Sterling walks into the living room behind me, and the scent of his aftershave fills the air as he tosses his jacket onto the back of the chair to my left. I turn to look at him, noticing that his usually warm blue eyes are dark and troubled.
“Sterling?”
He swoops in, claiming my lips in a searing kiss that sets my pulse racing.
“What is it?” I whisper as he cups my face and kisses me again, the taste of brandy on his tongue.
“Lavinia came to see me,” he says, his lips traveling to my neck and delivering lingering kisses. “God, I missed you.” He inhales deeply like he needs the scent of me to ground him.
“Was she coming to…” I swallow, not wanting to think about that night. “Was she coming in the hope something would happen between you both?”
He rests his forehead against mine.
“No. She came to ask me if I knew what I was doing, getting married again to a woman twenty years younger than me.”
I search his eyes, waiting for the punchline.
But it’s not a joke.
“What?” I scoff. “But she was the one who defended you to that guy she was with at Sullivan’s party.”
“I know.” He runs his thumbs over my cheeks softly and looks into my eyes. “I don’t think she has a problem with me moving on. But she wanted it to be with her.”
I place my hands over his wrists, cupping them and keeping his palms wrapped around my face, needing his touch as much as he needs mine.
“I knew she had feelings for you, but… she actually said that? She threw our age difference in your face?”
He sighs. “That’s not all. She admitted to searching out Neil online.”
“What?”
“She said she did it to test Elaina. Hoping she’d either get scared and stop thinking about him, or that we’d break up, and that she could… that we might…” His eyes pinch as tension flows off him in waves.
“She thought she could love you better than Elaina did,” I finish for him.
He exhales heavily and I press my lips to his in a soft kiss.
“She had just lost her husband. I’m not excusing her behavior, not for one second. But you said it yourself, we do some stupid things when we’re grieving.”
“You’re amazing.” He tries to smile but it doesn’t reach his eyes. There’s a weariness in them that makes my heart sink. “You always try to see the best in people, Hallie. It’s one of the infinite things I love about you.”
“Her world had just collapsed. Do you think she regretted it, but it was already too late once she told Elaina where to find him?” I ask, wishing that’s the case. Sterling’s been betrayed enough already.
“No,” he says softly. “She knew exactly what she was doing. She’s the one who made first contact. She sent him a message, posing as Elaina.”
“No,” I gasp.
“Yes.”
I look back at him, pain lancing through my chest at how after everything, he’s still getting hit with more hurt. More betrayal.
“I don’t understand. Why would she even...? And she thought you and her could have a future together after that?”
“I doubt she ever planned to tell me. I think hearing about our engagement is what brought it out. The way she was when I saw her earlier was nothing like the person I thought she was. She was vicious and spiteful, trying to make me doubt what you and I have. I told her to get the hell out.”
Unease curls up my spine.
“What exactly did she say?”
