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CHAPTER FORTY-ONE

Olivia awoke early the next morning.

Right away, she remembered the roses in Tyson’s truck yesterday, and tension spread across her chest.

Then she remembered the kisses she’d shared with Tyson, and something close to joy burst to life inside her.

Maybe there was still hope for a happy ever after.

Could fear and love co-exist? She honestly wasn’t sure. Didn’t perfect love cast out fear?

She have to think about that some more.

She threw on a sweatshirt and jeans before wandering into the kitchen. Tyson hadn’t mentioned what time he was leaving, but she hoped to catch him for one more goodbye.

Everything was quiet in the house. There was no sign of Tyson or anyone else.

She quietly pulled out some homemade wholegrain bread—plan approved—and put a piece in the toaster. Then she grabbed the jar of all-natural peanut butter and spread a glob over her toast.

A noise at the end of the hallway caught her ear. She set down her breakfast and crept toward the sound, ready to surprise Tyson.

That was when she heard an unfamiliar female voice murmur, “You be careful.”

Olivia’s curiosity peaked. Peering around the corner, she spotted Tyson standing at his bedroom door. His luggage was beside him as if he were ready to go.

In front of him, a dark-haired woman with wet, shower-fresh hair stood, wrapped in a white terrycloth robe.

It was actress Kate Ambrose.

Olivia’s stomach sank.

She’d interviewed the woman once for a story and came away from the experience feeling an extreme dislike for the actress. Kate was stuck-up and haughty and had treated Olivia like an annoyance instead of a respected reporter.

When Olivia arrived back in New York, she’d told Deb she’d never interview Kate again.

“Thanks for letting me stay last night,” Kate told Tyson.

“My only complaint is that I don’t see you enough.”

“Move out to LA. It’s what I keep telling you. You could move in with me.”

“Yeah, that would work out well. Listen, I’ve got to go.” Tyson glanced at his watch. “You going to get out of here before anyone sees you?”

“Of course, of course. We don’t need any nosy reporters finding out I was here.”

“I know all about you and nosy reporters . . .” He kissed her cheek goodbye.

Olivia ducked back into the kitchen. She forgot about her breakfast and hurried to her room.

What had she just seen?

Her heart pounded in her ears.

It wasn’t what she thought . . . right?

Or was it? Was Tyson seeing Kate? Even though they’d only just kissed yesterday and hadn’t even talked about their relationship, a sense of betrayal ripped through her.

The one man she’d trusted with her heart had cheated on her. The revelation had devastated her.

Was every man the same?

Even Tyson?

* * *

Olivia shut the door and leaned against it before sliding to the floor.

It couldn’t have happened again. Not another cheater.

There was definitely something wrong with her if that was the case.

But cheating was the only scenario that made sense.

A sense of betrayal tore through her. All the buried feelings and past hurts rained down on her, feeling fresh and new again.

The picture of the intimate scene between Tyson and Kate remained in her mind. She tried to erase it, but it was useless. It was stained into her memory.

Her eyes flinched shut as she pictured Tyson kissing Kate’s cheek again.

She didn’t want to cry. It was a sign of weakness. Regardless of that, the tears still sprang to her eyes. She let them flow, crying for herself mostly, for trusting too much, for being a fool.

At some point she migrated from the floor to her bed. Crawling under the covers, she fell asleep crying and confused.