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“You’re scaring me.”

“I’m scaring myself.” Elia pursed her lips. “I’ll call you when I figure it out.”

“Elia!”

“I promise. I’ll call you.” Elia hung up, and when Abagail tried to call back, she didn’t answer. The quiet was everything she needed right now, and she was going to take every single second of it that she could get.

thirty-one

“Well, that was odd,” Greer said, watching Elia leave.

“It really wasn’t.” Kamryn wanted to cry. She had Greer with her now, but she still felt so very alone. “You’ve missed so much.”

“I know.” Greer frowned and tugged Kamryn in for another tight hug. “How’s the bride?”

“She’s fine.” Kamryn snorted. “Rosie’s in there making a fuss and everyone just wants her out of the damn room.”

“Should I go kick her out?” Greer was ready to play mama bear, and Kamryn loved when she did that. She wished Greer would do it for her right now.

“No. I think Andra can handle her. Don’t you think?”

“Maybe.” Greer tilted her head to the side. “So what’s with Elia?”

“Simone Parks…a.k.a. Andra’s new stepmother-in-law teaches chemistry at Windermere.”

“No shit!”

Kamryn frowned and nodded. “I didn’t know that she was Garrett’s stepmother, and neither did Elia, apparently. And Susy Butkis is here. She’s on the board. I’m not entirely sure how she’s related yet.”

“Windermere is a really small world, isn’t it?” Greer put her hands on her hips and scowled at the room.

Kamryn could have laughed at that look. Greer always had a smile on her face. She never allowed the world to get her down, and so her scowl looked so out of place. “It is. But so is the world in general. Six degrees of separation, right?”

“Ugh. Don’t remind me.”

“Why?”

Greer wrinkled her brow. “I’m struggling to get another job. And it looks like I might have to move back in with my mom.”

“No!”

“Yes,” Greer answered. “I’m not sure either one of us will survive that if we do it.”

“Damn it. I wish you could come move in with me. You were my backup plan when I’m done with Windermere.” It wasn’t really the truth, but Kamryn had to give her something. If she could live with Greer, she would in a heartbeat. Greer had occasionally stayed with her and Lauren on a long short-term when she’d been between jobs, but it had never been more than three months. She missed those days.

“Guess you’ll have to figure something else out.” Greer wrapped her arm around Kamryn’s back. “Looks like the wedding is getting started. Come on.”

They found seats as close to the front as they could possibly get. Kamryn was already worn out from the day and now knowing that she was also going to have to tell her friends about the fact that she and Elia had been fake girlfriends was weighing on her. Elia really had left her in a bind to clean up the entire mess, hadn’t she?

“Here she comes!” Greer clapped her hands lightly as the music changed.

Everyone stood up, and Andra started down the aisle. She was stunning. Kamryn couldn’t have wished for a better day forher. It was exactly like she wanted it. The ceremony went swiftly, and before she knew it, Kamryn found herself at the reception, her arm still wrapped in Greer’s for safe keeping.

“Where did Elia end up?” Simone stopped Kamryn as she headed toward the open bar.

“Oh, something came up and she had to leave.” Kamryn forced the lie through her teeth. She wasn’t ready for this. But it was all about to unravel now, wasn’t it?

“That’s a pity. I could use a friend at this thing.”