Page 27 of The Secrets We Keep

Hayes gave me a stern stare before sliding a possessive arm around Kristy’s shoulder. A wide smile spread across his face, knowing I’d seen it.

“Come on, Macon. It will be fun. We’ve got a babysitter all lined up, and I can’t wait to put on a fancy dress and?—”

Her words faltered, as if she’d finally just realized who she was rambling on to.

Yeah, me. The one you used to dress up for.

“So much fun,” Hayes echoed, his smile widening.

“It’s not really my thing,” I said between gritted teeth. “And besides?—”

“Besides what?” Hayes said.

I let out a sigh, hating the fact that they were making me say it out loud. “I don’t?—”

“He wasn’t sure if I could go,” a familiar voice said from behind me.

Before I had a chance to see who it was, a slender, warm hand slid into mine. Our fingers wove together, and I felt a zing of electricity.

Who the hell?—

“Marin?” Molly said just as I turned to see the would-be intruder from the other night.

“Molly!” She broke our connection to step forward, giving her a huge hug. “It’s so good to see you.”

“I didn’t know you were in town.”

“I only just arrived the other day, and this is my first time out,” Marin explained.

Kristy gave her an appraising look, and then her gaze shifted to mine.

Don’t look at me. I have no fucking clue what’s going on either.

“Are you staying long?” Molly asked.

“Oh, um, I think so. I am kind of winging it.”

Kristy, still looking unconvinced, chimed in, “And you and Macon are…” And I saw the side of her I always chose to ignore—the one that gossiped about her friends and threw backhanded compliments to her coworkers—rise to the surface.

“Oh.” A shy smile crept across her face as she wrapped her hand back tightly around mine. I felt that same jolt. “It’s kind of complicated. We’ve kept in touch a bit here and there since I moved back to Richmond, and when I got in the other night”—she looked up at me—“we just sort of ran into each other.”

More like collided.

She looked back at the three pairs of eyes. “We’ve been kind of inseparable ever since.”

What the actual hell is happening?

Molly, the hopeless romantic, was buying the load of shit she was selling, but Kristy was still giving her an appraising glare.

“And you’re going to the gala? Together?”

“Well, I was trying to talk him into it the other night, and then I wasn’t sure if I could go,” she said and then turned directly to Kristy. “I don’t get to dress up often, and I’d love to see this guy in a suit. Wouldn’t you?” Her other hand went up to my chest—a possessive move my ex didn’t miss.

“Well, I guess we won’t hold you two up then,” Kristy said in a tone I remembered all too well.

She was pissed.

“I can grab those tickets for you, Macon.”

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