Page 37

After putting my phone back in my purse, I gave the hostess Julian’s name.

“Right this way.” I followed her toward the back of the restaurant. “Your party is here.”

I met Julian’s gaze as I approached the table, and he stood with a smile. My focus was entirely on him, so I barely noticed the reaction from his daughter and her husband when he pulled me close for a kiss. But then I turned and saw the shocked stares of two people I had never wanted to see again.

“This whore is your girlfriend, Daddy?” Brie shrieked.

Considering she slept with my husband when we were married, that was incredibly hypocritical of her.

And then my ex waded into the argument.

“What in the hell are you doing here, Celia?”

It wasn’t the right time or place, but when I signed the divorce papers, I promised myself I’d never back down from my ex again. So I pasted on a smile and taunted, “You should be nicer to me, Harry. I might become your mother-in-law and your mistress’s stepmom someday.”

“Never,” Brie yelled.

Julian gripped my arm and guided me a few steps away from the table. “Your ex is my daughter’s husband?”

“Apparently.” I stared up at him, blinking back tears. “I had no idea. You always called her Ellie, but I only knew her as Brie.”

I had a bunch of other colorful terms Megan and I had called her, but I was never going to share those with him.

He raked his fingers through his hair. “Fucking hell.”

“Yeah, who knew the world was this small?”

Brie got up and marched over to us. “Are you seriously going to try to claim you didn’t know exactly who my father was when you targeted him?”

“I’m not⁠—”

She didn’t let me finish before she turned her attention to Julian. “She’s jealous and bitter because Harry fell in love with me.”

“I meant it when I told you that you could have him,” I murmured.

Brie stomped her foot. “I refuse to stand here and listen to your lies. Either she leaves, or I do.”

Julian’s gaze darted between her and me, and I could see he was struggling with how to respond. Brie was horrible, but she was his daughter. “It’s okay.”

“None of this is okay,” Harrison growled, moving to stand next to his wife. “I won’t have Brie upset because you’re playing games.”

His defense of her, when he’d never stood up for me to anyone in all our years together, hurt, but not nearly as much as it would have even just three months ago. Falling for Julian had healed my broken heart, but I didn’t know if we could survive this.

“You know me better than that, Harrison.”

“See, Daddy.” Brie pointed at me. “She’s too busy flirting with my husband to care how much this hurts you and me.”

“I care very much about Julian’s pain and wouldn't flirt with Harrison if he was the last man on earth.” I pulled my phone from my purse to order a rideshare. “So I’m going to make it easier for everyone and skip dinner. Please enjoy the champagne.”

Brie planted her hands on her hips. “Ugh, as if we need your cheap bottle.”

There was literally nothing I could say to make this better, so I turned and walked away. When I got to the door and Julian pushed it open, I realized he’d followed me. I stopped on the sidewalk and turned toward him. “I’m sorry.”

“It’s not your fault.” He clenched his fist at his side, and I wondered if it was because he wanted to reach out to me. “But I need to get back in there and see if I can calm her down.”

“I understand.”

“I’m glad one of us does.” He shook his head. “Because I don’t know what the hell I’m supposed to do. I love you, Celia. But she’s my daughter. I think I need to take a beat and figure out if there’s a way for us to move forward without destroying my family.”