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They definitely were not friends, nor would Kamryn ever consider being friends with Rosie. She repulsed Kamryn in so many ways but mostly by her attitude and behavior. It was like Rosie hit the mean girl stage as a freshman and never grew out of it. Until they’d met, Kamryn hadn’t been convinced people got stuck in stages like that. She was once again proven wrong.

“How are you two doing? I was really worried when we got together the last time. I thought you were going to break up with the way Elia was glaring at you.”

Was this woman seriously struggling with something? In all seriousness, did she have some sort of mental health disorder that caused her to act this way? Because Kamryn wasn’t sure she had ever met someone who talked or acted like this before.

“We’re doing well,” Elia stepped in, thankfully. Kamryn had no clue how to respond to that. “It was bit of a mix of PMS and being annoyed with someone you love. I’m sure you can understand what that’s like.”

“Oh, I do.” Rosie grinned, glancing at Kamryn before looking over her shoulder. “Sometimes Lauren makes me so mad. She told me I had to play nice today. What does that even mean? I’m always nice.”

Nope. Rosie was just living in her own little world of chaos and lies. That was exactly what was happening, and now Kamryn at least understood somewhat how she needed to handle this.

“Like she hates that I talk to you. I don’t understand why,” Rosie continued, pointing at Kamryn.

“Probably because she’s protective of me.” At least Kamryn hoped that was the case, that there was still some love lingering there between them, enough that they wouldn’t wish the worst on each other. “It’s impossible to shut off all feelings when there’s a twenty year relationship behind it.”

“Twenty-two,” Lauren interrupted, two drinks in her hand. She shoved one in Rosie’s direction, but her eyes were all for Kamryn.

The look was direct, and it stole Kamryn’s breath away. She remembered this look. Lauren had given it to her many times over the years, most often when they were broken up and Lauren was ready to get back together again.

But Kamryn couldn’t keep playing those games between them. Her body and heart might be telling her that Lauren was a safe person, that she could go back to what was familiar and be loved again, but her brain was raging against her.

She shifted her stance slightly, bumping her shoulder into Elia’s. Their fingers laced together tighter, and Kamryn turned, looking away from Lauren and directly into Elia’s cool blue eyes, her rounded, heart-shaped face, her hair that was perfectly coiffed and pulled back, the small gray hairs peeking out here and there.

Despite everything between them, all the complications and lack of history, Kamryn was safer staying right here than she was with Lauren. Kamryn had no doubt in her mind about that. And she needed to stay where it was safe. She needed to give up all those hopes and dreams she’d had with Lauren and let them go.

“You’re right, twenty-two years,” Kamryn corrected herself with a smile on her face. She lifted Elia’s hand wrapped in her own and pressed her lips to Elia’s skin. “Love like that doesn’tgo away, it just changes over time, and it’s important to find someone who can understand that. Don’t you think?”

Elia nodded. “Yeah.” The response came out in a whisper, Elia’s voice barely reaching over the din of voices in the room. “It’s important to find people who accept all facets of who we are.”

“So very important.”

“Aww, look at them, Laur, they’re gushy!” Rosie clapped her hands together. “Maybe they won’t break up. We took bets, you know, after you left.”

“They took bets,” Lauren added, pointing at Rosie. “I stayed far away from it.”

“I appreciate that.” Kamryn faced them again, but she couldn’t stop the smile that had taken hold of her, the ease of being in the vicinity of Elia and continuing this ruse together. It almost didn’t feel quite like this was as fake as it should be.

But Kamryn shouldn’t fool herself.

Elia was way out of her league, and Kamryn was just getting out of a bad long-term relationship. Finding someone else to be with wasn’t anywhere on her priority list.

However, with Elia with her today, she knew that the bridal shower was going to be a breeze. She couldn’t wait for the bachelorette party or the wedding. It wouldn’t be bad at all. Kamryn dropped Elia’s hand and wrapped an arm around her shoulders, tugging Elia into her side a bit tighter.

“But we are taking bets on Andra and this wedding, right?” Rosie added.

“No,” Lauren and Kamryn said at the same time.

They had talked about Andra and her boyfriend many times over the years, and they’d both decided that this was something they needed to stay out of. They could support Andra through everything, but some choices and mistakes had to be hers.

Rosie looked disappointed by that response, and then suddenly suspicious. Kamryn wasn’t going to wade into that pool of insanity again.

“Elia, I’d like to introduce you to Kathryn.” Kamryn didn’t wait another minute before she dragged Elia away.

“Who’s Kathryn?”

“No one I care about.” Kamryn laced her fingers with Elia’s again. “Thank you.”

“Any time.”