Lover (Court University 4)

I stiffened immediately.

And for obvious reasons.

I’d changed my name back to my maiden name following the divorce.

But hell, if this girl knew. Why did she know?

She bounced on her thongs. “It’s totally you. Oh my god. How are you even here right now?”

I shook my head, not really knowing what to say and she giggled.

She cuffed my arm. “My dad, hell, my whole family loves your husband. He was our favorite player back in the day.”

“Ex-husband,” I squeaked, and her face immediately fell.

“Yeah, I know,” she tsked, actually tsked, like it was a shame and not the relief it’d been to leave him. I guess that part of my life had been secret. She shook me. “We were all so sorry to hear about that. Still can’t believe that. You guys were married what?”

“Over ten years.” How was I even having this conversation right now?

You have to leave.

Fight or flight back in full blown action, and perhaps she knew, her face falling.

“You guys have been through so much,” she said. “It’s a shame you both didn’t stick together. Paparazzi suck. You’d think they’d learn after Princess Di.”

I swallowed.

“Anyway, can I get a picture? My family would just…” She made a motion like her head exploded, and I felt so outside of my body I allowed this girl to tug me over and snap a selfie with me.

Like I was a circus performer.

She placed a filter on us and everything, tapping a caption before popping it on social media in front of me. She giggled. “I’m low-key freaking out right now. Just… Ah! Thank you. This is great!”

“No problem.”

She pumped her little fist before asking for a hug. One I gave her.

Because I didn’t feel anything anymore.

My life literally flashed before my eyes.

After, she hugged her wine coolers again, her smile suddenly sad. “Hope you’re doing okay. I can’t imagine. Losing a baby….” She shook her head. “Alec must have been crushed.”

He sure had. Enough to wallow in his grief.

Enough to hurt me.

Enough to blame me for things that weren’t my fault, and I said nothing.

Just forced a smile.

It gave this girl, his fan, exactly what she needed. It made her go, and I was left with nothing but staring at a wine shelf. Eventually, I grabbed a bottle.

“There you are.”

An arm folded around me, a long arm and a snug embrace.

Ramses smiled when he hugged me back into him. He kissed me on the top of the head, holding me close before seeing what I grabbed.