Total pages in book: 67
Estimated words: 61286 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 306(@200wpm)___ 245(@250wpm)___ 204(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 61286 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 306(@200wpm)___ 245(@250wpm)___ 204(@300wpm)
“Actually, I know her,” he admitted to his friend.
Hudson’s brows raised high. “And you’re still sitting here with me when you could be with someone like her for the night?” he asked incredulously. “I mean, if you’re not interested—”
“She’s married,” Tripp said pointedly, knowing that was one line his friend would never cross.
Hudson glanced back at Skye and stared at her for a moment before saying, “Are you sure about that? I don’t see a ring on her finger.”
Tripp turned his head back to Skye so quickly, he almost gave himself whiplash. He watched and waited for her to lift her left hand, and sure enough, it was completely bare, which really didn’t prove or disprove her marital status. But if Skye was Tripp’s wife, he knew for damn sure he’d make certain she wore her wedding ring while out at a bar without him so guys would think twice before hitting on her. So every man in the place would know she was his.
But she hadn’t been his in years. And now, at the age of thirty-six, he could honestly say that letting her go was one of the biggest regrets of his adult life—even if he believed he’d been doing the right thing at the time.
“So, how do you know her?” Hudson asked curiously.
He drank the last of his bourbon before replying. “We met while I was living in Boston and attending BU Med, and we dated for a few months.”
Six months, actually—far longer than he’d ever intended to let things go on with Skye. At the time, he’d been all about casual hook-ups and one night stands because of his intense work and school schedule, but one taste of Skye and he’d been addicted to everything about her.
“And you let a beautiful girl like her slip through your fingers?” Hudson shook his head in a disappointed manner. “That’s a damn shame.”
Tripp couldn’t disagree. “When we met, I was in the middle of my residency training in pediatric surgery and my schedule was insane,” he said, remembering the long days and even longer nights of studying, rotations, and grabbing sleep at the hospital whenever he could. “There was no room in my life for a committed relationship with any woman. And because I knew Skye wanted to get married and have kids, ending things with her was the right thing to do because I couldn’t make that promise.” It had also been one of the most painful things, because despite his no-strings-attached rule, he’d fallen in love with her.
Hudson nodded in understanding. “Been there, done that.”
“A few months after breaking things off, I saw on social media that she met a guy named Jack and within a year they were married,” he said, absently wiping away the condensation on his bourbon glass with his fingers, while trying not to remember the spear of jealousy he’d experienced at the time. “I’m sure that kids followed soon after.”
“You unfriended her?” he asked, sounding surprised that he didn’t know for sure.
“No. I probably should have,” he said with a small laugh, because he’d been way too obsessive about following a woman he’d broken up with. “She deactivated all her social media accounts right after she got married.” Which had been odd to him, knowing Skye was social and enjoyed her friends.
It had been hell for him, no longer having any contact or awareness about Skye and her activities, but also a relief. He no longer had to watch her life play out with another man.
Hudson sat back in his seat. “Look, why don’t you at least go over there and say hi. There’s nothing wrong with saying hello to an old friend. And maybe there’s a reason why she’s not wearing a ring.”
His friend had a point. If he discovered Skye was happy, he’d say hi and walk away. No way would he want to interfere with her life, even if his gut churned at the thought of finding out she was still married. However, if that ringless finger indicated that she was single again, well, as far as he was concerned, all bets were off.
“Better decide quick,” Hudson said, nodding toward the bar. “She and her friend are paying their tab and getting ready to leave. Who knows if you’ll run into her again.”
Without any more hesitation, Tripp stood and headed toward the bar, his heart hammering wildly in his chest, from the sheer anticipation of being in Skye’s space again. He caught up to her just as she slid off her stool and turned, promptly bumping into him. She sucked in a startled breath, and when she faltered on her heels, he reached out and grabbed her arms to steady her.
He registered two things immediately. The way her entire body tensed when he touched her, and the fact that she stared at his chest, as though she feared making eye contact with whoever she’d walked into.