Page 62 of Stick to the Deal
“Nic is finishing up a project back in the States. She’ll join me later this week.”
Mother huffs on the couch. “You don’t need to pretend, Reginald.”
“What are you talking about, Penny?” Lady Wentworth asks.
“It’s not like they have a proper marriage.” Her hand flutters in my direction.
“Mother.” I take a deep breath and continue through clenched teeth, trying for a less hostile tone. “I assure you, it is an actual marriage.” I squeeze the crystal in my hand until my knuckles shine white, half convinced it will shatter.
“On paper, maybe.” Shaking her head, she turns back to Lady Wentworth. “They have an understanding. She needed to marry to access her trust fund. They attend events publicly, but she gives Reginald full leave to do whatever he wants. I mean, really, they don’t even live together.”
A thump builds at my temple, and I half pray the sound of my heartbeat will drown out my mother as my vision tinges red.
“That’s enough,” I yell, drawing all heads towards me. My chest rises and falls as I wait for the anger to subside. It only grows and I realize I can’t spend another minute in this room. “If you’ll excuse me, I believe I’ve had enough for one day.” Without waiting for a reply, I spin on a heel and march to the entryway.
“Reggie-bear.” Her heels click against the marble as she runs after me.
I stop, but only half-turn back. “What do you want, Serena?”
Her bright smile dims momentarily, then she pushes on. She walks up to me with a sway to her hips that I’m sure she thinks is seductive, and lays a pink tipped hand on my chest. “If you’re stressed, I could help relieve the tension.”
“What are you doing?” My lip curls in disgust.
“I understand now. I know you had to marry her for the money, but maybe there’s still a path for us.” She licks her lips and looks up at me with doe eyes.
My fingers encircle her delicate wrist. Hope, desire, and victory light in her eyes.
“A path?” I shove her hand off me as if burned. “What the fuck do you think is going to happen here, Serena?”
She steps back, mouth agape as she rubs her wrist. “That we could continue on as before. That you would divorce her after an appropriate amount of time and…” Her words come to a stuttering halt as I tower over her at my full height.
“And what? Marry you?”
The shock in her glare gives way to building anger. “We were good together, once.”
“No, Serena.” She shrinks back slightly, a twinge of guilt pangs in my chest at scaring her, but this shit has gone on for far too long and I need to make myself heard. “We were never good together. I never loved you. It was just easier to go along with what everyone else wanted than figure out what I wanted for myself.”
My cell vibrates. I immediately dismiss Serena as my entire focus is pulled to the text from my wife.
Nic
I’m sick. Not going to make it this weekend.
Me
Are you ok? I’ll fly to you.
Nic
No. You have that big dinner next week. Can’t have you catching it.
Me
I don’t care about that. Let me help
I start to type ‘I love you’, but my fingers freeze over the keyboard. The foyer spins as the realization hits me. I love her. This foreign warmth I feel when I think about her. The sense of home, of belonging I’ve never felt before. The overwhelming loss when she’s not near. I’m in love with my wife, and I’m starting to think I always have been.
“Isshewhat you want?”
