"How does he know he's better without you? Have you talked to him?"

"No. But he hasn't tried to find me. You said yourself he hasn't called you. He hasn't called Tripp. Nothing. I did what he wanted. Deep down he wanted this and he got it. So, I have to figure out how to live. That was my ultimate goal, anyway."

Braden pulled her legs underneath her as she sat down beside me. "You have a really hot biker dude helping you out," she said.

"I heard that," Kent called from the hallway.

Braden giggled and rolled her eyes. "Seriously. He seems nice. You aren't bonding with him? I mean, you're with him every day and night."

"I gave my soul to Woods. He'll always have it."

Braden sighed and nodded her head. "Yeah, I understand that."

"Glad I got your soul, Braden, because I'm not sure I can beat that biker dude's ass. He's thin but tall, and that type's always hiding muscles under his clothes that you don't see coming," Kent said as he walked into the room holding two mugs of coffee.

Braden laughed and I managed a smile. I could attest to Tripp's muscles. I spent my days with my chest pressed to his back and my arms wrapped around him. He had muscles all right. Lots of them. He also had tattoos, which had surprised me. I could see the wealthy, elite Rosemary in him at times, but he tried too hard to cover it with tats and swagger.

"Stop being jealous. Nothing is sexier than you in a suit and tie. That short blond hair and tanned skin. I know what I got and I'm not looking for another," Braden said as Kent bent down to kiss her and give her one of the mugs.

I didn't want to witness this kind of affection right now. At least with Tripp I knew it was cheap sex he was getting. The romance was a little too much.

Braden read my mind. She was good at that. "Go on and let us girls talk. We need time," she told him, giving him a look that I knew he'd understand. I didn't say anything. I needed him to go. No more touchy-feely.

"Sorry about that. I wasn't thinking," she said as he left the room.

"It's okay. I will have to learn to deal with that the rest of my life. Might as well get used to it now. Couples are everywhere."

Braden reached over and grabbed my hand. "You will find your happiness. I think you're wrong about Woods but I've told you that. He loves you. I know he does. I remember the madman who came chasing after you just a few months ago. He adores you. I hate to see you let that go."

How could I keep it? "I couldn't stay. He was tired of my craziness. I heard him say it. He doesn't know I heard him, but I did. He was talking to Jace about how hard it was to deal with me. He was tired of it."

"What! I don't believe that. You must've misunderstood him. I can't see Woods ever saying that. And let me tell you, if he did I will cut him. Cut. Him. You hear me?" She was already getting worked up. I should have kept that to myself. I knew that would send her into a blind rage.

"What did he say exactly?" she asked, setting her cup down and studying me for any sign of a lie.

"It was a conversation, really. I can't remember exactly."

"Bullshit. It is etched into that brain of yours and you know exactly what was said, word for word. Spill it."

She wouldn't give in until I told her.

"I was at the club and I was looking for Woods. I decided to take the stairs instead of the elevator, so I stepped into the stairwell and I heard him talking. I didn't want to eavesdrop but I heard Jace saying that he didn't know how Woods had dealt with the crazy as long as he had."

"And what did Woods do? Please tell me he shoved his fist up his nose."

I shook my head and let the numbness ease me. I couldn't think about what I was saying. "He said it was what he had to do. That he couldn't let me be alone but it was affecting his work." I stopped and swallowed, then looked down at my hands. Anywhere but at Braden. "He said that at least when Angelina was there, she helped." That part hurt the worst. Hearing him say that someone like her was easier. That she was what he needed. Not someone like me. The crazy one.

"Maybe he wasn't talking about you. Isn't his momma a loony bitch?"

"No. She's just mean," I explained. There was more. Jace had said more. "Jace said that Woods needed to get his ass away from the insane shit. He had a corporation to run. He then said . . . that Woods dropping what he was doing to deal with my batshit crazy episodes wasn't fair. That he needed to fix the problem."

"Woods better have beat his ass then," Braden said, her face turning red.

I should've changed the subject so I could calm her down. But I needed her to understand that I had left Woods for him. This was what he wanted. He just didn't know how to ask for it. "Woods said he couldn't. Then he asked how he would do that."

Braden shook her head, her eyes wide with disbelief. "That just doesn't sound right. That isn't the same man I talked to . . . that I talked to back when he came to get you a few months ago."

"No. It's the man who had the responsibility of a country club and his mother laid on his shoulders overnight. He has real problems and concerns. I'm more than he can handle now."

Braden kept shaking her head. It would take her a while to process all of this. I hadn't told Tripp about that conversation. I hadn't wanted to talk about it. He hadn't pressed me the way Braden had, either.