“Congratulations.”
She nodded. “Is that all you needed? I’m getting ready for a conference call.”
“Uh, yeah.” I reached in my back pocket and pulled out my wallet, sliding the card inside. “So, what? No cake because you’re trying to fit in a wedding dress or something?”
She blinked slowly, processing what I’d said. “What a stupid, misogynistic question.”
“S-sorry?”
“Why would I buy a wedding dress that would require me to change something about myself? The dress should fit me, not the other way around.”
“I wasn’t trying to suggest—”
“Not that it’s any of your business, but I’m cutting out cake because dairy causes me to break out. I’d like to have clear skin on my wedding day. For me. Not him.”
“Right. Cool. Makes sense.”
She tapped her fingers on the top of her desk, glancing toward the screen. “Okay, well, if that’s all…”
I stood from the chair. “Right. Sorry.” Reaching the door, I pulled it open and disappeared into the hall without another word.
A voice stopped me. “Peter?”
“Beckman, hey.” I waved as he used a bony finger to smooth one of his wild gray brows.
“What are you doing here?” He kept his distance, looking as if he might want to dart away, the germaphobe that he was. “I thought you were out sick this week.”
“I just had to pick up a few things,” I said. “And don’t worry. I’m not contagious or anything. It’s family stuff.”
He took a cautious step toward me, but not too close, and nodded. “Everything alright?”
“Yeah,” I assured him, then changed my tone slightly. If I was going to keep missing work and relying on the team to cover my workload, I needed to lose the cheery facade. “It’s just…Ainsley and I are getting a divorce.”
The wrinkles around Beckman’s eyes deepened with obvious concern. “Do you have a good lawyer?”
“Not yet. I’m in the process of getting everything worked out.”
“I’ve got a card.” He pulled out his wallet. “You’re sure you’re not sick?”
“Positive. Healthy as a horse.”
He walked toward me, retrieving a business card from his wallet. When he reached me, he passed it over and I stared down at the bent edges and a scrawled note that read, Lunch @ 12. “Call John. He’s handled both my divorces. Good guy. He’ll make sure you’re taken care of.”
“Thanks.” I tapped a finger on the card before shoving it in my pocket. “I should get going.”
“Of course. Me too. I’ve got a one fifteen.” He tapped his watch and turned to go into the conference room on our right. I should’ve been in that meeting. I should’ve been working to build the company I started from the ground up.
But I didn’t care to.
Nothing mattered but bringing my family home.
I was giving up so much in order to deal with Ainsley’s drama.
The sacrifices, it seemed, were endless, and she’d never be grateful for any of them.
CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
AINSLEY
When Peter answered the phone, the noise in the background told me he was somewhere outside. Somewhere crowded. “Where are you?”
“I’m…at work. Why?”
Had he really gone to work after what we’d just gone through? Could he be that callous? “Can you meet me somewhere?”
“Uh, sure. Like where? And why?”
“Things got out of hand before. We really do need to talk. I overreacted, and I’m sorry. I was worried and nervous, and…I’m sorry, too, if I hurt you. I was scared you were going to hurt me, and—”
“Ainsley, you know I’d never want to hurt you.”
“I know that,” I told him, pausing as I worked to catch my breath and veered the car off at the next exit, heading for downtown. “Look, let’s just meet somewhere public. We can grab coffee and talk. No weapons. No threats. Just…talk. We used to be able to do that, right? I’d like to think we still can.”
“That sounds great. How about the coffee shop on Eighth?”
“Perfect. I can be there in twenty minutes.”
“I’ll get us a table.”
Twenty minutes later, I parked in front of the local comedy club and crossed two streets on my way to the coffee shop. Inside, Peter was waiting for me at a table in the back. I approached the counter and ordered a mint green tea, taking my time as I poured a packet of sweetener into the paper cup. I avoided looking at my husband, though I could feel his eyes burning into me from behind. He blended into the scenery around us. Easily faded into the background. He was just an average guy in a coffee shop.