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already been sent.”
    Karise guessed she shouldn’t be surprised that his first concern was invitations. “For what we pay her, the wedding planner can un-send them.”
    “What will people think?”
    “That it’s better to find out now than two months from now?” She wanted to scream.
    “What about work?”
    “I don’t know,” Karise admitted. “I get it. I know it’s your dad’s company; I’ll leave quietly. Maybe I’ll ask Devon for a job when I see him at lunch.”
    “You’re that desperate to be rid of me?” Hurt l aced his voice, causing a flash of sympathy to replace Karise’s ire.
    “No. I’m that desperate to figure out where I’m supposed to be.”
    “And you’re certain you can’t try to figure that out with me?” He persisted.
    “I lose myself in us.” Karise didn’t know she meant the words until they came out. As soon as they had, she knew that was the true root of her discontent.
    Those words hung in the air between them.
    Something ugly descended over William’s handsome features. “Why now? Is it the guy? He wasn’t the only one looking; don’t think I didn’t notice.”
    “He wasn’t the cause. Just a symptom.”
    “So there is something there.”
    “No. Yes. No. I mean, I did kiss him, but I don’t know him. Wow, that sounds really bad.”
    “You kissed him?” Karise had never heard William roar before. She hadn’t realized he was capable of it. “When? At the gallery?”
    “No.” Karise felt very small as she uttered the next words. “In his hotel room this morning. But that sounds so much worse than it is.”
    “I don’t think I want to know.”
    “I locked myself out last night when I went for a walk. We bumped into each other on the street. I didn’t want to wake you up.”
    “So you went to a complete and total stranger’s i nstead of calling me?”
    She folded her arms and leaned back against the counter. “You’re yelling.”
    “Of course I’m yelling.”
    “Doesn’t it say anything to you that I thought my better option was the stranger? Am I the only one who thinks that’s a problem?”
    The conversation went round and round until Karise realized that no matter what she said, William wasn’t going to understand she wasn’t leaving him for or because of Aidan. She was leaving him because they didn’t fit – though he didn’t need to know Aidan was the one to first make that observation. So she handed him back his ring with one last apology and a promise she’d be back that evening to pick up her things.
    Lunch with Devon was still an hour away, but Karise couldn’t bear being in the apartment. She killed time by wandering around Boston Commons, allowing the sunshine and crisp air to soothe her troubled spirit. Her life had done a complete 180 in the past 24 hours, and she was struggling to process it all.
    Despite her resistance to claiming him, Karise had to admit she was relieved to see Devon seated and waiting on her when she arrived at Charlie’s Sandwich Shoppe for their date. When she neared, he rose to greet her with a warm hug. Karise surprised herself by responding with equal warmth.
    “Marriage is agreeing with you, Devon. You look more handsome than ever, and I didn’t know that was possible.” It wasn’t flattery; Karise meant every word. He was a ridiculously handsome man with a ready smile and a good heart. If she were to acknowledge a brother, he was a good one to have.
    “I wish I could say the same for you.” He eyed her as t hey sat down.
    Karise frowned. “That hit me where I live.”
    “That’s not what I meant. You’re as lovely as ever, but you look troubled. What’s wrong?”
    “No pleasantries first?” Karise grasped. She wasn’t ready to say it out loud.
    “Of course. Pleasantries it is. How’s William?”
    “Damn it, Devon.”
    “Wrong pleasantry?”
    “I broke off the engagement.”Karise motioned to the waitress for some coffee.
    “When?”
    “An hour ago?”
    Devon leaned back, her