Page 27 of The Exception

“An out?” Eli repeated.

“If the date wasn’t going well.”

So this had been a date, and I crashed it. Though, neither of them told meno. “You must have a good relationship with your son.”

Kandace gave a brief nod. “I do. He’s the best kid in the world, even if he’s technically not a kid anymore.”

Like that, I adored her more. Growing up, it had just been Mom and me. And an entire TV cast and crew, of course. And Eli. But Mom was my biggest fan. Between her and the way my TV family was scripted, I thought the world was all rainbows and unicorns for everyone’s families.

When I lost her, I was devastated. And when I realized so many families were nothing like ours, I learned to appreciate Mom—and every parent who had a respectful, loving relationship with their children—so much more.

“You came back, so it must not be too bad.” Like that, Eli’s demeanor had shifted. He was no longer grumpy and scorned, but he was sweet and smitten.

“It’s a night I’ll never forget,” Kandace said.

That could be good or bad, but I was going to assume good given that she hadn’t bailed with the phone call.

I sipped the beer, then took another, longer drink. It was actually pretty good.

“Can I ask you both something?” Though Kandace’s tone was polite, there was no deference in her voice. None of the shyness I’d seen in Italy.

Something told me I was about to see a woman who was a partner in a multi-billion dollar investment firm, rather than the one who was uncertain about things like one-night stands. “Of course,” I said.

“I know you asked me not to bring this up, Eli, but no one can miss the tension between you two, and there are dozens of rumors out there, and if we’re going to keep—” She paused and took a deep breath. “What are you two to each other?”

What does that make us?

Absolutely nothing.

Thanks,Spaceballs.

Yes, I was here to make things right with Eli, nothing more. And seeing Kandace again was a bonus.

But I didn’t want to give herwe’re nothing to each otheranswer, despite the fact that it was true, and was probably what she needed to hear to let either of us continue pursuing her.

10

elijah

Why didI agree to let Austin come to dinner with us? What was wrong with me?

And now Kandace was asking the one question I knew was going to come up again, but I’d still hoped to avoid… for the rest of my life.

What are you two to each other?

Since we were here, I was going to tell the truth before we had to hear Austin’s version instead. “We were actually best friends when we were kids.” That hurt far more to say than I expected. “We became more, and when the people at the top realized their TV sweetheart, Donovan, might be gay, and that news might get out, they fired me.”

Austin winced.

“I’m so sorry,” Kandace frowned.

I shrugged. “It was a long time ago. As for what we are to each other now? Nothing.” Did I manage to say that without any emotion? I hoped so.

“It couldn’t have been all bad, or you wouldn’t have been together, even when you were younger,” Kandace said.

What was she doing—trying to breathe life into a decades’ old relationship? Nothing about this night was like a normal date. I’d love to blame that on Austin showing up, but I was fooling myself if I thought any bit of this relationship wasnormal.

Which was why I was here. Because Kandace was different. And she was probably trying to make an awkward evening less awkward.

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