My mind refused to calm down, which led to another terrible night of sleep, and now exhaustion was tearing at me. Sitting in front of my computer, I tried focusing on the work I needed to finish, but it was almost impossible. All I could think about was the awkward dinner from the night before. When Kael and I got home, I had gone straight to bed early, but all night long I tossed and turned while replaying every moment in my head.
I believed I could handle being around Orion again. I was an adult now, a mother, and I thought I should be able to ignore old frustrations and painful feelings. I had spent the entire day mentally preparing myself for that dinner. By the time we arrived at his house, I honestly thought I was ready.
But every bit of preparation disappeared the second Orion ope
