Page 32 of Shattered Love
Avery
I watch Dominic,Carter, and Mac mess about in the garden.
Ever since feeling our daughter, he has changed. There is lightness about him that never existed before. It’s like the storm clouds have finally disappeared and there is nothing but clear blue skies. His eyes shine bright, his smile easier. His laughter is deeper. The chains he wore around his soul are broken and he’s free of the darkness of his past.
I push open the door. “I’m going meet Molly.”
Carter smirks. “Tell my wife not to burn my card out.”
I laugh, holding my hands up in the air in mock surrender. “I’m not getting between Molly and a pair of shoes. She actually tackled that poor woman.”
Dominic bursts out laughing with everyone else. Carter and Mac’s head turn at the deep sound.
But as always, his eyes are searching mine. A smile making him looking even more handsome pulls at his lips when he sees what he’s looking for.
He threads his fingers through my dark hair, pulling me toward his mouth, our lips inches apart.
“Mine,” he whispers against my lips before claiming them as his.
* * *
I am meeting Mollyin a little restaurant called Flamingo. It’s a lovely little brunch place that we found a couple of months back. The decoration is airy and light, white walls with gold mirrors and light pink furnishings. The fact that they sold pink champagne with lunch made it Molly’s favorite place.
I’m already sitting down when a fussed Molly comes through the doors. She smiles as she races over to me, apologizing as she bumps into people along the way. I hide my smirk as she grabs me for a hug.
“I’m so sorry. My ass of a boss tried sending an email to a certain female employee, only it went to nearly all our contacts.”
My eyes widen before I burst out laughing. “Please tell me it was something embarrassing.”
Molly’s boss was an arrogant man. From what Molly had told us.
Molly smirked. “Him, naked. I’m finally free of Mr. Grabs-a-lot.”
He also liked to touch women, but he only tried once with Molly. He played it off as a mistake and Molly stood on his foot in her five-inch stilettos while smiling sweetly as she told him it wasn’t a mistake. Molly was full of energy today as she rambled on. I had lost my train of thought about five minutes ago, everything seeming to blur together, but her enthusiasm as she speaks makes me smile.
“It’s a shame Cecelia can’t join us. So, what’s Brax like?”
I frown as I place my fork down, Molly didn’t keep it quiet that she thought Cecelia was being walked over. “I’ve never met him.”
Her eyes widen. “What, never?”
I shake my head. “No, he’s never been down. He didn’t even come to our wedding.”
Molly had become close with Cecelia in the last few weeks. We made an unlikely trio but we fit like jigsaw pieces. I couldn’t imagine my life without them now.
“What a corncake.”
I snort as a few people turn around, frowning at Molly.
“I used to think that, but when Cecelia talks about him, her smiles are brighter.” I can’t shake the feeling that Cecelia isn’t telling me something.
“Something isn’t right.”
Molly’s scowl deepens. “You think he’s hurting her?”
I swing my head toward her. “She’s one of my best friends. You think I would let her go off if I thought for one second that he would hurt her?”
She has the decency to look embarrassed. As she fidgets before grabbing my hand, she apologizes. “No, I’m sorry, Avery. You're an amazing friend.”
