"How are your studies going?"
Our conversation had been flowing freely and wasn’t as awkward or stilted as the last time we attempted a romantic dinner. We seemed to have reached an impasse in our relationship, and we proceeded to do what we did best—carry on as usual and presume everything was fine. It was our thing. Whenever a bump in our marriage arose, we would flail for purchase in an attempt to navigate anything that threatened to rub our neatly smoothed shine. Once the issue had been neutralised, we simply carried on.
"It's going well. It's hard, of course, but I'm learning a lot. I'm really enjoying my volunteer work," I shared as I cut into a tender piece of chicken. "Especially when they let me observe procedures."
His eyes crinkled as he sat back and watched me eat. "I'm glad to hear that." At my look of surprise, he flashed me a wry grin. "I know you do not think I care about your work and your studies, but I do. I'm very proud of you."
I stared down at my almost empty plate as I let his praise wash over me. I never knew how he truly felt about my studies. He'd seemed affronted at first that my attention would be split and then indifferent. I didn't think I needed it, but hearing his words of pride felt like the sun after a storm.
"Thank you," I murmured.
He inclined his head in acknowledgement before picking up his cutlery. For a while, the scrape of our knives and forks hitting our plates was the only sound that filled the still night air. Francesca popped in and out, ensuring our glasses were full and our dinner courses were up to par.
Once she cleared our mains, she quickly scurried away with the promise of dessert not too far behind.
I sighed tiredly as I leaned back in my chair. It had been an early start today, and travelling always knocked me out. Despite my earlier nap, I was ready to hit the hay again.
"Are you the only volunteer at the pet shelter?" Alessio suddenly asked. "Or is it a class placement thing?"
I slowly slid my hands out of my hair, where I had been in the process of gathering the locks to tie away. My stomach hollowed out at his words, and I could feel the blood drain from my face. "You…don't know?"
His brow raised in question, and I swallowed thickly.
"Archie volunteers with me."
His face stilled, his expression immobile as he watched me through eyes that had grown impossibly darker. For a breathless second, he simply stared blankly at me, his eyes still unreadable. Finally, he came out of his trance.
"I'll have him moved." He took a long sip of his water.
I let out an exasperated sigh. "You can't just throw your money at every problem."
The glass landed back on the table with a hard thud. "Ishe still a problem?"
I lifted my chin. "What are you asking?"
His hand tightened around his water glass before his fingers flexed and loosened again. "Are you still sleeping with him?" His low voice held a dangerous lilt of warning.
"After your blackmail?" I bit out. "No."
Tense anger licked along the edges of our exchange. The next bump in our road was careening towards us when we'd barely cleared the last.
"What?" I asked, and his eyes fell away, his jaw pulsing with restraint.
"Does that mean without my…interference…you would still be with him?"
Now it was my turn for my eyes to flit away. I could answer that, but Alessio did not deserve the truth. Despite the desire to rid this barrier in our path, a part of me—the part that was still so bitter at his actions—wanted to pay him back in kind.
"Right."
I exhaled and refilled my water glass. "Don't move Archie," I gritted out. "He loves it there, and I can easily find another shelter to volunteer at."
A forlorn expression washed over his features before his mask of stoicism returned. "You care for him."
I shook my head. "He's brilliant and will make an excellent veterinary surgeon. But he doesn't deserve to be caught up in the games of bored, rich people."
His brow furrowed, and he pushed back in his seat. "Is that what you think this is?"
The sound of the patio doors closing broke the heaviness of our conversation, and I was thankful not to be put on the spot. Our plates were collected, and a dessert of Tiramisu, tea, and coffee was placed before us.
