Chapter 4

The moment he saw me, Nick's eyes shifted away. Selena caught the change and followed his line of sight, asking curiously, "Someone you know?"

Before Nick could speak, I walked over. "Hi. I'm Ella Gomez, Nick's ex-wife."

The air froze.

Selena blinked, then a knowing smile spread across her face. "So you're the ex-wife. You do look a bit like me. Nick, I see your taste hasn't changed after all these years."

The remark lodged like a splinter: small, but sharp enough to hit its mark.

"Since we all know each other now, let's have dinner together."

She said it casually, slipping her arm through Nick's, then seemed to reconsider and glanced at me. "We've been like this since we were kids. You don't mind, do you?"

Without waiting for my answer, she went on. "I remember back then, my parents were never home, so I used to share a bed with Nick..."

She grinned at me. "He still has a scar on his right butt cheek. A dog bit him when he climbed a tree to pick fruit for me. There was blood everywhere, and I was the one who put ointment on it. I still remember how soft that cute little butt was."

"Did you have to bring that up? They teased me about it for years..."

Nick did not seem the least bit bothered that she had shared something so intimate in front of me. If anything, he looked delighted.

Selena caught herself first and nudged Nick with her elbow. "Stop, Ella's going to get upset..."

I smiled, about to respond, but Nick cut me off. "She won't. Besides, that was ages ago. She wasn't even in the picture yet."

That offhand comment found the most vulnerable place in me and twisted.

Right. I wasn't in the picture yet.

In their decade-plus of shared history, I was nothing but an outsider.

I lowered my eyes, hiding the sting and the self-mockery.

While I stood there lost in thought, a strong arm suddenly circled my waist.

Ethan pulled me against his broad, warm chest in one possessive sweep.

"Ella, why are you looking at them? I'm right here."

I glanced up in surprise, wondering if this was really the Ethan I knew. I hadn't expected this commanding side of him.

And I kind of liked it.

"Weren't we going to eat? My treat today, to celebrate Ella's fresh start." Ethan's palm pressed firmly against my back as he turned and walked toward the restaurant.

Inside, the four of us sat together.

Selena ordered a few dishes, then Nick spoke to the server.

"No peanuts in any of the dishes. And bring her fresh-squeezed orange juice, no ice."

Selena shot me a small smile, then raised her hand. Nick immediately passed her a napkin.

The gesture was so practiced it didn't need words.

But I was allergic to peanuts too, and he always forgot.

I used to think he was just careless. Now I understood. It wasn't that he couldn't remember. It was that I wasn't worth the effort.

While I sat there lost in thought, a warm hand covered the back of mine.

"Don't you like the food here? If not, we can go somewhere else right now."

"It's fine."

The words had barely left my mouth before Ethan flagged the server. "Could we add the beef Wellington? Please swap the black pepper sauce for mushroom sauce. And bring her an iced honey-lemon tea."

I looked at Ethan in surprise. "How did you know I avoid black pepper and like my drinks cold?"

Ethan opened his mouth to answer, but before he could, a sharp crash cut through the moment.

Nick's water glass had hit the floor and shattered.

"Sorry." Nick's expression was dark as he got up and went to the restroom.

A moment later, my phone buzzed.

A message from Nick: Come out. I need to talk to you.