Page 52 of Don Caselli

When I entered the studio, her hand was pressed into her back as she stood staring at a piece she was working on. Her strawberry blonde hair was pulled up in a messy bun, and she wore a pair of baggy jeans, cropped shirt with paint stains, and her stomach was exposed. Her feet were in a pair of Dior slides, and her Birkin sat on the back counter like she had come in here on her way out.

“Hey Stevie!”

She slowly turned, exposing her swollen stomach with paint marks on it. “Hey Ken… you know Mavie is currently having quiet hour, right?”

“So, I’ve been told. Are you busy?”

She stuck the paint brush into her hair. “Just fixing some last-minute mistakes. When the baby comes, I won’t be able to get in here as often as I want.”

“You’ll have nannies, though. They can watch the baby while you come paint and relax for a few hours.”

She waddled over toward where I stood, and because I wore heels, I was taller. Our cheeks touched, and we made a smooching noise before she went over toward the couch.

“I’m not hiring a nanny. Mavie isn’t comfortable with someone watching our baby, and I agree. Do you know people will steal your baby out the hospital?”

“I remember watching a documentary about it.”

She gasped so loud I thought she would go into labor. Her hands touched both sides of her belly like she was covering the baby’s ears. “So, this is something that can happen?”

“It doesn’t happen all that often, though.”

“Yeah, until my baby is being raised somewhere else and I’m a mess.” This was something she had been thinking about and probably had watched too many movies about it. “Anyway, what is on your mind?”

I stared at this woman who was the Menace whisperer. It was how humbled and calm she was about it. The man that Menace was, and she could be married to him, and they seemed happy, too.

“Are you and Menace attending my wedding?”

She looked away. “We are.”

“What is that look, Stevie?”

“I’m not a fool. You and Landon have had something going on. My husband, he doesn’t look too much into things once he sets his rules and expectations. I know better and know that Don has feelings for you. The thing I could never tell is if you felt the same about him.”

Damn.

Now I could see how they were married. She didn’t beat around the bush and try to pull the information out of me. “I care about him a lot.”

“Then why are you getting married to your old client? Which, by the way, Menace isn’t thrilled about.”

“It’s not against any of the rules he has.”

“You are young, Kennedy. Being married to a man that could be your father isn’t the life you want.”

I folded my arms, offended that she was judging like she knew me and Alex’s relationship personally. “Stevie, you don’t know my relationship with Alex.”

“Never said that I knew the relationship. I don’t need to know the relationship to know that you are not happy. If I know anything, if you’re not happy now, you will never be happy.”

“Is that what you went through?”

Now it was her turn to be offended. “I’m very happy in my marriage. That man that you all get, I don’t get the same man. You all get Menace, I get Maverick… there’s a difference. Alex is an older man who isn’t going to change his ways for you. If anything, it’s gonna be expected for you to fall into line with his lifestyle.”

“Nothing wrong with that… he’s worth a lot of money.”

Stevie sighed and rubbed her stomach slowly. “Money means nothing.”

“Says the woman who married a billionaire and lives this life. Stevie, no offense, but this conversation coming from you means nothing. You are married to a billionaire with no prenuptial agreement. Well, you have one that protectsyou.”

“You said that I’m stupid, Kennedy?”

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