Adriangave Clay a sheepish look. He won’t even look at me! Her stomach cincheda little tighter.
Hisexpression benign, Clay said, “Adrian?”
Adrianswallowed. “I, uh … if we’re being transparent, I haven’t broken it off. Yet.I’m trying.”
Wait. What?In that moment, Paige realized that during their marriage, she’d built up aglacier inside. Now that glacier calved, tons of ice splitting apart andplummeting into water. She rose as though carried atop the water’s spray.
“Thenwhat the hell am I doing here?” She flung out an arm, heat enflaming hercheeks.
Adrianraised his hand in a conciliatory move. “Paige, I love you, and I’m not readyto pitch three years of marriage.”
Shebarked out a bitter laugh. “In what reality do you live, Adrian? I’m notplaying this game. All you do is lie! Either she’s out of the picture, or Iam.” Her heart hammered her ribs.
Incredibly,he shook his head. “I can’t. I can’t choose between you.”
Claytracked them as though he followed a ping-pong match.
Somebackup here, dude? No? I’m on my own.
Disbeliefand outrage pumping furiously through her veins, Paige snatched her belongings.“Then I’ll make it easy for you,” she ground out. “I’m done. I deserve betterthan you, Adrian.”
Shebanged through the office door and charged out into the sunlight, filling herlungs with crisp, clean air. Breathe. Her hand shook as she pulled outher fob and pressed the button to unlock her door. Tears crammed her throat,threatening to fill her eyes. Not yet.
As shetore out of the parking lot, she glimpsed Adrian emerging from the building,his head on a swivel. A frown creased his features.
Bastard.
In thesafety of her home, she pulled the curtains and retreated to her bedroom,collapsing across her bed. It was then she released the anguish that had beenwelling in her since realization had fileted her in Clay’s office.
It wasover.
.~ * * * ~.
During the month of October, Beckett spent his free timeimmersed in baseball playoffs. More accurately, he was immersed in spending timewith Andie, who was immersed in playoffs. Even when he was on the road forDeFunked, he watched the games, either on the phone or Skyping with her. Onegame, he convinced her to get takeout and open the same bottle of wine so theycould “virtually” dine together. When he was in town, they watched at herhouse, sprawled on her couch in bare feet.
Itwasn’t always baseball. Though she didn’t play an instrument, she loved music,so he took her to see the Colorado Symphony perform Mendelssohn. She’d been enraptured,her eyes sparkling like shiny diamonds, and watching her had been asentertaining as watching the musicians.
Howcould he describe time spent with her? Like hanging out, but more. Like dating,but not. Whatever it was, it was comfortable; sweet, normal; a bright spot heanticipated like a kid going to a big game with his dad.
Onemorning, he accompanied her to the Wildlife Animal Sanctuary, where she showedhim the sights from a series of connecting twenty-five-foot-high walkwayssuspended above open habitats. She bubbled like an open bottle of champagnewhen she reached Tyrone’s massive pen and the huge cat seemed to recognize her,sauntering to the walkway and raising his enormous head. He jerked his tuftedchin at her twice, then lay down, his ear cocked. Minutes later, a whippingfall storm drove them to shelter, and the tiger retreated when she turned away.
“Heknows you,” Beckett said as they waited in the gift shop for the rain to letup.
“Cool,huh?”
“So howdo I adopt an animal?” Beckett surprised himself.
With abeatific smile, she led him to a cashier. “You sign up and make a donation.Let’s pick one out.”
Thecashier, whose smile matched Andie’s, pulled out a list of tigers. “How aboutFrida?” she suggested.
“I’lldo it as long as you promise to watch the game at my place tonight, Andie. I’llcook.” He surprised himself a second time.
“Alwaysa negotiation with you.” She grinned. “Deal.”
Beckettnever invited women over; encounters were at their place, hotels, clubs. Hedidn’t know what possessed him, except he was unwilling to relinquish Andie’scompany. Besides, while he couldn’t pinpoint exactly what she was to him, shedefinitely didn’t fall under the “women” label.
Thatevening, as he waited at the curb for the Uber he’d sent for her, he bounced inplace and ticked through his mental checkboxes. Dinner warming, check. Saladtossed, check. Table set, check. Wine decanted, check. Bathroom cleaned, check.Sheets changed—in case she needs to lie down, of course—check. When thecar pulled up, he practically yanked her out, whisking her upstairs, where hethrew open the door to the condo, revealing the glowing cityscape beyondfloor-to-ceiling windows.
“Oh mygosh, Beck, the view is beautiful!” she squealed.
“You’reso easy to impress,” he laughed. “You brought a bathing suit, right?”
Shenodded, her eyes on the view as he led her into the living room-diningroom-kitchen. The space wasn’t big enough to be called the “great room.”
As ifemerging from a spell, she turned and handed him a fancy paper bag. In herother hand was a cloth bag, which she held up. “Bathing suit.”
“AndStranahan’s.” Delighted, he slid the whiskey from its wrapper. “Thank you! Toobad about the suit, though.”
Herbrows wrinkled. “Why?”
“I washoping for some skinny dipping action.” He winked. She gave him a shove; hewould have been disappointed if she hadn’t.
Muchlater, when the game and dinner were done, they took the elevator down to theterrace. Illuminated outdoor pools and walls of glass spread before them;below, lights blazed like thousands upon thousands of winking jewels. Theentire floor—a quarter block—belonged to them. Beckett tugged his long-sleevedT-shirt over his head, toed off his shoes, and eased himself into an enormoussteaming hot tub surrounded by four columns.
Andiestood at the edge, wrapped up in his oversized robe. He motioned her in.
“C’mon.The water’s perfect.”
Sheshimmied out of the garment and grasped it in front of her. He glimpsed barelegs and white straps, but no more. Turning his head, he pretended to take inthe city view, while the view he really wanted made a small splashing noise. Heswiveled his head back toward her. The robe was gone, and she stood on thesteps, her knees seeming to float on the ghostly blue-green water. His eyestraveled up her body—all five-feet-two-inches of it—to her shy smile.
Well,fuuuck me!
He’dseen a lot of women, but this one stole the breath from his
