Page 13 of Forget Me

Byron shrugged. “Too bad your volunteer work always distracted you from your paying job. You’ll rise higher if you keep your eye on the ball. It’s ironic that as an accountant, you’re so careless with your own time and money.”

I pressed my lips together to keep the angry words inside.Be nice for Bree.I glanced at Tanya.

He pushed his glasses up his nose. “If you change your mind and want to come back, give me a call.”

The thought of working for Byron or for the company that chose him over me lit a fire in my gut. Still, I smiled. “Sure.”

“Hey,” Ben slid up to me on his dress shoes, a little breathless. He must have run when he spotted me talking to my ex. His lip curled. “Byron.”

“Ben.” Byron dipped his chin. Even though they were about the same height, he managed to look down his nose. When we dated, he’d never been brave enough to say anything, but it was obvious he sneered at Ben’s lack of a college degree and professional job.

He didn’t know Ben had both a degree and a great career now. Neither my brother nor I would bother to educate him. Byron wasn’t worth the trouble.

He looked between us. “You’re here with your brother?”

I bit my lip to keep from grimacing. “No, I—”

Cooper strode up to us, two glasses of champagne in his hands. He handed one to Ben and offered the other to me. I took it, grateful for something to grip that wasn’t Byron’s neck.

Ben’s face glowed. “Babe, meet Byron, Mimi’s ex. And…?”

“Tanya,” I said.

Cooper shook their hands. “Nice to meet you. I’m Cooper.”

Byron’s jaw dropped. “CooperFallon?”

Cooper gave him a tight-lipped smile and tangled his fingers with my brother’s. Yeah, I’d been surprised, too, when Ben got together with his billionaire boss, who was featured in the financial news every other week.

Byron blinked. “So who are you here with, Mimi?”

The cold prickles came back, even in the warm greenhouse. Why hadn’t I thought to bring someone, anyone? My last one-night-stand, that guy I’d met in the frozen-entrée aisle one night after work back in November. What was his name? Van? Vin? I’d tossed his number in the trash.

If only I hadn’t been so drunk last weekend I’d missed my chance with my mystery man. I set the glass of champagne behind a red-tipped bromeliad.

“I’m here by myself,” I said.

At the same time, Ben said, “She’s here with us,” and jutted out his jaw. “You’ll leave her alone if you know what’s good for you.”

That was my brother, always leading with his heart. “Ben—”

“Is he bothering you, Mimi?” Cooper asked.

“N-no,” Byron said. “I just wanted to say hello.”

“You’ve done that,” Ben said, edging in front of me. “Now step off.”

Byron straightened his glasses and glared at me like my brother’s overprotectiveness was my fault. Then he turned on his loafer and walked away, dragging Tanya behind him.

“That wasn’t—” I began.

“Are you okay, honey?” Ben asked. “You got so pale I was worried.”

“I’m fine. He surprised me. That’s all.”

“Good. He’s not worth it.”

I glanced between Ben and his fiancé. “Are you two having a good time?”

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