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My nipples pebbled as I thought of a gloriously naked Veer letting me have my wicked way with him.

Shit. I had to snap out of it. This was not the time to fantasize about my ex. I had my soon-to-be fiancé passed out in my living room because his lover had decided to marry someone else.

God, that sounded so messed up.

Shaking my head, I reached for the hidden zipper on the back of my dress and made my way to my bedroom. A set of suitcases sat in the corner of the room, reminding me I had a four-hour drive ahead of me. A lonely four-hour drive, to be exact. There was no way in hell Kevin was going to be able to make it, and I had to attend the bipartisan gala in New York City. It was one of the few events where all the candidates running for office, including the president, would attend. Too bad I’d have to sit with the doofus and our fellow party colleagues. I smiled, thinking about how Dad had referred to President Edgar.

Slipping my dress off, I laid it on the back of an armchair and decided a few hours’ sleep was in order. Instead of heading to the bathroom and taking off my makeup, I crawled into my bed, set my alarm, and shut my eyes.

* * *

I woketo the blaring sound of my clock.

I moaned. Five a.m. already. I’d barely had a few hours.

Smacking the evil device to silence, I rubbed the grit from my eyes and rolled out from under my covers.

I should check on Kevin. But first, I had to freshen up and feel semi-human at this ungodly hour of the morning.

Twenty minutes later, after a hot shower, I dressed in a pair of comfortable travel pants and a loose-ribbed sweater and then readied my briefcase for my road trip with plenty of work to keep me busy.

I sighed. I’d hoped to have a fun and relaxing weekend with Kevin, but now it was shot.

Making my way downstairs, I went to check on him.

He was stirring but still out of it.

Crouching in front of him, I set my hand on his chest. “Hey, handsome. You think you’ll be okay here? I have to go.”

He opened his heavy lids and moaned. “What the fuck did I do?”

“You got shit faced.”

He groaned again and shifted to his side. “Jaci?”

“Yes.”

“People like us don’t get our happily ever after, do we?”

My lips trembled. “No, not in the traditional sense.”

“You know what hurts the most?” He sat up and grabbed a water bottle, opened it, and then took a sip. “He never even considered being open, and I was stupid enough to hope he’d change his mind. It’s like you and V. Doomed from the start. There was never a future, but you jumped in headfirst.”

“Hey, you can’t help who you fall in love with.”

“Tell that to my mother, or half of our party. They think it is a choice.”

“Kev, why haven’t you ever told Ashur or Veer? They’re your closest friends.”

“You’re my closest friend,” he countered.

I frowned and quirked a brow.

“Because it’s just not something we have ever discussed. Unlike women, most guys don’t spill their deepest, darkest secrets to their friends.”

“Well, you told me.”

“That’s because whenever I’m around you, I get verbal diarrhea.”

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