Page 200 of Push

“You live in a loft in Mosman,” I pointed out. “You’re hardly struggling.”

“You and your facts.” She rolled her eyes. “Okay, okay. So, I’m asuccessfulartist. I live solo, and I’m never going to have kids. Hell, I’m probably going to grow old and fabulous, surrounded by nothing but rescue cats. Let me have this one fling with a tortured bad boy.” She clasped her hands under her chin and offered me her sweetest smile. “Please, Gwen.”

I followed her gaze to where Romeo lounged against the counter. He divided his attention between charming the flustered woman jabbing at the cash register and keeping a suspicious glare on me. He was a shameless flirt. Whatever it was about him that made hearts skip beats, I didn’t get it. That wasn’t the point, though. Unconditional love and support for my best friend were just that—unconditional.

“Go forth and make all the bad choices,” I said with a sigh. “But what if Tobes and I set you up with someone? Maybethere’s a nice, quiet dentist at his new clinic that you can corrupt?”

“No thanks. I’d take my chances with Romeo’s family over meeting another dentist like Ian any day.” Her eyes darted over the signs of Ian’s handiwork still bruised on my face. “Are you sure you’re okay?”

I reached across the table and grabbed Marnie’s hand. “I’m fine,” I reassured her. “Seriously. I made a dumb decision, and I’ve learned my lesson.”

“That’s not what I meant, and you know it.”

“I know.” I squeezed her hand before leaning back in the chair. “I had a session with Paula yesterday, and since Liam put me on a forced vacation, I’ve got plenty of time to go to an extra session later this week. And she’s given me the number for a crisis line if I…”

Have a breakdown. Get overwhelmed. Need to talk.

I gusted out a long breath. I’d been stuck in all those places more than once over the last few days. Letting myself feel the emotions instead of burying them under a stony face and a dismissive attitude had been more challenging than I could’ve imagined.

Luckily, Toby was always there, hovering and waiting patiently to help.Luckily. To think that a few months ago, I was ready to end our marriage, and now, I couldn’t imagine how I would’ve made it through this patch without him. All the hard work we’d put into rebuilding our relationship had been worth it.Tobywas worth it.

On the brink of a fresh wave of tears—not my first for the day—I couldn’t finish what I was going to say, so I forced a smile in Marnie’s direction instead.

She frowned. “I’m not buying it. Care to reconsider your answer, counselor?”

“I’m working on getting to fine,” I replied honestly.

“Anything I can do to help?”

“The silly midnight memes you send help. Oh, and invite me over for a girls’ night. Until we sort out a housing situation beyond hotels and crashing at Cat’s, I’m feeling slightly claustrophobic. There are a lot of people buzzing around me all the time.”

Marnie didn’t do roommates. She loved her own space, so I knew her smile was genuinely sympathetic. “Tobes must be dying of jealousy if there’s competition to be at your beck and call.”

“You know him too well.” I laughed. “You should’ve seen the daggers Elias got when he passed me the mashed potato at dinner last night. OnlyTobyis allowed to pass me the mashed potato.”

Marnie faked a shocked gasp. “Scandal!”

We both laughed. Some of the tension melted from my muscles, and I relaxed properly for the first time in days. The bustle of the café and listening to Marnie’s chatter about the pottery creations she’d dropped off for firing helped to turn my thoughts off.

When we were conspiring about how to sneak in a pedicure, a plate of pancakes and a coffee cup were dumped unceremoniously in front of me. Romeo was a black blur across the café.

“What the—?” Marnie gawked.

The furious click of heels charged for the table. With her chin hiked up, Kayleigh blazed toward us in her cropped palm-print blouse and palazzo pants. A red-faced man in a suit chased her through the door. Unbothered, she slid her designer sunglasses onto her head, hoisted her bag on her shoulder, and kept right on walking. She only skidded to a stop when Romeo and the suit wedged her between two tables with no escape.

My phone was already in my hand, punching in a quick message to Wayne after I shared my location.

Gwen

The socialite just crash-landed my brunch.

Wayne

Finally. Some action away from this desk. Give us five.

“Um, can you move, please?” Kayleigh snipped at Romeo. “I need to talk to Gwen.” She tried to elbow past him but growled with frustration when he sidestepped to block her. “Gwen.” Her head poked around his broad shoulders. “I need to talk to you.”

I wasn’t given a chance to answer.

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