Huxley goes to get me something to drink. Fortunately, I’ve made sure to have some nonalcoholic beverages at the auction.
There is a huge blue and green abstract painting to my left titledSomewhere Between Dusk and Dawn. In between the two colors is a sliver of fiery golden orange, and I love the contrast and the brush strokes that give the upper part a fluffy feel and the bottom part a rough, grassy appearance. The artist—Lynn—is the younger sister of the guitarist from the popular band Axelrod, and for some reason I thought her work would be grungy or something. I follow the wall, looking at some of her other paintings.
“You were looking atSomewhere Between Dusk and Dawnfor a while. Want me to buy it for you?”
I turn around in surprise. “Adam!”
“Hey, GG. Long time no see.”
I stare at him, take in the still-friendly eyes and bright smile that are without a hint of awkwardness or resentment. Happy relief tugs at my heart. What happened on the wedding night must’ve been just a drunk aberration. It’s like the disagreement we had never happened, and he’s still my good friend. “I missed you.”
“Missed you too,” he says softly. His downcast eyes make him look shy and boyish at the same time. “So I guess I’m forgiven?”
I give him a quick hug. “I was upset. But I didn’t mean we shouldn’t be friends anymore. I’m sorry if you thought that.”
He sighs, patting my back, then lets go slowly.
“So…” I notice the well-fitted tuxedo on him. “Are you here with someone?” He’s from a middle-class family, and he doesn’t have the money to throw around at an auction like this. If he were a donor or somebody who might be invited to participate, his name would’ve been on the list I triple-checked over the last several days.
“Nope. Here on my own.” He reaches out and holds my hand, the motion deliberate and gentle, as though he’s afraid of frightening me. “I’m not poor anymore,” he blurts out. The tips of his ears turn red.
“What?”
“GG, I finally won!”
“Won what?” But as soon as the question is out of my mouth, I know.
“The lottery! Five hundred million dollars.”
I stop for a second, trying to process and figure out if he’s joking. But his expression remains sober. My jaw drops. “Are youserious? Oh myGod! That’s amazing! I’ve never met somebody who’s won the lottery before. Congratulations!” I hug him, thrilled at his good fortune. He’s one of the nicest people in the world, and he deserves this kind of karmic reward.
“Thank you.”
“Wow.” I cover my mouth with my hands. I always thought Adam buying lottery tickets was amusing and interesting—that someone as rational as he is would spend money on something so unlikely—but he beat the odds to be one out of hundreds of millions. “Xander must be over the moon,” I say.
Adam frowns. “Xander?”
“Oh. Aren’t you guys still dating?” Then I realize I haven’t seen Xander in almost a year.
Adam looks at me like I just told him a Martian spaceship just landed in the middle of Los Angeles. “Dating? He’s not my boyfriend.”
“But… Remember when his ex got really weird and aggressive? You got in his face and told him to get lost because Xander was with you now.”
“Well,Xander’sgay, yeah. But I was just helping him out. His ex is a little crazy, and Xan was worried. But he and I are just good friends.” When I continue to stare, he adds, “GG, I’m not gay.”
I just blink. And my mind starts to whisper,Huxley was right, Huxley was right, Huxley was right.
A frown still on his face, Adam continues, “You only married that man because of your mother’s medical bills. Well, now I can take care of you and your mother, all that,” he says earnestly. “Everything I have will be yours.”
My heart jumps to my throat at the bright fervor in his gaze. He can’t possibly be saying what I think he’s saying—
He reaches out and takes my hand. “Divorce Huxley Lasker and marry me. I’ve always loved you, GG. You’re the only one for me.”
His proposal and declaration hit me like wrecking balls, one after another. They must’ve dislodged a gear in my head, because nothing’s turning.
“You never cared for him, did you?” Adam asks earnestly. He tightens his grip on my hand, as though to squeeze out an answer. “You shouldn’t be with a guy you can’t stand. I’ll be good to you and raise your baby like it was mine.”
I open my mouth, but nothing comes out. Instead, my face overheats, and I realize tears are gathering in my eyes. They’re composed of something between sorrow, regret, pain and affection. I love Adam, but it isn’t romantic love. Marrying him would be like marrying a brother. Adam is a great guy and deserves a woman who can love him and wants to make him as happy as he makes her. “I—”
