a smile. “I’ll make sure she celebrates.”
“Thank you, seriously,” Liv continued. “And tell her to call me when she can. I tried her before I rang you, but she didn’t pick up. Her ex stopped by the apartment concierge to drop off something that she’d left at his place, and I overheard him, so I stopped to pick up her stuff. He asked me to pass on a message.”
At the mention of Cora’s ex, Trent’s muscles froze. “What did he say?”
“To call him. I got the impression he regretted ending things.” She shook her head in disgust. “Honestly, after he told me what happened… God, no wonder she wants a break. Her parents sound horrific. Imagine your parent coming on to your partner in public!”
“That’s what happened?” Cora had told him about her mother interfering and causing tension between her and her ex, but that particular detail had been left out of the story.
“Her ex broke it off after Cora’s mother tried to kiss him. She got drunk and propositioned him, Trent. For sex. I can’t even…”
“That’s fucked up.”
“Right? Anyway, I’ve got to run.” Her eyes darted offscreen, something snagging her attention. “Can you keep an eye out for Cora? I’ve been worried about her.”
“Of course.”
“Thanks, Trent.”
His sister disconnected the call. Trent leaned against the wall, agitation flowing through his bloodstream. Her ex regretted ending things…
It was none of his business. None at all. And yet that didn’t stop the sinking sensation deep in the pit of his stomach that told him he was in all kinds of trouble. Because the only reason something like that would bother him was if he didn’t want to lose Cora. But how could you lose a person you didn’t have in the first place?
This whole thing shouldn’t involve feelings of jealousy, and that was most definitely what he was feeling right now.
“Were you talking about me?”
Cora’s voice snapped Trent’s head up, and he caught sight of her standing at the end of the hallway. The disappointed expression on her face was beaten only by the sad tone of her voice.
“Liv called…” he said. “She was worried about you, that’s all.”
“I’ve been gossiped about my whole life, you know.” Her lips pressed into a flat line. “And yes, my fiancé left me because my mother has a need for attention that’s so deep-seated, she’ll crush anyone around her to get it.”
The words were like a blade over his heart, the pain in her voice like fingers digging into his skin. Nobody should have a parent make them feel like that. But he knew what it was like, to be betrayed.
To feel like you were less than.
“If your fiancé left because he wasn’t man enough to stand up to her, then that’s on him,” Trent said bluntly. “Not on you.”
“It wasn’t just that.” She shook her head. “I thought at the time it was all my mother’s fault, but in reality…he and I weren’t a good match. I don’t think he ever saw what I was capable of. In some ways, I wonder if he liked that I was a bit damaged. He wanted a project, only he got frustrated when I didn’t turn out the way he wanted me to after all that polishing.”
“You’re not a fixer-upper, Cora.” He walked toward her, unable to stop himself even though he knew he was standing on a cliff’s edge. “You’re a beautiful, perfect caterpillar.”
She ducked her head, cheeks pink and smile burgeoning. “And you’re going to give me a big head.”
“Good. Someone should.” He pulled her to him, wrapping his arms around her shoulders and holding her tight. “He was looking for you.”
“Alex?” She tipped her face up.
Trent nodded. “Apparently he regrets ending things.”
There was a tightness to his voice, though he tried to hide it. Jealousy wasn’t an emotion that he actively engaged—in his mind, being jealous was useless. There would always be someone faster/better/smarter/more. Trent didn’t need to be number one the way Nick did. In fact, he was pretty sure being number two was even better—most of the glory, way less work.
But right now, being number two behind Cora’s ex felt like last fucking place. Would she go back to him? Pick up the phone in the hopes of reconciliation? Was Alex like the fancy, big-city guy his ex had craved? The one she’d cheated with?
“He ended things,” she clarified. “But I owe him for that.”
“You think?”
Cora stared up at him, eyes wide as the open ocean. He could stare into that icy