Page 121 of The Exception

“Grahamgot them for you?” She coughed. “You told him about your alopecia?”

I returned the camera to my face so I could see my best friend. “I did.” I smiled. “And he was incredible about it. He’s been so supportive and loving and…”

Her eyes widened. “Did you say loving? Did I hear that right?” She gawked at me.

I dipped my head, my cheeks flaming. “Yeah. I guess it’s been a little while since we talked on the phone.” She’d been hosting some retreats and had limited cell phone service. And I’d been so busy—traveling back and forth between LA and France. Focused on Graham and the restoration of the château and everything else. “And it wasn’t really the kind of thing I was going to mention over text.”

She leaned forward, eyes intent on the screen. “Tell meeverything.”

I launched into a summary of the past month and a half. When I finished, she asked, “So was I right?”

“About what?”

“Graham being a freak in the sheets.”

I bit the inside of my cheek, doing my best to neither confirm nor deny it.

“That’s a yes,” she said, knowing me too well.

My cheeks heated. “No comment.”

“Mm-hmm.” She wagged her finger at me. “I knew there was something there. That kiss at your wedding?—”

“You mean our first kiss?”

Her eyes bugged out. “Thatwas your first kiss? The one at the altar?”

I tried not to laugh at her expression. “Yeah.”

I thought back to the kiss at our wedding. To the way our bodies had come together, silencing my doubts, the world.

“Ballsy.” She shook her head. “Anyway, I remember thinking I needed to fan myself because that was one hell of a kiss.”

“I know,” I sighed. “I remember you asking me later that day, ‘Are you sure this is fake?’”

She laughed and so did I. It seemed like so much time had passed since then. So much had happened.

“I’m glad it’s going so well. But—” She chewed on the end of her pen.

“But what?” I asked, bracing myself.

She sliced a hand through the air. “Nothing. Never mind.”

I frowned. “What aren’t you saying?”

“It’s just…” She sighed. “The two of you had anagreement, right? And I understand that feelings change, but where doesthatfit in with all ofthis?” She circled the air with the end of her pen, likely drawing a ring around my face on her screen.

“I—” I opened my mouth then closed it. I didn’t know what to say. Jo was right.

“Oh, Lil.” She frowned. “I’m sorry. I don’t want to burst your bubble. I just don’t want you to get hurt. You deserve to be happy. You deserve someone supportive and loving. And if that’s Graham, awesome. But you have to admit that the agreement muddies the waters a bit.”

I didn’t disagree, but I hadn’t wanted to confront the truth of it.

A text came in from Willow, confirming the time I wanted to leave.

I blew out a breath. “I have to go. I’m meeting Graham for lunch.”

“Lil.” She frowned. “Don’t?—”

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