Yeah. Shit. I figured this would come up, and for the first time since I’d agreed to this, I faltered. I swallowed down a gulp of beer to wash away the thickness in my throat whenever her name came up.

Hell, my parents had called me a few weeks ago and quietly, and reluctantly, told me they received her wedding invitation taking place in November. I’d already known about the wedding, but hearing my parents were invited was a stab to the gut I hadn’t expected, even if I knew they’d stayed friends with Ava’s parents.

She was doing it. Getting remarried. Moving on from me permanently.

“I promised myself after Ava left me I would never get married again. And you have to know that if we were to do this, I can make you two promises. The first is that as soon as you want out, we’ll do it. We can live separate lives for this, you can stay here, or you can move out. I’m sure that we’ll have to be seen together to make it look legit, at least for as long as Lincoln and his dad don’t believe it or whatever. But as soon as you feel safe enough and you want your own life, then we’ll sign the papers, we’ll hug it out and we’ll go our separate ways.”

I had no idea how it was possible I was talking about marriage and divorce so easily. I reminded myself again that this had nothing to do with my life, or a lifetime commitment to someone. This was a short-term commitment for completely different reasons.

“Okay…” Emmersyn said. “What’s your second promise?”

This one was easy. Still, my grip on my beer tightened. I made sure to look her in the eye, forced myself to not get lost in those huge swirls of green or examine any areas of her I was finding myself attracted to.

This was carnal attraction.

Nothing more.

“I will never love you. Ever.”

Her eyes widened and she blinked away the surprise. “I’m not asking you to love me. I don’t even want that. Hell, I’m still not even sure this is a good idea.”

“I know. But if you do stay here, things could get… tricky… maybe. Maybe not, who knows. But being totally upfront with you, I’ll keep my hands to myself. I’ll take care of you in any way you need help getting a new life set up. Hell, I could even become a friend to you like Heather is. But love? I will never fall again.”

Understanding registered. Must have been the grit in my voice. “You still love Ava.”

“She’s the only woman I’ll ever love.”

“Wow. That’s…”

“It is what it is.” I shrugged and acted like it was no big deal when I’d just bared myself more to an almost stranger, and maybe future wife, than I had anyone since the day I came home to a four thousand square foot home devoid of everything Ava. It was so empty, I knew she was gone the moment I opened the front door.