Fine. He can wait. I’m sure I’ve got plenty to do.
“So sorry,” I say as I resettle myself on my bed, andmake sure my laptop camera isn’t showing anything incriminating. “Some guy at the door. No matter how many times you say no, they keep pushing, don’t they?”
There’s a polite chuckle from the lawyers, and I spoke loudly enough for Alex to hear it too.
I’m in no rush to end the meeting, but as it progresses, I find it harder and harder to concentrate. His presence in the other room niggles, then irks, then infuriates.
How dare he come here and disturb my attempts to get over him?
I start speaking and have to begin again, and it takes far too long to remember my point. When the meeting draws to a natural close, I’m keen to shut it down—before they see how distracted I am.
Thank God we had transcription on. I have almost no recollection of the last half of what was said. I can only hope whatIsaid made some sense in the moment.
Is that bastard still sitting outside my room, waiting for me?
I’m tempted to leave him there until five-thirty, but I’m a mess. I won’t be able to get anything done. It’s better to get it over with.
Setting my laptop down, I check my appearance in the mirror. Ignore that he’s already seen me in my penguin pajama bottoms and change them for slacks, then check again. Take a breath, and open the door.
He’s sitting on the sofa, reading abook. One of Carol’s. I recognize the cover; it’s a paranormal romance.
I didn’t know he could read anything without a financial analysis on it.
“You can’t just barge in here while I’m working!” I begin as I cross to him, finishing while I’m standing over him.
He sets the book down, nonchalant, and looks up at me. That damn half-smile, and my anger loses about thirty percent of its certainty. Easy, charismatic, magnetic. Carol wassoright. This is the reason it took me five months to leave him. And those eyes.
Focus, Vicky.
“We didn’t finish our talk on Friday.”
I stare at him. “Why now? You had all weekend if you wanted to intrude on my life!”
“I assumed Carol would be here. Besides, I thought you might need time to reflect.”
He says it so coolly, like I’m the one being unreasonable.
I force myself to take a breath, to turn away, to walk to one of the other chairs. But at the last second, I don’t sit down. That would suggest we’re going to have a heart-to-heart.Sonot happening.
Not even convinced he has a heart.
“Why are you here? And don’t tell me it’s to finish a conversation.”
“Actually, I’ve come to invite you to a social event.”
I gape. I blink. I close my mouth and stare at him. “Alex… Do you understand what it means when a fiancée leaves her ring on a piece of paper in the center of your bed, then packs three suitcases anddoesn’t fucking come back?”
He waves a hand airily. “Couples fight all the time—”
“It means shedoesn’twant to go to a goddamn social with you!” I take a breath. “And we’re not a couple. It means that, too.”
He lets his hand fall to rest between his casually spread thighs, tilting his head and regarding me like I’m curiously and amusingly insane.
“It’s in a couple of weeks,” he says, like nothing I’ve said makes any difference. “By then, I’m sure we’ll have put all this behind us. I just wanted to ask if you were free.”
“Gosh, so considerate. I’ll just get my calendar.” I cross my arms and don’t move.
“Friday twenty-fourth,” he says. “Eight o’clock. Black tie.”
