Regretting The Wife He Threw Away

Once they stepped out of the ballroom, James immediately let go of her hand.

He tugged off his bow tie with a dramatic sigh.

"God, I'll never get used to dressing up like this. That bow tie was strangling me, you know?"

Briony looked at him with a fond smile, the way one might look at a younger brother.

"You reacted pretty quickly back there."

She'd only claimed James was her boyfriend on a whim, mostly because Barrie's gaze had become far too predatory for comfort.

"That Barrie guy is trouble, you could tell right away!" James scoffed, "I noticed the way he was looking at you even when you were giving your speech! Guy's a total creep. What, does he think those glasses hide what he really is? Please."

He added, almost spitting the words, "Honestly, the whole Lockwood family gives me the creeps."

Briony nodded in agreement.

"I was just surprised he knows Joe," she said, her expression turning serious. "I need to find some time to ask Joe how they met."

"Definitely," James said. "And you should warn him—not to get involved with Barrie, business or otherwise."

Briony nodded again.

They walked toward the elevators together.

It was late, and they'd already booked rooms upstairs; they planned to stay the night and head back to Northborough in the morning.

doors opened, Briony stepped in first,

time Stewart left the ballroom, the elevator doors had already

him,

with you? Barrie's still here. Get a

was staring at the closed elevator, his whole posture

"She's with James now..."

voice low. "Mr. Delaney's been at her side for over four years. Now she's divorced, it's only natural he'd finally have a

shoulders slumping as if

pitiful, the way despair seemed to drain the

her eyes at the

They booked two separate rooms for

shot her a look sharp enough to

rolled her eyes

Briony from

His lack of response said

"You're worse than a ghost

I don't

said, voice hoarse, eyes

with

can't control myself." But

and

to come back here, I'm not

a slow, steadying