Page 16 of Love or Leave

He laughed at himself and shook his head. No way could he do that. Max would skin him alive.

But if they never told Max…

He shook his head at the intrusive thought.

"You thought of something," Maria said, a smile tugging at her mouth. "You have your smart face on."

"There's a girl I know, but it's complicated."

"A girlfriend?"

Antonio shook his head. "No no. She's just a friend. Barely that, actually, but she might come."

Maria flopped back in her chair. "Thank God," she said. "Bring her. Bribe her if you need to."

Antonio rubbed at his face. How had it come to this? He'd honestly expected that Fran would want to work at their marriage. Bringing Blake to his parents' anniversary party? That hadn't even crossed his mind. He was still trying to wrap his head around why they'd broken up at all.

One minute they were talking about starting a family and the next she was saying they'd be happier apart, asking him to give her space. He tried to talk to her about why, but she always evaded the question. He'd suspected it was because he wanted afamily, and she'd never exactly been the motherly type. But she'd always said she wanted to have kids one day. Maybe she changed her mind.

Or maybe she never wanted kids and just expected she would one day?

Or maybe she wanted a family, just not with him?

He was going deep down the hole he kept finding himself in since their separation. There were no answers in the hole. Only loneliness, self-loathing, and the crushing feeling of failure.

Maria took his hand, pulling him back into reality. "You look so torn up."

Antonio straightened himself.

"What she did was unforgivable," Maria said.

"I'd forgive it," he said, shaking his head and staring off into the distance. "In a heartbeat. I expected to be where you are at this point in my life."

He'd already had the house, and his career was finally under way. He figured he'd be announcing Fran’s pregnancy to his family that Christmas. Instead, he was living in a shitty apartment all alone, sleeping on a pullout couch, and plotting to bring a fake date to his parents' anniversary party.

Maria squeezed his hand. "Sorry, Tone."

He gave a shrug and forced himself out of his self-made pity-party hole and back into reality.

Maria was right. He obviously couldn't go alone. Everyone they knew—his whole family, his cousins, grandparents, everyone—would see that Fran had moved on and that he hadn't. He already knew how the night would go—everyone giving him the same pained look Maria had just offered.

If he showed up with Cara, no one would feel bad for him. She was stunning.

But would she keep it from her brother?

Max was Antonio's best friend these days, and he'd specifically asked Antonio to stay away from Cara. And for good reason.

But he had no intention of making a move on her. He wanted to fix his marriage.

He blew out a breath and took a leap. "Put me down with a plus one."

When Maria didn't reply, he looked up at her.

"Are you sure—"

"I'm sure," he said, cutting her off. "I'll find another time to talk to Fran, if she'll let me."

Maybe things would fall into place the way they should, anyway. Fran might see how much better off she'd be with him and remember the good times they'd had together.

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