Free Only In Dreams (Stubborn Love Series) by Wendy Owens Page B

swallow, I take a sip of the coffee in front of me, then moan in delight. “Oh my God, that is crazy good!”
    “Told you.”
    “I’m going to get so fat by my wedding.”
    “Somehow I doubt that. Now spill it. Where did you go to dinner last night?”
    “Why do you want to know so bad?” I ask, delighting in her torture at this point.
    “I don’t have a ton of girlfriends I get to dish with down here. Can’t you throw me a bone or something? I mean Jesus, it’s spit up and dirty diapers all day long. I could—” She’s getting heated.
    “All right, all right, I’m just messing with you. Careful before you start lactating. He took me to Roadhouse.”
    “Mmm …” Emmie moans. “I love their portabella burger.”
    “That’s what I got! And dear God, those sweet potato fries? That place just isn’t right,” I say. “And I go back to my original statement that I am going to be so fucking fat by the wedding.”
    I see Emmie flinch, and then realize my use of curse words in front of Olivia. “Sorry.”
    “Was it weird?” Emmie continues, ignoring my apology.
    I think about her question for a minute. “Honestly, no. It was like old times—well, not exactly like old times.”
    “So you only went to dinner?”
    “Yeah, we ended up staying until they closed. He was really curious about Henry, and when I talked about him he didn’t get weird at all. I would have never thought we could be friends again, but apparently it’s possible.”
    “Did he talk about you guys at all?”
    “Not really. It was more catching up on what’s happened over the past four years. I was glad to hear he seems to have conquered the drinking again.” Then, before I thought about it I ask, “Why wouldn’t you have told me?”
    “Huh?” Emmie grunts in confusion.
    “Why didn’t you tell me he’d stopped drinking? He seems to really have his shit together.” I wince, the curse word slipping past my lips again.
    But this time Emmie doesn’t seem upset, as she is focusing on my question. “Why would I have told you?”
    “Because it’s Christian,” I answer quickly, slightly annoyed she would think I wouldn't care.
    “You were moving in with Henry when Christian came back.”
    “So …” I still don’t understand her reasoning.
    “The best way for a new relationship to work is to leave old ones in the past.” Emmie’s words feel sharp, and my defenses go up.
    “I still care for him. I can’t believe you’d think I wouldn’t want to know. I’m a little hurt.”
    “Are you sure that’s why you’re upset?”
    “What’s that supposed to mean?” I demand, pushing my mug away and fixing my eyes on Emmie’s face.
    “Why are you flipping out on me?” Emmie asks, increasing the pace at which she is bouncing Olivia on her knee.
    “I’m not flipping out,” I correct her, making sure my tone was in check. “I just don’t get why you would think I wouldn’t want to know that Christian got his life back on track. We were together since we were kids. Just because we’re not together anymore, doesn’t mean I don’t care.”
    “Look, Ashton haunted my relationship with Colin for the longest time. I just didn’t want you to have the same baggage with Henry,” Emmie explains, her voice shaking. Even though the conversation is clearly upsetting her, I am too angry to care.
    “Christian wasn’t my husband, and he wasn’t a bastard who killed himself!” I snarl, without thinking my words through.
    “No, but he was someone you still loved when you broke up. And just because I wanted to leave Ashton when he killed himself, didn’t mean I didn’t still love him when he—” She stops herself. “Forget it. I guess I should have told you.”
    “I don’t have feelings for Christian.” I’m not sure if I’m telling Emmie or myself.
    “Good.”
    “I love Henry, and we’re going to get married,” I add.
    “I’m glad.”
    Suddenly, my phone begins to vibrate in the pocket of my robe. Pulling it