“Anyone who sees you and Bennett together and knows you understands it’s nothing but affection and friendship.” She stopped, and her lips twitched a little. “Anyone who’s seeing clearly.”

“You’ll forgive me if I don’t find this as amusing as you seem to.”

“I can’t help but be pleased Alexander is involved with someone I respect and care for.”

“We’re not involved.”

“Hmmm.”

“Don’t say hmmm—you remind me of Chris.”

“Good, that means you’ll think of me as a sister and listen to some advice.”

It was Eve’s turn to be amused. “Chris would be the first to tell you I rarely do.”

“Then make an exception. Eve, I know how it is to have feelings for someone who seems totally wrong for you.”

“I never said I had feelings,” she said slowly. “But suppose, for the sake of argument, I did. Alexander is totally wrong for me. Moreover, I’m wrong for him. I have a career, one that’s important to me. I have ties to another country. I like to do things when and how I choose to without deliberating how it might look to the press. I’ve never dealt well with rules, which I proved by doing miserably in school. Alexander lives by rules. He has to.”

“True.” Gabriella nodded as she sipped her coffee. “You know, Eve, your arguments are perfectly valid.”

“They are?” There was a little sinking sensation in her stomach. She braced against it and spoke more firmly. “Yes, they are.”

“I said I understood and I do. With the man I had feelings for, the arguments were almost identical and just as valid.”

Eve poured more coffee. It seemed as though she were living on caffeine, she thought. “What did you do?”

“I married him.”

Eve fought back a smile and plopped on the edge of her desk. “Thanks a lot.”

Gabriella set her coffee aside, noting that Eve had drunk three to her one. And coffee, she thought, wasn’t going to soothe her friend’s nerves. Love made wrecks of people no matter how strong they professed to be. It hadn’t been so long ago that she’d been in the turmoil of needing to love and being afraid to.

“Do you love Alex?”

Love. The most potent four-letter word. Denying it would be easy. Honesty took more of an effort. Eve felt Gabriella deserved the truth. “I haven’t let myself think of it.”

“Thinking has little to do with loving. But I’m not going to pressure you anymore.”

Affection coursed through her as she leaned over to touch Gabriella’s hand. “Brie, you could never pressure me.”