Page 113 of Love Is an Art
I slide my hand down her arm to grasp her hand. “I have no interest in getting back together with Paisley. But I don’t want to see her. She’s a reminder of what a fool I was. And I don’t trust her at all. I don’t want to talk to her. Why would I want to talk to her? To exchange pleasantries about the weather when I thought we’d get married?”
“You thought you’d get married?” Tessa plops down on the bed. She looks stunned.
I wince.
Okay. I didn’t want to admit that.
“So …” But she stops there and doesn’t say anything. I’ve never seen Tessa at a loss for words.
“Not in the near future. But I wasn’t dating just to have a fling.” I sit next to her on the bed. “Like I’m not dating you to have a fling.” I’m going to lose Tessa with this stupid wedding. I probably should have sucked it up and gone by myself. Why didn’t Lindsay include Tessa on the card? Thanks, Lindsay. What am I supposed to say now?
“Okay.” She places her hand on mine. “That must have been even more devastating than I thought. I’m impressed you’re out there dating again at all. And at this wedding.” She threads her fingers through mine and holds my hand.
I look at her. “That’s what I thought when my friends said to get back out there. And when Dylan wanted me to come to this wedding.” This wedding weekend is clearly some sort of relationship test that should not be happening when you’re first dating.
I’m lucky I found Tessa. I pull her in for a hug.
Chapter thirty-six
Tessa
Zekethoughthe’dmarryPaisley.
That thought pops into my mind. And being at a wedding does not help. Especially one with a setting as idyllic as this—a mountaintop view behind the dais, just the right amount of warmth, and a light breeze with the scent of honeysuckle.
Zeke keeps saying he’s over Paisley, but I’m not so sure. He’s actively avoiding her. That meeting at the MoMA had so much tension, as if to prove that old adage that there’s a thin line between love and hate.
It’s also that he didn’t want to tell me that. He looked horrified that he’d let that slip. I’ve admitted I was devastated when Wyatt broke up with me. Does he feel like we’re not close enough to share that?
It’s not like he’s ever said he loves me. But it is too early still for that.
We take our seats in the middle on the groom’s side. At least Paisley will sit on the bride’s side.
But no.
There’s a rustle behind us, and then Paisley’s voice slices through.
“Zeke, Tessa, I’d like to introduce Tom.”
I turn, and there’s Stuffed Shirt.
“Tom?” I ask in astonishment.
“You’re dating the client?” Tom asks.
“He’s not the client,” I say. “And I wasn’t dating him during either of our recent representations.”
“I was suspicious when you weren’t trying to schmooze him during that dinner,” Tom says.
“When do I ever schmooze clients?” I ask.
“Whatever,” Tom says. “You usually try to talk to them. You definitely don’t let me monopolize them. You knew you had the inside track.”
“Easy there,” Zeke says. “I don’t like what you’re implying. The only inside track advantage she had was that she settled the North American Trust Fund case quickly and on very favorable terms. If anything, after dating Paisley, I definitely didn’t want to date another lawyer. And certainly not one I might work with.”
“Thanks.” Paisley grimaces.
“Your loss is my gain.” Tom puts his arm around Paisley.
