Isabella wouldn’t use their so-called amicable breakup as a publicity stunt, but Dan wouldn’t put it past herpeople—her manager, her record label, her publicity team.There was obviously some master publicity plan at play, prepped and poised to cover up any rumors buzzing around in Hollywood that she was shagging Xavier Hunter.
“It’s more than just shagging,” she’d said when she’d told him.“I love him, Dan.”
“He’s married.”
“Not for much longer.He’s been wanting a divorce for months.”
But surely Issy knew that if word spread of their affair, it would be her head on the chopping block.She’d be made out as the marriage breaker, her career over, because the Hunters, and everyone making money off them, wouldn’t just sit by and watch their billion-dollar brand go tits up in a high-profile divorce.Did Issy know she was playing with fire?
“Hey, Mr.Jones, what’s with the frown again?”
Giggles and splashes pulled Dan back to the here and now.Without realizing, he’d swum closer to Libby and her son, who were still playing some splashing game in the water.
“Cranky Jones!”the little kid piped up.
“Shhh, honey.”Libby winced.“Darn those little ears.”
Cranky Jones?
Yeah, he’d been cranky all right.And rude.And arrogant and downright miserable.
“I’m sorry about the nickname,” she said.
Dan blinked at Libby’s bright smile.It was the same smile she’d given him when he’d first sat next to her on the plane.The same smile he’d ignored.
“No need to apologize.I deserve it,” he said.“But in case you were wondering, the name’s Dan.”
With a sly smile, she wiped her wet hair away from her face.“Oh, I know who you are.”
“You do?”
“Of course.The Lightning Strike.We spent a few months in England last summer, remember?”
“Why didn’t you say anything on the flight?”
“I thought I’d said too much on the flight.”
“You know what I mean.This will sound completely up myself, but I can’t buy a pint of milk back home without someone approaching me for an autograph.”
“And right there is your answer,” Libby said.“I took one look at you and thought you could do with a break from all that.So, instead I talked at you like a mom starved of adult conversation.”
She ducked back into the water, making her son squeal as she pretended to eat his foot.
Libby giggled, but then her smile faded.“I was sorry to hear that you and Isabella had to…um…change your wedding plans,” she added.
A patchy, disjointed memory of explaining about hiringAre Moanafor his honeymoon jangled at the back of his mind.Shit.He’d been so exhausted and in pain the other night… What else had come out of his mouth?As Issy’s absence weighed heavily in the air, Dan rubbed his temples.Okay, damage limitation.It was time to recite that wedding postponement statement.Here goes…
“Isabella and I—”
But wait.
There was a different statement now, and in a few short hours, everyone back home would hear it.
“About the honeymoon…” he began instead.He might as well start getting some practice regurgitating the words that had been written for him.“The thing is, Isabella and I are still very good friends, and we care deeply about each other.But sadly, with so much going on in our lives right now, we both felt we were going in different directions and have decided to part ways.”
There.Done.
Dan pushed up a smile, as if the end of their three-year relationship had been decided over a cozy chat with tea and biscuits.
