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to run into each other. We still have a lot of the same
friends. You should feel comfortable going and doing whatever you
want. Don’t worry about me. I’ll be okay.”
    “ Cool,” he said with a
small smile, his dimples flashing. “I’m glad to hear you say that.
I know I ended things badly Bree, but, shit I was just a kid. I’m
sorry.”
    Briana looked out over the water. “Look,
Colin, I know we’ll run into each other, but that doesn’t mean that
I want to rehash everything that happened four years ago. I’m not
ready to be your buddy.”
    With that said she stood up to leave. As she
walked down to the water she heard him say, “I’ve really missed
you.”
    She ran and dove in, trying to swim as far
away from him and his damned words as she could.
     

Chapter Seven
     
    Briana was sitting on the couch, drinking
coffee and watching E! News the next morning, when Rich poked his
head out of Kara’s bedroom.
    “ Walk of shame, Rich?”
Briana asked with a chuckle, not looking away from the
TV.
    “ Shit. I was hoping you’d
still be asleep, Bree.”
    “ No such luck,
Romeo.”
    He walked out with his pants slung around
his hips, still unbuttoned, and his shirt in his hand. Briana
looked back briefly and turned away when she saw his six pack
rippling and started to inadvertently follow his happy trail with
her eyes.
    “ Can you put your shirt
on?” she pleaded.
    He smiled at that and cocked his head to the
side as he strolled over to her.
    “ What is it, baby? See
something you like?” Rich could flirt in any situation, no matter
how awkward or inappropriate. It was part of his charm.
    “ Been there, done that,”
she retorted.
    He sat down next to her on the couch, his
cocky smile gone, a serious look in its place.
    “ About that. You never said
anything to Colin, did you?”
    “ No. I haven’t talked to
him in four years, Rich. When would it have come up?”
    “ I don’t know, but I never
told him, either. I don’t know if we should.”
    “ Rich, I doubt it would
ever enter a conversation, but if it does, I won’t lie to him,” she
said, looking him in the eye. “It shouldn’t matter to him, anyway.
Don’t worry about it.”
    He looked unsure for a minute, then glanced
back towards Kara’s door.
    “ Does she know?” he
asked.
    “ Yeah, she knows. She knew
before she met you.” Briana replied. “It’s no big deal, Rich.
Seriously, stop worrying.”
    “ Alright,” he said finally,
then looked back at her, his cocky grin back in place. “You know
I’ll always love you, right, Babe?”
    Briana smiled back, but her
look turned serious. “I know that, Richie. I’ll always love you
too. You’re one of my best friends.” She leaned in to give him a
hug, then realized he still didn’t have his shirt on. “I appreciate
the fact that you work out and your body is awesome , but can you please put your
shirt on? It’s hard to concentrate.”
    Rich looked pleased at that. He stood up to
go into the kitchen for coffee, throwing his shirt over his head
along the way.
    Kara came stumbling out moments late and
grunted at Briana on her way to get some coffee.
    “ You’d better have left me
some coffee,” she grumbled at Rich.
    “ Dang, girl, you’re lookin’
rough.” Rich stated with a laugh, running out of the kitchen to
avoid Kara’s wrath.
    “ Shove it, Rich,” was
Kara’s reply. She walked in holding the warm cup up to her face
inhaling briefly, before taking her first sip. “Don’t mess with me
before I’ve had my coffee.”
    “ Noted,” he replied, as he
sat back down on the couch with his mug.
    “ So, ladies, what’s on your
agenda today?”
    Kara was still waiting for the coffee to
take effect and didn’t reply, so Briana answered.
    “ Nothing much. I’m off
today, so I’m planning to lie out in the sun and read. But Kara has
to work.”
    “ Yeah, me too. I’ll be
serving up some delicious treats at The General Store if you guys
want to stop by,” he offered