"Okay?" His face stays edged, waiting for more explanations.
Is that sweat running down my knees? Yeah, pretty sure it is. That was fast.
I notice André is silently watching us from the reception desk like he just stumbled into a live episode of some drama, and I wonder if he knows where I've been today?
I clear my throat and add, "He's an old friend," my foot sliding back on its own.
Ben finally catches the shift and slowly retreats to Lisa, who lifts a brow at him, questioning.
"And that's Lisa, his wife," I tack on, hating to say it. "They just moved in."
"Oh." Richard's posture loosens a bit, and his PR smile comes on. PR because I can tell it's not genuine. "That's nice. What a coincidence."
"Yeah." I let out a strangled laugh. "Coincidence."
"It's always nice to see an actual person moving in. This building is mostly corporate," Richard tells them, a little measured.
Lisa's eyes sweep over his suit. "We noticed."
He just nods. "The building is great. The gym is top-notch. Emma's been waiting for them to fix the rooftop, but once it's done, it will be luxurious. Nineties urban minimalism, infinity pool, everything glass, all that."
"We don't really swim," Lisa says.
Ben and I flick our eyes to each other. Because it hasn’t been that long since he dove into the ocean for me—his personal hell. I can still feel the bruises blooming over my ribs from his hands, and some twisted part of me actually likes it.
"Where did you move from?" Richard asks them.
"Manhattan," Lisa answers, sounding like that stamped her with some prestige.
Richard plays along. "Oh. Nice. New York."
She nods and grins widely, pleased he gets it. "We thought about Nob Hill, but our agent messed up." She rolls her eyes. "Then we saw this and thought it would be better for us. We love it, right?" Her gaze flicks to Ben.
Hands in his pockets, he nods at her, but his mind seems far away. Unreadable though. "Yeah."
Meanwhile, Richard is covertly assessing Ben from head to toe, but I know him enough to catch it. I swallow hard.
"The area is great. So many restaurants. And it's close to my office. That was the real reason we moved." Lisa turns to me, wanting me to hear this, and gives me her best smile yet, all teeth and rosy cheeks.
I'm not going to describe what I'd do to her now, I'm not, but you can imagine—every woman has her breaking point, and mine just happens to come with a good aim.
Somehow, I manage a smile back. Won't give her the satisfaction, and say warmly, "Nice."
Instead, I glance at Ben, wanting him to see the hollow in my eyes now that I know I was pathetic because, of course, he moved for his wife and not for me.
Ben's busy dissecting Richard apart, though. His eyes cut through his shoulders, cuffs, his wedding ring, before they snag on me, measuring me against Richard, seeing if we even make sense.
Then his jaw grinds like it could chew the marble wall behind him, and something dark passes over his face—it's a clearno.
I almost laugh because this is where we ended up? No way. I'm not made for this.
I open my mouth, ready to say something likeI don't want to be here, but Richard cuts me off with, "We're always looking for nice couples to hang out with. Stop by for a coffee and something sweet. Emma bakes the best desserts."
I give him a quick side-eye—the king of polite questions and invitations. I hate when he does this—doesn't ask me.
Richard smiles and slides his hand over my back, pulling me closer as his eyes land on Ben.
Ben's eyes narrow on it instantly and he mirrors the motion with Lisa, tucking her even closer against him.
