“I wouldn’t bother. I doubt either one would be happy to see you.” Wow. Ellie had claws out, a first in all the years I’d known her. Evan never really talked about his past relationships, although he knew about most of mine. He did mention a broken engagement, but didn’t want to elaborate. Oh no, she couldn’t be the ex . . .

“Evan and I were engaged. We were discussing baby names when we lived together in Philadelphia. We have a history that you know nothing about.”

Of course she is.

My insides twisted as though I’d been shot. Bang! I was engaged to Evan. Bang! We lived together. Bang! We were going to have children. Bang! The heartbeat that thundered in my ears made me lightheaded.

“I know plenty, which is why I know you wouldn’t be welcome. Going to my husband’s office to beg him to speak to Evan on your behalf will never get you anywhere. Besides, Evan has moved on, hasn’t he, Paige?” Ellie cocked an eyebrow at me, making Jenna take a swift turn in my direction.

What were Evan and I? Dating, yes. Exclusive? I never dated more than one man at a time, and didn’t think Evan would see someone else, but did I have a right to stake a claim? I really wasn’t sure, but the way Jenna looked me over pissed me off.

“I’m Paige, Evan’s girlfriend. And you are . . .” I tried to be friendly and look unaffected, but the shaking in my voice was probably a dead giveaway. She stumbled a moment, then started laughing to herself.

“Yeah, okay, sweetheart. Nice seeing you, Ellie. Hope you can lose all that weight once the baby is born.” The click-clack of her heels filled the aisle as she strutted away.

I massaged my temples as I sat in a glider next to Natalie. I was too old to be back here again. Too old and tired of this competing crap.

“No!” Ellie got in my face and pointed a finger at me. “You are not letting that whore put doubt in your head. You can ask Jack about all the shit she pulled when they lived together in Philadelphia. Jack threw her out of the office on more than one occasion. Evan is more than done with her and has been for a long time. She’s a manipulative bitch that took advantage of Evan’s good nature over and over again. She’s a non-factor, please trust me.”

“I’ll try to put any doubt out of my mind until I talk to Evan. I promise.” I bullshitted my pregnant cousin-in-law. I was counting the seconds until I could leave and drive straight to Evan’s office to ask him what the story was with Jenna. Then I would know if I should worry. So much for the uncomplicated and easy relationship I had five minutes ago.

“Go.” Natalie whispered in my ear.

“I can’t go. I promised Ellie I’d stay with her—”

“I can stay with her. She’s almost finished, anyway. Like I don’t know your stomach is turning waiting to ask Evan about Jenna. Jack’s office is five minutes away. Put yourself out of your misery. She’ll understand.”

“No, she’ll be upset that I’m upset. I can wait fifteen more minutes.”

Fifteen minutes turned into another half hour as Ellie panicked over which diapers to choose. We finished the registry, said our good-byes, and I raced to my car. I started it, but didn’t want to drive away. Once you know something, you can never un-know it, and I didn’t want my life to change from the way it was just an hour ago. I took out my phone to read all the sweet and sexy texts between us over the last couple of months. I never imagined Evan could be hiding something. I hoped that for once in my life, I was right the first time.

I’d never been more tired in all of my life. I’d also never worked so many hours for so many days in a row. We were busy like we wanted to be, but it came on all at once. The diner gave us some good buzz, and the new website and digital campaign that Paige designed brought in even more traffic.

Business was good, but I missed my girl. I finally had Paige Taylor to myself but couldn’t enjoy her like I wanted to. Since she did work for us, I at least got to see her at the office. She found excuses to come back as often as she could, and I snuck in a kiss—or more, depending on who was here. My cock stiffened at the memory of her straddling me in my desk chair, her tongue exploring my mouth inch by inch as she rubbed her smoking hot body against mine. She wore dresses all the time, even if she wasn’t coming from her office. I knew she did that to give me easy access to her amazing ass, and I loved it. After a little over a month of messing around like horny college kids, I had plans to take her away for a weekend. Coffee and lunch dates weren’t cutting it for me anymore. I was going to officially make her mine, even though I felt she already was. I hoped she did, too.

“Hey, Ev!” I jumped at the sound of one of our workers at our office door. I had a habit of zoning out at my desk. Most of the time I was daydreaming about Paige, and Jack loved giving me shit for it. Annoying fucker, but that meant he was healthy, so he could bust my balls all he wanted.

“Sorry, Tony. What’s up? Do you guys need me to come with you today?”

“Nah boss, we got it covered!” Boss. That was never going to stop being weird. “There is a very hot woman here to see you. And it’s not Paige.”

Not Paige? Who could it possibly be? Unless, oh no, don’t fucking tell me . . .

“Hey baby. It’s so good to see you.” Jenna strolled over to my desk and plopped herself on the edge, crossing her long legs. There was a time I thought I loved this woman enough to propose to her, but now being in her presence made my stomach turn with disgust.

“Please don’t call me ‘baby’. What the hell do you want?”

Jenna inched closer, rubbing the heel of her shoe along my knee. “You love it when I call you baby, especially when you’re balls deep inside me, just about to co—”

“Enough. I’m going to ask you again. Why the fuck are you here, and what do you want?”

Jenna huffed and ran her fingers through her hair, now black with red ends. She looked like Morticia Adams after a night of clubbing.

“I . . . miss you. I’m so, so sorry for everything. I would love another chance to start over.”

“And I would love for you to walk out that door and forget we live in the same city. I want nothing to do with you. I made that crystal clear the last time I saw you. I feel nothing for you anymore . . .”

Jenna climbed onto my lap and took my face in her hands. “Maybe not now, but you will in a few minutes . . .” She crashed her lips onto mine, not letting go even after I grabbed her wrists to push her away. Luckily, my dick hated her just as much as I did and wouldn’t react to her version of making up. I pushed her off me so hard she stumbled back, but it had no effect on her. She licked her lips and giggled. I had never manhandled a woman before, but I was about to pull her by the arm and throw her the hell out. She was too fucked up to get through to any other way.

“Oh my God.” My stomach sank when my eyes met Paige’s. She was standing behind Jenna, her face as white as a sheet as she held her hand over her mouth.

“Daisy, please, this . . .”

“Isn’t what it looks like, right?” She laughed and shook her head. “Because I haven’t heard that one before. I was right, God, I’m so fucking stupid. I’ll let you get back to what you were doing. Anything I have to do for you guys, I’ll just take to Jack’s house. You won’t have to worry about seeing me back here.” She turned to race towards the door. I screamed her name, but she wouldn’t turn around. I’d wanted Paige for years, and I refused to let her slip through my fingers now that I finally got her. I felt more for Paige in our short time than I ever did for Jenna. I needed to find her and explain, and then get some kind of restraining order for the psychotic bitch sitting back on my desk.