The flood of interview requests had finally begun to dry up. Rafael’s team was holding the line firmly: No, thank you.
Never again.
Bea knew, on paper, she had done well. People told her so constantly. And Oliver Fox had publicly detonated himself, which was the entire point. But being on camera had felt exactly the way she always suspected it would. She hated every second of it.
Jenna tipped her glass, cheeks flushed from wine. “Okay. New topic then.”
Claire snorted. “Here we go.”
“What’s it like being married to a man who could buy this restaurant?”
Bea laughed. This topic she likedmuchbetter. “It’s like being married to someone I can’t believe I get to have. Trust me, his net worth isnotwhat makes him overwhelming.”
“Ma’am, this is a family establishment,” Claire mock-chided.
Priya grabbed an edamame bean from a stray bowl still sitting on the edge of the table and popped it into her mouth. “Details,” she demanded. “Especially the UR part. You didn’t get to the juicy stuff in the interview. Is marriage different there?”
“You could say that.”
“How?” came universally from the circle, curious to the point of menace.
“It’s more…structured.” Bea went with that. And then she ruined it by grinning and adding, “Everything goes through Rafael.”
“What do you mean everything?” Hannah pressed.
“My life. Our life,” Bea said, taking a sip of rosé. “In the eyes of the government, he pretty much has complete authority.”
The air changed, one word at a time.
“Are you serious?” Maya whispered.
“They don’t advertise it,” Bea said, suppressing a smile. “And it definitely wasn’t on the St. Ives brochure. I checked.”
“So it’s like…” Felicity lowered her voice, “…heownsyou?”
“Do you have to ask his permission to go places?” Kate cut in.
“Only internationally. He filed pre-approval for me, so I can travel freely.”
Maya made a strangled noise. “That isunhinged.”
“It’s so hot,” Jenna said, then slapped a hand over her mouth. “I mean, horrifying.”
Claire sipped her sparkling water. “Nothing says ‘I love you’ like legal jurisdiction.”
Bea stuck her tongue out at her.
“Isn’t it scary, though?” Priya asked.
“At first,” she admitted. “But the obligations run in both directions. And he’s more than earned my trust.”
Maya studied her. “Looks like it. You don’t seem scared.”
“Of Rafael? Never.”
“It’s just surprising,” Kate inserted, like a teacher correcting a disappointing student. “You were always so independent. You didn’t even date in high school.”
“It’s been a minute since high school,” Bea said dryly. “People grow.”
