“So now I’m all jaded and fucked up over men.”
“Makes sense.”
“Ionlyfollow men when I do private investigation work because I enjoy hearing that women leave them after I catch them.”
“Checks out,” I nod.
Her eyes narrow again, challenging me like she can’t believe I’m agreeing with the words she’s saying and not trying to defend the males who’ve fucked her over. “Well, aren’t you?”
“Aren’t I what?” I ask.
“You know, jaded and fucked up over women since your divorce?”
I smile faintly. “I think you’re projecting, sweetheart.”
Her eyes flash, her lips parting slightly at the wordsweetheart. Same reaction she had in that bar hallway when I used it. She likes it. And now that I know that I’ll be using it more often.
“Well,” she says, after a beat and a rough clearing of her throat, “if you’re not all jaded and fucked up then I’m going to ask the question. What happened with you and your ex?”
I lean forward, resting my forearms on the table. “My parents died in a car accident when I was twenty-two years old. I’d hardly graduated college, barely started my career, and had just gotten married to my college girlfriend. Admittedly, probably way too young. Then, boom—everything changed overnight. I became my ten-year-old sister’s guardian. My other sister was twenty and still in college, not working yet, so I moved back into our childhood home to keep things as normal as possible for them and help keep the family business and finances afloat. I thought my new wife was on board with these changes, but it turns out, she wasn’t. She hated that I took on the responsibility of raising my sisters. She barely gave me a chance to adjust to the new normal and find a way where it’d work for everyone before she decided she wanted me to drop them both, ditch my sisters, give up custody, and move across the country with her. So, less than a year into our marriage, she filed for divorce. I guess I wasn’t what she signed up for.”
Her lips part in surprise. “Wow… that’s… that’s pretty fucked up.”
I shrug, keeping my tone casual. “I get that it wasn’t the life she envisioned for herself either. No one could predict my parents passing at the same time and me becoming a parent to mylittle sister before I was ready. We had different priorities. It’s all good.”
“How long has it been since you divorced?”
“Eleven years this year.”
She hesitates, her voice soft. “Well, I’m sorry for the loss of your parents.”
“Thank you.”
Her eyes study me closely like she’s trying to peel back another layer to who I am. “Were you ever jaded about it all? Towards women, I mean.”
The server arrives with our plates, giving me a moment to think. I thank her as she sets the food down, then scoop up a bite of the casserole. It’s rich, buttery, and packed with flavor. Not what I was planning on ordering when I got here tonight, but it’ll do the trick to take the ache off my stomach before I have to get home and prepare for tomorrow. There are some blueprints for the lobby bathroom that need reviewed and approved before the morning, and one of my employees needs to take his daughter to the doctor tomorrow which means I’ll be down a man with our timeline constantly being pushed back.
I chew thoughtfully before answering.
“No. I’ve been surrounded by women my entire life. I’m not going to blame the entire gender just because Amber turned out to be someone different than I thought she was when I married her. I don’t think that’s fair, do you?”
She presses her lips together, nodding slowly. “Maybe.”
I can tell I’ve struck a chord, even if she doesn’t want to admit it. Alessia’s carrying a lot of anger toward men, and maybe she has her reasons. But I want to make one thing clear—I’m not the guy she thinks I am, and I’m not the guy who’s going to tell her all men aren’t shit. A lot are. I’ve never blamed Amber, and I’m not about to start hating women because of one failedrelationship.
“Have you dated other women since your divorce?” she asks, tilting her head. “Have other women let you down since?”
“Haven’t had the time for relationships.”
She nods, more curious now. “That’s what Natasha said. But, like… not at all?”
“Not at all.”
“But sex?”
I meet her gaze, unflinching. “Yes, I’ve had sex since my ex-wife. But it’s been a while if that’s what you’re asking.”
“Oh,” she whispers, her eyes dropping to her plate. There’s a beat of silence before she shifts gears and I can see the flush that’s covering her chest. “Well, since I feel like you’re judging me for writing off all men because of my ex, I should tell you, it’s not just him who’s let me down. I’m the third generation of women in my family who’ve been screwed over by men. My grandma was a single mom to my mom and her sister, my aunt was a single mom to my cousins, and my mom was a single mom to me. All of us were cheated on and left by the men we trusted most.”
