hour, we started discussing fantasies. When Grace admitted she’d like a ménage, I realized it might be the perfect way to break the ice between her and Jamie.”
Ellie raised a disbelieving eyebrow. “Most friends suggest a guy give a woman chocolates or flowers to show how they feel. They don’t recommend wooing by ménage.”
Trey squeezed her hand. “Touché. You’re right. Unfortunately, back then, I was a bit of a horn dog and I had the hots for Grace myself.”
Grace rolled her eyes and said, “A bit?” at the same time, Ellie said, “Back then?”
Jamie laughed, the sound prompting a smile from Ellie, though Trey could see she was still uneasy.
“It was only one night, Ellie, I swear. In the morning, I got out of bed and Jamie stayed.”
Jamie raised Grace’s hand and kissed it. “I’m still there. Thank God.”
Ellie nodded. “I understand. And it’s not like I can be pissed off at you for something you did before we ever met. It just sort of took me by surprise.”
“I hope this doesn’t change things between us, Ellie,” Grace said. “I’ve come to value our friendship this year. More than I can say.”
Ellie smiled. “I feel the same way. Thanks for texting me tonight.”
Grace stood and looked at Jamie. “I think we should head home. Give these two some time alone.”
Trey suspected Ellie was still shaken by the news of their ménage, but he appreciated her kindness toward Grace. He cared about both women and he’d hate to think a one-night stand would ruin their growing friendship.
Jamie followed Grace’s lead, tossing some money on the table to cover their part of the bill. “We’ll see you two on Monday at school.”
They said their goodbyes and Trey prayed the next part of the conversation would go as smoothly. Unfortunately, his heart was pretty sure it wouldn’t.
“Trey,” Ellie began.
He shook his head, stopped her from speaking. “I know you’re still in love with Joel.”
Shocked permeated her features. “What? Are you crazy?”
Trey looked up to find her staring at him wide-eyed. “You’re not?”
“Holy shit, no. The guy’s an asshole. What on earth would make you think I still cared about him?”
“You got so upset when you saw him with Dawn this afternoon. I saw you, Ellie. You were fighting back tears.”
“Of humiliation. I didn’t like for you to see how stupid I’d been.”
Trey felt confused. “Stupid? You weren’t stupid.”
Ellie ran a hand through her hair. It was a nervous habit Trey had seen many times before. “Of course I was. He was cheating on me with my boss the whole time I was living in la-la land, planning a marriage and a future.”
“That’s Joel’s fault. Not yours.”
She shrugged. “Maybe.”
Trey gripped her shoulders, shaking her lightly. “No maybe about it.”
She grinned sadly. “Told you I have too much pride.”
“So you weren’t crying because you’re still in love with him?”
She shook her head. “Hell no. How come you never told me about your threesome with Grace and Jamie?”
Trey sighed. “It was just one night, Ellie. I started to bring it up a few times, but never found the words. I guess I was worried about how you would feel.”
She closed her eyes and Trey wished there was some way he could wipe away the sadness there. He hated seeing her so shaken, so upset. “I wouldn’t have freaked out, Trey, I swear. I know I blew up at Joel at school, in front of those students and parents, but I never would have jeopardized your reputation—or Grace’s and Jamie’s—that way.”
He scowled. She thought he’d kept it a secret because he was worried about her exposing him in public? “That’s not why I didn’t tell you, Ellie. Christ, baby. I know you’d never do something like that.”
She picked up a napkin from the table, twisting it in her hands. “But I have done something like that before and I nearly destroyed my career in the process. I made an ass of myself and I’m
Ellie raised a disbelieving eyebrow. “Most friends suggest a guy give a woman chocolates or flowers to show how they feel. They don’t recommend wooing by ménage.”
Trey squeezed her hand. “Touché. You’re right. Unfortunately, back then, I was a bit of a horn dog and I had the hots for Grace myself.”
Grace rolled her eyes and said, “A bit?” at the same time, Ellie said, “Back then?”
Jamie laughed, the sound prompting a smile from Ellie, though Trey could see she was still uneasy.
“It was only one night, Ellie, I swear. In the morning, I got out of bed and Jamie stayed.”
Jamie raised Grace’s hand and kissed it. “I’m still there. Thank God.”
Ellie nodded. “I understand. And it’s not like I can be pissed off at you for something you did before we ever met. It just sort of took me by surprise.”
“I hope this doesn’t change things between us, Ellie,” Grace said. “I’ve come to value our friendship this year. More than I can say.”
Ellie smiled. “I feel the same way. Thanks for texting me tonight.”
Grace stood and looked at Jamie. “I think we should head home. Give these two some time alone.”
Trey suspected Ellie was still shaken by the news of their ménage, but he appreciated her kindness toward Grace. He cared about both women and he’d hate to think a one-night stand would ruin their growing friendship.
Jamie followed Grace’s lead, tossing some money on the table to cover their part of the bill. “We’ll see you two on Monday at school.”
They said their goodbyes and Trey prayed the next part of the conversation would go as smoothly. Unfortunately, his heart was pretty sure it wouldn’t.
“Trey,” Ellie began.
He shook his head, stopped her from speaking. “I know you’re still in love with Joel.”
Shocked permeated her features. “What? Are you crazy?”
Trey looked up to find her staring at him wide-eyed. “You’re not?”
“Holy shit, no. The guy’s an asshole. What on earth would make you think I still cared about him?”
“You got so upset when you saw him with Dawn this afternoon. I saw you, Ellie. You were fighting back tears.”
“Of humiliation. I didn’t like for you to see how stupid I’d been.”
Trey felt confused. “Stupid? You weren’t stupid.”
Ellie ran a hand through her hair. It was a nervous habit Trey had seen many times before. “Of course I was. He was cheating on me with my boss the whole time I was living in la-la land, planning a marriage and a future.”
“That’s Joel’s fault. Not yours.”
She shrugged. “Maybe.”
Trey gripped her shoulders, shaking her lightly. “No maybe about it.”
She grinned sadly. “Told you I have too much pride.”
“So you weren’t crying because you’re still in love with him?”
She shook her head. “Hell no. How come you never told me about your threesome with Grace and Jamie?”
Trey sighed. “It was just one night, Ellie. I started to bring it up a few times, but never found the words. I guess I was worried about how you would feel.”
She closed her eyes and Trey wished there was some way he could wipe away the sadness there. He hated seeing her so shaken, so upset. “I wouldn’t have freaked out, Trey, I swear. I know I blew up at Joel at school, in front of those students and parents, but I never would have jeopardized your reputation—or Grace’s and Jamie’s—that way.”
He scowled. She thought he’d kept it a secret because he was worried about her exposing him in public? “That’s not why I didn’t tell you, Ellie. Christ, baby. I know you’d never do something like that.”
She picked up a napkin from the table, twisting it in her hands. “But I have done something like that before and I nearly destroyed my career in the process. I made an ass of myself and I’m
Similar Books
