“She was buying reviews on social media. I also saw pictures of her restaurant. Her decor is pretty much a direct copy of yours.” It takes a moment for the information to sink in. My throat burns, and I look down at my lap. Don’t cry, don’t cry, I tell myself, but tears well up into my eyes, anywa
Abby Tiffany crosses her arms, waiting for my answer. I don’t really know what to say to her. He’s the one who divorced me, after all. It’s not like I set out to break his heart. “I’m not the one who decided to get a divorce,” I say, opting for the truth. She pushes her curtain of brown hair o
Abby “Stop joking around,” I say, placing my empty glass on the ground. “This is serious.” “I’m not joking.” We stare across the room at each other. I kind of want to laugh, but something tells me he wouldn’t appreciate that. Still, there’s no way he’s going to come into my restaurant and work
I’m not surprised he remembered Ethan’s name. He’s always been good at that, making note of people. It’s partly what makes him a good Alpha. He remembers people even if he’s only met them once. He knows how to make the people who work for him, and the members of his pack, feel special. I step asid
Karl I cross my arms and take a glance around the kitchen. The tiles sparkle like they’re brand new, and the entire place smells like lemon cleaning solution; I’ve just finished mopping the floor, and although I would never admit it to anyone, it’s… the first time I’ve ever used a mop. “Maybe
“Well, I’m in charge here, and I say we do it this way.” Jack shoots me an angry look, his cold eyes filled with annoyance. I open my mouth again to say more, but before I can, Abby’s voice cuts through the kitchen once more. Jack smirks and turns back to his work, and I brace myself for more ord
“Oh, god,” I think to myself when I see the look on Daisy’s face. “What did he do this time?” “What happened?” I should have gone over there when I saw him talking to her. I knew he was up to something, sticking his nose in something that he shouldn’t be, but I guess I gave him the benefit of th
“Did you have something else to say, Abby?” he asks, folding his arms. “Or can I get back to work?” I pinch the bridge of my nose and let out an exasperated sigh. “Just… Keep your opinions to yourself, Karl. You don’t run this place. I do.” “Fine,” he says. “Fine,” I reply, narrowing my
Abby Intrigued, I let Karl take my hand and lead me discreetly away from the reception, weaving through the tables and out a back door into the gardens. A mischievous grin plays on his lips as we giggle like teenagers, ducking behind hedges and scurrying across the lush green lawns. “Where are w
As the music shifts to a slow ballad, I feel a familiar pair of strong arms circle my waist from behind. “There’s my beautiful wife,” Karl’s deep voice rumbles in my ear, sending shivers down my spine. He spins me around to face him, our bodies swaying in time to the soft music. I gaze up at him
Abby The reception hall is cast in a warm, romantic glow, with twinkling lights and the warm flickering of candles on every table. Soft music plays as Karl and I make our entrance, hand-in-hand to raucous applause and cheers from our guests. I can’t stop smiling as we wave to our loved ones gather
Abby The afternoon sun streaming in through the tall windows of the chapel casts the stones in a warm golden light, giving everything a sort of ethereal energy. I stand in the hallway, my arm linked with Anton’s, as the wedding coordinator prepares everyone to walk down the aisle. “Are you ready
Abby As I sit in front of the vanity mirror with the hair and makeup artist circling around me, I meet my friends’ gazes in the reflection; Chloe, Leah, Daisy, and even Elsie are here as my bridesmaids, each of them looking more beautiful than the last. “The seamstress really did do a great job
Abby With a gasp of excitement, I pull the wedding gown out of its box and hold it up in the light. Everything is perfect; the way the beadwork catches the light, the silky texture, the shape. I can’t wait to try it on now that it’s been altered to fit my body. Quickly, I slip out of my clothe
Abby “Abby, why don’t you sit down?” Karl looks up at me from where he’s sitting on the sofa, a look of concern on his face. He pats the spot next to him, but I shake my head. “I can’t,” I say, continuing to pace back and forth in our living room. “I won’t sit down until I hear back about that
Abby As I chop, stir, melt, and saute, the others stand around me, watching intently. The pasta simmers on the stove, the air smelling like warm butter and spices. It’s enough to make anyone’s mouth water. But my focus isn’t on the rumbling in my belly, nor is it even on the lingering pain in my
As we continue searching, I keep thinking back on our last harrowing hunt for black truffles; those poachers nearly shot us. Even now, I can still remember the sound of the bullets whizzing past my head, and the thuds they made when they careened into trees. “We got really lucky,” I say. “If we ha