“Well, we used to fuck it out,” I say with a smirk. “Hard to smooth things over when you can’t touch your wife.”
The warmth is gone instantly. She’s not amused.
She folds her arms, eyes narrowing. “Are you just going to hand this to Cece? Because I’m serious, Matt.”
I lift a hand in defeat. “Christ, it was a joke. Lighten up.” I take a sip of my coffee. “We talk. We give each other grace.”
Then, because I can’t help myself, I add, “And I try not to make jokes about fucking my wife.”
I flash her a shit-eating grin so she knows I’m teasing, but she just shakes her head and rolls her eyes.
She opens her laptop again, and we both go back to studying the website like our livelihoods depend on it.
“What about our history?” I ask. “If he asks how we met. Our dating life.”
“That’s easy. Just tell him the truth. We both know our history,” she replies, still focused on the screen.
“But does it look bad that we’ve broken up and gotten back together so many times?”
“Why would it?” She finally looks up. “We’re here now. No one’s story is perfect. If it were, it wouldn’t feel authentic. Or lived in.” Her gaze holds mine. “And ours is as real as it gets.”
Right.Real.
As in, she married me because I needed her.
As in, she can walk away the second this is over.
Authentic, sure.
I swallow and turn back to the screen. Nothing to worry about at all.
“Sounds great,and I’m looking forward to seeing you next week. Talk soon.”
I end the call just as Jordan walks into the kitchen.
That fucking woman.
Aside from discussing the guardian ad litem visit, we barely spoke on the plane. We both pretended to be too busy working. Too busy to talk about what a goddamn tease she is.
That move with the swimsuit last night?
She’s evil.
Deliciously evil.
And what can I say? I’ve always been attracted to trouble. Her little stunt only made me want her more.
She pours her steaming water over her tea leaves.More tea.
I roll my eyes. She can’t even drink coffee like a normal person.
We’re complete opposites. Not in the wholeopposites attractway either. More like we’re the same where it’s inconvenient and different where it’s impossible. Both stubborn. Both independent. Always trying to prove something to families who were impossible to please.
And then there’s the stupid shit.
I drink coffee. She drinks tea.
I lift weights. She does Pilates.
