Page 61 of Fix You

Dare plopped down beside me. “You’ve been holding out on me.”

“Excuse me?”

He waggled his brows. “Your club.”

I laughed. “Ah, yes, Inferno.”

“How is it you’ve never invited me to come check it out?”

“My apologies. I’m formally extending you a VIP experience invitation in the new year.”

“You bet your ass I’ll be there.” Leaning over, he lowered his voice. “Does that VIP experience include time in Lust?”

With a wink, I replied, “Of course. Only the best for the Kavanaughs.”

He clapped my back. “You’re a good man.”

At the feel of someone to my right, I turned my head away from Dare and found myself face first into Maeve’s ample cleavage. Instantly, I jerked away.“Oh fuck. I’m sorry.”

“It’s fine,” Maeve replied, focusing on the plate she was placing on the table.

Staring up at her, I tried reading her face. It didn’t appear to have triggered her. Over the months, I’d spent a lot of time reading books from experts on sexual abuse and rape. I’d learned a lot about triggering words and events.

Trying to put Maeve at ease, I said, “I didn’t realize you were there.”

“Seriously, it’s fine.”

When she finally dragged her gaze up to look at me, I tried conveying with my eyes that I understood how what had just transpired between us might be a problem. More than that, I tried expressing that I understood her reaction that night on the rooftop.

But my reaction had the opposite effect than I’d planned. She stared at me in horror. “Maeve, I—” I said tenderly.

Anger replaced her anguish as she cut me off. “I said it’s fine,” she snapped before whirling away from me.

Frustration flickered through me as I snatched my napkin off the table and tossed it into my lap. For the life of me, I couldn’t figure Maeve out. Every time I said something to her, it was the wrong thing. I thought after I’d done my research, I wouldn’t fuck up like I had that night on the rooftop.

But here I was less than twenty minutes into seeing her again and fucking up.

As Caterina and Orla continued bringing in plates, I kept looking for Maeve, but she didn’t appear. When Orla took the seat next to me, I hid my disappointment with a smile. I’d hopedthat Maeve would’ve ended up beside me. Instead, it appeared she would be across the table from me.

But then Maeve swept through the dining room door with a pitcher in her hand. At the sight of her, Orla said, “Oh, you sweet thing. Thanks for preparing the mulled wine for me.”

Maeve smiled tightly. “It was nothing.”

Callum rose from his chair. “You’re just in time for us to say grace.”

Once he had returned thanks, we began filling our plates. I noticed Maeve didn’t eat much. Instead, she took long draws of what Orla had called Mulled wine. She didn’t participate much in the conversation. Instead, she pushed her food around her plate.

More than anything, she ignored me.

The only time I saw her smile was when Gianni complimented her mince pies. Of course, I didn’t like him calling herdolchezza.In fact, I didn’t like it so much I twisted my napkin in my hands and fought the urge to punch him.

But then everything blew up in my face when Callum mentioned me spending next Christmas with my fiancee. The anguished expression that lit up Maeve’s face sent a knife slicing through my chest, tearing through the muscle to pierce my heart.

“You’re engaged?” she blurted.

I’d been a bastard not to tell her that night on the rooftop. I imagined after all this time something had been said by Callum or Caterina. I had no idea she was still in the dark.

Fuck, there couldn’t have possibly been a worse way for her to find out. As quickly as it had come, the anguish on her face was replaced with false cheerfulness. “What wonderful news! We should include that in our toasting,” she said.

---