Page 91 of Charm

“Talking about the past isn’t easy.” He tilts his chin down. “I know that from experience.”

“Because of your divorce?” I whisper.

“Yeah.” He moves a step closer to me, stopping to rest his hand on the back of one of the chairs. “Finella and I were on and off for years before I asked her to marry me.”

I shouldn’t feel even a bite of jealousy since we didn’t know each other then, but I do. It’s irrational, but the thought of him loving someone else enough to ask her to marry him stings.

“How long were you married?” I ask, placing my hand next to his on the back of the chair.

His hand inches forward until his fingers brush against mine. “Until I caught her in bed with a friend of mine. It wasn’t that long after we got married.”

Shocked that any woman would cheat on him, I shake my head. “I’m so sorry that happened to you.”

“It was rough,” he says curtly. “In other ways, it wasn’t. To be honest, we probably shouldn’t have gotten married in the first place, but there was some family pressure.”

I didn’t have to deal with that. I married Aaron because I loved him, or I did until the day it all fell apart.

“I’m sorry you went through that, Holden.”

His gaze finds mine. “I appreciate that, but it was for the best. Finella wasn’t right for me.”

I want him to say I am, but we’re not there yet. He doesn’t even know the details of my divorce.

I take a deep breath. “I was married to a man I met in high school. On the day we got married, I thought Aaron and I would go the distance.”

“Aaron,” he repeats my ex-husband’s name. “What happened with him, Greer? What went wrong with you and Aaron?”

I take another sip of my wine. “Maybe we should sit down before I tell you about that. It’s going to take a while.”

He finishes the last of his wine in one swallow. “I’ll meet you on the couch after I grab a refill. Do you want more?”

I want to get this conversation over with, but I’m determined to do that without too much alcohol. “I’m good.”

He starts to walk away, but stops to curl his hand around the back of my neck. Looking into my eyes, he kisses me softly. “Youhave no idea how glad I am that you found me naked in that pool.”

I can’t help but smile. “I feel the same way.”

“We were both right where we needed to be that night,” he says matter-of-factly. “We’re right where we need to be tonight, too.”

I believe that with every fiber of my being.

“I’ll be right back.” He kisses me again. “Go sit down and get comfortable.”

CHAPTER FIFTY-FIVE

Holden

Greer is a bundle of nerves,and I wish to fuck I could make that all go away for her. I don’t know what happened in her marriage, but something is tearing her apart.

I walked back into the main living area with a full glass of wine and a clear view of her profile. Her gaze was cast down to her lap. Her shoulders were bouncing slightly as though she were filled with nervous energy.

I’m sitting next to her now, waiting for her to say something. At least two minutes have passed since I sat down, so I bite the bullet and start the conversation. “How long were you and Aaron married?”

“Too long.” She half-laughs. “We got married after college. He filed for divorce seven years ago.”

Seven years ago.

They had a baby seven years ago, too.