Page 84 of The Husband Diet
Julian laughed and Ira threw him one of his killer glances. I couldn’t believe that once upon a time, I’d loved that man so much – enough to give up my dreams and have his babies. It’s the mistake lots of women make. Husband-wise, not baby-wise. I wouldn’t change Warren and Madeleine for any other kids in the world.
As they (finally) passed us on their way out, Maxine attempted a hello. Julian and I looked up from the tangle that was our hands and fingers and smiled politely.
Ira wasn’t jealous, I knew. Only annoyed at having his evening ruined by his ex-wife’s happiness. Me, I wouldn’t let him bother me anymore. From now on I’d concentrate on the good stuff. Like the hunk of man sitting opposite me, holding my hands.
To prove a point, he heaped my plate up with a delicious chicken curry and poured me a glass of wine, leaning over to kiss me – ‘Bon appétit!’ – leaving me stunned. So we really were doing the public displays of affection as well? Cool.
He smacked his luscious lips and murmured, ‘Mmm-hmm! Raspberry.’
You don’t know how hard it was to drag my lips away from his. Or even to close my mouth.
‘Just how many women have you had exactly?’ I asked. ‘Less than… what’s-his-name – that good-looking guy who plays for the New York Knicks?’
He took a sip of his wine. ‘That’s basketball, and no, not even close. I’m a monk by comparison.’
‘Huh?’ Somehow, the image of a monk didn’t quite fit my idea of him. ‘What about Moira what’s-her-face? The one who owns the magazines. And all those models I read about.’
He blushed. ‘That was a long time ago, Erica.’
A long time ago or not – you just can’t sleep with a model and then want to be with me, can you?was what I wanted to say, but instead asked: ‘So what’s your next best-seller about?’
Julian rolled his eyes. ‘You don’t let go, do you?’
‘Never. I’m a bloodhound with a big, juicy bone.’
‘Actually, I have been thinking about it,’ he conceded.
‘Great! So tell.’
He shrugged. ‘I’m still mulling it over.’
I beamed. ‘This is fantastic news. Not only have I slept with a champion, but I’ll soon be sleeping with a best-selling author. How gratifying can this be for me? Just one thing…’
‘What’s that?’
‘Don’t use any of our sex material, huh?’
‘That would be a capital sin for a writer.’
‘It would also be your last living day.’
Julian laughed.
*
As if once wasn’t enough, the very next day I met Maxine again at the supermarket. Go figure! I hadn’t seen her in years and then bam – she was practically everywhere.
‘Hi again, Mrs. Lowenstein,’ she chirped, oblivious of the pain she was causing me, poor little idiot.
Apparently, she’d got over the ‘knife in my bedroom’ moment. Kids were like that. Because as grown up as she thought she was, she was still very naïve of the ways of the world.
‘I’m so sorry about your split-up,’ she offered. ‘But the two of you just weren’t working out, right?’
I turned to face her and blinked. I was so surprised, I didn’t even think not to say, ‘Is that what he told you? That we weren’t working out?’
At this she looked uncomfortable.
‘I just want to say no hard feelings. We can still be friends.’
