Page 50 of Heart on Ice

“That’s not true.” I can hear the pout through the phone.

“Why did you do it?” I ask.

“That’s none of your business,” she snaps. I don’t think I’m ever going to get closure from those two. Am I okay with that? Yeah, I think I am.

“That’s fine. I think from now on it’s best we talk via our lawyers,” I tell her.

“I am trying to sort things out civilly,” she says.

“That’s not the impression you’ve given me.”

She lets out a loud sigh. “I’m trying, but you’re being very combative.” I pinch my nose, and my brother claps my back. “But I’ll be the bigger person and start the conversation. I’m going to stay in Europe, this entire fiasco has stressed me out. I’m going to take some well-deserved me time. And Billy said I can stay as long as I want at his home in Italy.”

“You can take all the time you want in Europe, Kitty. But what I am going to do is send the following requests to my lawyer, and I hope you can understand and continue beingmature about this breakup like I know you can be. I will be selling the home in South Dakota.”

“You’re doing what? That is my home. You can’t just sell it,” she screams at me.

“I can and I will. The name on the home is mine and mine only. I will contact a moving company to come in and pack up all your belongings and put them into storage or send them to a nominated place.”

“You can’t do that. I won’t allow you to touch my things.”

“Then you will need to arrange your own movers, but your things will be packed up within the month,” I tell her.

“That’s unreasonable. I’m not in the country.”

“You have been given plenty of warning. Also, Frankston is mine. There will be no co-parenting regarding him. I got him when we were not together. If you remember, I got him when you cheated on me the first time.” Kitty splutters and huffs but thankfully doesn’t fight me on that. “I will also be sending over an NDA regarding our relationship. We will create a joint statement saying we are better off as friends, and we realized that in Italy, and we want people to respect our privacy at this time. I will not speak ill of you in the press, and I hope I am granted the same courtesy from you.”

“This is outrageous.”

“I’m happy to also release a statement that you were cheating on me and I caught you.”

“You promised Billy you wouldn’t say anything,” she whines.

“I won’t mention him, if people speculate then that’s on them.”

“You wouldn’t,” she hisses.

“Try me, Kitty.”

“I don’t know who you are anymore,” she shouts at me.

“Ditto, baby.”

“My lawyers will be in touch.” And with that, she hangs up on me.

“Wow, what a bitch,” Felix says.

“How the hell was I blind to who she really was all these years? I’m a fucking fool,” I tell him, raking my hand through my hair.

“Don’t be so hard on yourself. She showed you what she wanted to show you. You loved her faults and all. Why did you never talk to me about how bad things had gotten?” he asks.

“I pushed it out of my mind. We had the play offs and Alberto passed, you found out about Cynthia, and I was dealing with the wedding. Things kind of just snowballed, and I tried to get off plenty of times, but I couldn’t, and I guess I just pushed my head into the sand, and now here we are.”

“I’m sorry, man, I think having this party tonight is exactly what you need, a freedom party. Saying goodbye to the old you and saying hello to the new you. Like you’re shedding your old skin,” he explains.

“Where the hell did you get that hippy dippy shit from?”

“I’m being supportive. Honestly, it will do you good. Let me call Sam, and let’s make this a great night.” He grins.

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