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“I can’t say I feel the same,” she tells him dryly.

His brows lift, but he doesn’t say anything. Vera is still tugging at my elbow.

“What are you doing here, Grant?”

I have to know. For some sick reason, my brain will not let me leave this spot until I do.

“Oh…” He shifts nervously. “We just moved back. A few months ago, actually. I work for Kellerman and Kross now.”

“You moved back,” I parrot.

He smiles down at the blonde beside him, the one I’d almost forgotten about, patting her hand. “Charlotte’s family is from here, and my parents are still here…It just made sense.”

My eyes flick to the woman beside him—Charlotte—watching as she extends her hand, one platinum curl falling into her honey-colored eyes as she smiles brightly at me. I reach to take it dumbly, noticing the enormous diamond on her finger.

“Charlotte Fuller,” she tells me. “I’m Grant’s wife.”

I’m Grant’s wife.

It rolls around in my head, hitting the sides of my skull like a Ping-Pong ball.

“Dani,” Vera says again gently. “Let’s—”

“There you are, sweetheart.” A new voice breaks through the chaos swirling in my head. “Sorry I’m late. I was looking everywhere for you.” Ezra’s hand is warmer than Vera’s, superseding hers to slide up the back of my arm as he steps in close to press a kiss to my cheek. “I got held up.”

“I—” My mouth is probably hanging open. Did Ezra just kiss my cheek in front of all these people? “Hi.”

Ezra looks a lot more collected than I currently am. He turns to regard Grant casually, extending his hand with a cool smile. “Ezra Hart.”

“Oh, right.” Grant takes Ezra’s to shake it. “I met your father earlier. Great man.”

I’m not sure if anyone else notices the slight tic in Ezra’s jaw, but I do. “That’s what I hear,” Ezra answers blandly. He looksdown at me again, effectively ending any further conversation with Grant. “You owe me a dance, baby.”

Baby?

If the floor didn’t feel like it was spinning, I would have alotto say about that. I’m almost positive I hear Nate choking on his tongue somewhere behind me. Ezra’s eyes hold mine, and the gentle pleading there, as if he’s silently asking for me to let him help, is enough to keep my mouth shut on the matter.

“Right,” I manage, although I’m not sure how. I force a smile. “I was looking for you.”

“You know how these old men are,” Ezra chuckles. “Once they start talking about work…well. It’s hard to get them to stop.” He pulls me closer into his side, casting another glance at my ex. “It was good to meet you, Greg.”

“Grant,” he corrects with a frown.

Ezra just keeps smiling. “Right. Sorry.” He looks down at me again. “Dani?”

“Oh.” I clear my throat, shaking some of my shock off as I stand a little taller. I manage to hold my tight smile long enough to look at Grant without throwing up on my shoes. “It was good to see you again, Grant.”

“You too, Dani,” he answers with that same casual, polite tone. As if we didn’t spend almost three years planning a future together.

I hardly have time to dwell on my swirling thoughts since Ezra is already pulling me away, and I allow myself to be dragged along behind him as he leads me toward the edge of the dance floor, closer to the foyer. There are fewer people here, only a handful tucked away in quiet conversation along the entryway, and Ezra pulls me into him, grasping my waist as he starts to move me in time to the music that still lilts into the room.

“Breathe, Dani,” he murmurs.

I didn’t even realize I wasn’t until he said it. I inhale deeply just to let it out, my breath expelling in a shaky exhale. “Why did you do that?”

“You looked like you needed saving. Was I wrong?”

I swallow, acutely aware of his fingers trailing down the length of my arm, stopping at my hand to curl it in his so that he can bring it to his shoulder to rest there. I take another deep breath, shaking my head.