Page 14 of Keeping Kaitlyn

Jesus.

Deciding this is what I’m wearing, like it or not, I run after him while fighting the urge to throw up.

Maybe Ishouldthrow up.

Just open the door and honk all over whoever’s standing on the other side of it. Before I can commit, Mookie lets out another happy, hopeful bark. Happy because he loves company. Hopeful because that company is almost always Molly.

“You’re no help,” I grumble at him while reaching down to snag my underwear off his tail, mid-wag. “No help at all.”

“Kait?” My name comes from the other side of the door, muffled and confused. “Are you?—”

Giving Mook one last, withering look, I open the door. As soon as I do, my traitorous dog streaks across the hallway to plant himself in front of Grace and Ryan’s front door. “Ready?” I finish for her while stuffing the underwear in my hand into the front pocket of my jeans with a sardonic smile. “If I say no, will you leave without me?”

“I was going to sayokay.” Grace laughs, her sky-blue eyes giving me an appraising once-over. “Sounded like you’re fighting for your life in there.”

You have no idea.

As usual, Grace looks absolutely stunning with no effort at all. Long blonde hair pulled back in a sleek ponytail. Barely there make-up. Jeans, T-shirt and low-top sneakers.

The exact opposite of trying too hard.

Suddenly, there’s no way inhellI’d be caught dead wearing what I have on.

“I’m going to change.” Giving her a curt nod, I start to turn away from the open doorway. “Just?—”

Before I can get away, Grace reaches out to snag my hand, stopping my retreat. “Sorry…” She shakes her head while behindher, Mookie lifts his paw and scratches at her closed front door. “But you look ready to me. And pretty damn hot, if you ask me.”

Looking down at myself, I feel that panic flutter again.

“It’s too much. I’m overdressed.” When my explanation is met with aso whatshrug, I shake my head. “I don’t want to give the wrong impression.”

What impression is that, exactly? That you showed up at your ex-husband’s tattoo shop with your tits hanging out and every intention of driving him crazy?

Because even though Went doesn’t love me—never loved me—he’s always wanted me.

That much I’m sure of.

“Impression?” Grace looks at me like she has no idea what I’m talking about—probably because she doesn’t. Because somehow, Went and I have managed the impossible by keeping the fact that not only do we know each other, we were actuallymarriedto each other, a secret from everyone we care about.

The front door behind her opens and Ryan appears in the wedge of it, backpack slung over his shoulder. As soon as he has his opening, Mookie pushes past him and disappears inside their apartment, his happy bark answered by Molly’s high-pitched squeal.

“Molly and Henry are showered and ready for bed and Mary’s putting Allison down for the night.” He looks at his watch and frowns. “I’ve gotta get to class,” Looking up, Ryan’s face creasing with brotherly concern when he sees what I’m wearing. “Tess just texted. She’s waiting for you guys downstairs.”

“You look hot,” Grace tells me again before turning to look at Ryan. Framing me with her hands like she’s Vanna White, she asks him for confirmation. “She looks hot, right?” When he doesn’t answer her, Grace narrows her eyes at him. “Tell her she looks hot.”

Instead, Ryan shakes his head. “No.” The look on his face says what hewantsto do is tell me to go put on a sweater.

Dropping her hands on an exasperated sigh, Grace turns back to look at me. “Men.” Rolling her eyes, she reaches past me to snag my keys and purse from the hook, just inside the door. “Whatever,” she tells me while shoving both into my arms. “Even if you looked like a bridge troll—which you don’t—it wouldn’t matter.” Snagging me by my elbow while I grapple with my belongings, Grace pulls me out of the doorway and into the hallway. “We’ve got about five minutes before Tess comes up here and drags us to that limo by our hair.”

Because she’s right, I turn away from her on a defeated sigh of my own to shut and lock my door while Ryan and Grace wait for me with varying levels of impatience. “Did you take your meds?” I ask Ryan, making one last, ditch effort at stalling the inevitable. “You know if you don’t take your meds, you’ll?—"

“Yes.” Ryan narrows his gaze on my face because he knows me better than almost anyone. He knows what I’m doing—that I’m stalling. He just doesn’t understand why. “I took my meds,andI spent forty-five minutes in the tank this afternoon. I’m good to go,” he tells me with uncharacteristic patience. Usually when I harp on him about his meds, he calls meNurse Ratchetand tells me to mind my damn business.

“Okay.” Out of excuses, I give him a stiff nod. “We should probably get down there before Tess loses what little patience she has.”

The three of us pile into the elevator and make our way to the lobby—me standing at the front of the car while Ryan and Grace kiss and whisper behind me.

I love you, Jimmy. Text me when you get there so I know you’re safe.

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