everly wouldn’t be able to fix this, because what he’d done was irreparable. Mae didn’t trust him anymore, and that was everything to her. It was everything to him, too, only he’d realized it too late.

And now he’d lost her.

Chapter

thirty-four

Mae had spentthe past couple of days moving back into her apartment. She’d like to say she was happy having her own space back, but she honestly missed living with the Bellinis. Having missed out on a strong family unit as a kid, she’d reveled in waking up every morning to the cheery sound of Maureen’s and Johnny’s voices, and Louise fixing her breakfast every day.

This morning she rolled out of bed and shoved bread in the toaster, wondering why she hadn’t taken the Bellinis up on their offer of staying at the house longer. No doubt because she wanted to be alone with her heartbreak. And why not make herself even more miserable by moving back to her not-so-glamorous apartment?

She made herself a cup of coffee, grabbed her toast and went into the living room to sit, sip and read the morning news.

A text message immediately popped up from Honor:Omg read the gossip sites right now!

Before she could do that, another text popped up, this time from Brenna:Wake up and read the gossip!

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