From Bully To Beloved

Coltonshakes his head in disbelief. My heart sinks and my temper flares. “You didwhat?” I exclaim. Suddenly remembering where I am, I wince and look around. “Oh, my God.”

Daphne and one of the new girls are taking orders at another table, and they briefly glance my way. I give them an apologetic smile. It takes all my willpower not to send Justin a swift kick to the shins. There was a reason Coltonand I both agreed to keep this under wraps. Nobody was supposed to know! Since we’re going to get divorced in nineteen days anyway, it just makes things cleaner when fewer people know what’s happening. As far as I’m aware, Justin, Kelly…and, okay, now Marie too (okay, guilty!), are the only ones who know what the arrangement is. I know I sound like a Holy Willie, but my girls are my besties. They wouldn’t tell anyone. They’d take the secret to their graves. But this Osborn guy, he clearly isn’t inside Cal’s close circle of friends, or Justin wouldn’t seem so remorseful.

Cal, on the other hand, appears oddly undisturbed.Copyright Nôv/el/Dra/ma.Org.

“How did that even come up?” Coltonasks.

“It just sort of happened,” Justin explains. “We were talking about your grandmother, and they were offering their condolences. He mentioned his wife was thinking about trying to set you up with someone. I know how much you hate that shit and, given your current situation, I happened to mention Sera and that you’re no longer single, and then the next thing I knew the word ‘wife’ came flying out of my mouth.”

“Yeah, well, my foot is about to fly into your balls,” I threaten.

Justin immediately closes his legs and twists his lower half away from me. “Please don’t. Be careful with the goods. I still need them.”

“It’s fine, not a big deal,” Coltonfinally says with a shrug. “If they ask about it later, we’ll just say it didn’t work out.”

His nonchalant reply stings. I don’t know the Osborns and, if fortune smiles on me, I never will. Still, I don’t like it when someone else thinks I don’t have endurance. Because I do! Also, think of Coltonwhat you want, but anyone who’s met him knows he’s not the type of man who gives up easily, whether in business or his personal life.

“Yeah, about that,” Justin lowers his voice, his gaze on Cal. “Osborn mentioned that his wife sure would love to meet your new wife.”

“What?” I shriek. “No!”

“What did you tell him?”

“Nothing. I changed the subject.”

“See? No problem,” Coltonsays to me and shifts back to face Justin. “If it ever comes up again, just tell him my wife is out of town.”

“Okey-dokey.” Justin nods. “I can do that.”

“How can you be so chill about this?” I ask incredulously.

“It already happened. What do you want me to do? Go back in time and stop him?”

“Don’t be a smartass.” The number of times I have said that phrase in the last few days makes me think I should make a recording of it, so I can hit play whenever Coltonopens his mouth.

“YouknowI can’t help that.”

He’s probably right. What’s done is done. As worried as I am, I know Justin didn’t do it on purpose. I can’t be mad at him, and it does no one any good to pout about it. I shake my head and lean against the booth. “Please be careful, Justin. We don’t need everyone and their mother knowing our business.”

“I swear, it won’t happen again,” he promises.

“Sera, it’ll be fine,” Coltoninsists, flinging his arm around my shoulders. “Relax. Don’t worry about it.”

I sigh heavily and shake my head, pushing his arm off.

The kitchen door opens, and instead of Kelly emerging, Marie does, looking around wildly. Kelly follows a second later, trying to distract her. I know exactly why Marie hurried out of the back. Someone-not Kelly-probably told her I was taking lunch with friends, and she put two and two together.

“Hey there, gentlemen,” Marie says, approaching our table (despite Kelly’s almost desperate attempts to sidetrack her), all curious, making no effort whatsoever to hide the fact that she’s just out here to check out both men. “I heard that Sera was dining with a few friends. Any friends of Sera’s are friends of mine. I’m Marie, by the way, and this is my place.”

“Oh, so you’re ‘the cool boss’ my Sera can’t stop talking about,” Coltonsays, extending his hand toward her. “I’m Cal.”

MySera? Did he just call me his Sera? Why does that make my stomach flip-flop? Why do I like the sound of that? Oh, boy. Let’s unpack that later.

“Oh, soyou’reCal,” Marie says, eyebrows taking a hike up her forehead and hidinginsideher hairline. She takes his hand and shakes it before she looks over at Kelly. “Their lunch is on the house, Kelly. Make sure you update their slip.”

“Thanks, Marie, but that’s not necessary,” I tell her.

“Nonsense,” Marie says, patting my arm. “And don’t you go rushing through your lunch. Take all the time you need.” She gives me the sweetest smile. “Cool boss, huh?”

I can’t help but melt a little.

“Perfect,” Coltonsays, putting his arm around me again, causing all the butterflies to have a dance party in my stomach. “See, even Marie knows you need a break to loosen up.”

As she walks away, she mouths, “Oh, myLord,” and fans herself.

I only sigh and shake my head. It’s bad enough Kelly is drooling over these two, now Marie is too.

Traitors. Traitors, the both of them.