CHIARA: I’m sorry I missed your class. I didn’t want to make things harder in case you’re still mad.
ME: You shouldn’t have missed class on my account.
God, that sounded too harsh. She doesn’t reply right away, and it makes me feel like an asshole.
ME: I’m afraid that infraction requires punishment.
CHIARA: What kind of punishment?
ME: The kind that will make you scream my name.
CHIARA: Tonight?
I’m about to reply when I get a text from Enzo saying Nadine wants to have dinner tonight. The goofy grin I had vanishes in an instant. Fuck. I did tell Enzo I wanted to handle Nadine as soon as possible. I didn’t think she’d give an answer so soon.
ME: I can’t tonight. I have to deal with divorce stuff. Tomorrow, I promise.
CHIARA: Okay.
ME: I’ll call you later. I love you, Goldi.
CHIARA: I love you too, Big Bad Wolf.
Guilt makes my chest heavy. Technically, I didn’t lie, but I shouldn’t have omitted that I’m meeting Nadine tonight.
I try to dissuade the bad feeling by listing all the reasons it’s better if I tell Chiara after the fact and when I have Nadine’s signature on the divorce papers. It’s a meaningless dinner. She doesn’t need to worry about it, especially when there are still unresolved issues between us.
35
Alistair
I have to give Enzo props. The restaurant he picked is a fucking zoo. With kids running around and screaming, I don’t think anyone can have a proper conversation here, which is exactly what I wanted. Yet Nadine managed to snag a table in an isolated part of the restaurant that offers us some privacy. I grind my teeth when the hostess walks me to her. I should have gotten here first.
Nadine smiles broadly, showing all her veneered teeth when she sees me. I get a whiff of her heavy perfume before I even get to the table. She doesn’t stand to greet me but rather leans forward a little to show off her cleavage. She’s playing the seductress role tonight. She’s definitely up to something.
“What did you do? Bathe in perfume before coming here?” I scowl.
“It’s your favorite fragrance. You used to love it.”
I pick up the menu, ignoring her offended expression. “No, I used to pretend I liked it. It gave me headaches.”
“You’re so grumpy today. You need to relax, babe.”
“Don’t call me that,” I snap.
“Fine. I’m here, trying to be civil, and all you’re giving me in return are barbs.”
I put the menu down and glower at her. “Let’s cut the bullshit. What do you want, Nadine? I’ve agreed to give you half the amount of what the vineyard is worth even though you’re not entitled to any of it.”
She reaches across the table and covers my hand. I pull away with a jerky movement. Her touch makes my skin crawl.
“Are we really doing this, Alistair? We used to be so in love. What happened?”
“What happened? Let’s see. How about you fucked my friend behind my back? Does that ring a bell?”
Her face twists into a grimace. “That was just me lashing out. You had lost interest in our marriage way before that.”
“You’re right. My fault in this mess was not asking for a divorce when I should have. But I’m willing to rectify it now.”
“I don’t want a divorce. I thought you were being petty to punish me but that, in the end, we could still save our marriage.”
I laugh without humor. “That’s fucking rich. It’s over, Nadine. I don’t love you. I haven’t loved you in a very long time. Let’s end this now and move on with our lives.”
She narrows her eyes, flattening her lips too. “You seem in an awful hurry to sign the papers now. What changed, Alistair? It’s another woman, isn’t it? You’ve got a girlfriend and you want to be free again.”
Nadine is not the only actor at this table. The difference is I was always better than her. My expression reveals nothing.
“Do you think I can only let you go if I have a replacement? Don’t flatter yourself, darling. I just want you out of my life for good. I can’t stand the sight of your face.”
The waiter comes to take our order, but I tell him we’re not staying.
“Is there something wrong?” he asks.
“No. I just lost my appetite. I’m leaving. I don’t know about her.”
“I’m not having dinner by myself!” she shrieks.
If looks could kill, I’d be dead already.
I push my chair back to stand, and Nadine follows suit. Ignoring her, I head out of the restaurant and give my ticket to the valet guy.
“Alistair, look at me.”
The idiot that I am, I do so. I don’t expect Nadine to grab my face between her hands and kiss me on the lips. I push her off as fast as I can, but not fast enough to avoid the paparazzi flashes.
“You set me up!” I wipe my lips, knowing for sure I have a red smear on them.
She doesn’t seem one bit fazed by my reaction. “You’re not getting rid of me as easily as you think, babe. Not when I’m about to sign a contract for a reality TV show. I need drama, and our rocky relationship will provide plenty of that.”
I want to shake her, scream at her, but I do none of those things. I won’t be played again.
The valet guy comes with my car, and I grab the keys so fast, I forget to tip the man. Two minutes into my drive, I receive a text from Chiara. It’s only a bunch of kiss-face emojis.
Fuck me, I didn’t even factor her into all this mess. How long until she sees those damn pictures online?
I call her, and it goes straight to voice mail. Goddamn it. Anger and frustration mix, making a vein throb on my forehead.
Without a choice, I drive to Chiara’s apartment. Once again, I’m not using my best judgment here. The parking lot in front of her building is full, so I circle around and park my truck a block away. As if an omen that things are about to turn to shit, heavy rain starts to fall in big fat drops. I grab the hoodie I always keep in my car and put it on. It still carries Chiara’s sweet scent from when I loaned it to her the other day. Pulling the hood over my head, I brave the weather. I get drenched within seconds.
