I take an empty seat and cross my legs. “I guess.” I shrug helplessly. As soon as I get my money, I’m going to makesureDoris pays for everything she’s done.
“I really wanted that pencil drawing you promised me,” he says.
It takes me a moment. “Oh, right!”
The professor gave us an extra-credit assignment where we had to sketch a classmate. I did a pencil portrait of Ethan, and the professor shared it with the class to illustrate what he meant by “deft capturing of key features.” I was a bit surprised, then embarrassed, then pleased that he thought so, since other art experts and critics that Doris befriended said my drawings weren’t that good. At the end of the class, Ethan asked me if he could have it, and I said yes. Since then…
I frown. Doris took all my artwork to the therapist, and I never got any of it back. “I’m sorry. I don’t have it right now.”
“Well, no, I’d imagine not,” he says with a light laugh. “But you can give it to me later.”
Assuming the therapist hasn’t thrown it away. “How about if I just redo the sketch? I mean, if you’re okay with it.”
“Sure, that works.” He smiles. “Anyway, what brings you here? Lucie says you need a lawyer?”
“Yes. I just got married—”
“Married?”
I nod. “And I need someone to draft a contract between me and my husband. A sort of prenup after the fact, I guess.”
“You don’t have one?”
“No. The wedding was, um, rather sudden.” Ares said the impromptu addition by Mr. Sinatra wouldn’t hold up in court, and I’m certain he’s right about that. He’s a lawyer, after all.
“Oh, wow.” Ethan runs a hand over his face. “I didn’t know you had a boyfriend. When we had that class on romantic love and art, you said you’d never experienced it—and didn’t plan to.”
“Nope. And I still don’t. But that didn’t mean I didn’t want to get married. I’ve always wanted ahusband.” Someone other than Rupert, of course, so I could be free of Doris. I honestly believe if she could get away with it, she would’ve tried to marry me off to Vernon, except that bigamy is illegal even in Nesovia.
Ethan’s gaze grows sharp as he regards me over steepled fingers. “So. You’re not in love with your husband?”
“Love isn’t necessary for a marriage of mutual understanding and benefit.” Besides, even if I had such a romantic notion, Ares doesn’t want it. He wants a cool, businesslike union, without cheating or anything that could cause public embarrassment. “You know how it is in our circle. And as a Nesovian, I need a reliable husband to take control over my money.”
“Ugh. Horrible country. They updated their inheritance law not too long ago after Lucienne Peery’s marriage made international headlines. I think the government was vaguely embarrassed at being outed on how badly they treat half their citizens.”
“Does this mean it’s going to be easier?” I ask, hoping.
“Of course not. Have you ever seen a government bureaucracy improve your life?” Ethan clicks and unclicks the end of his pen a couple of times as he considers. “Anyway… Who’d you end up marrying? Do I know him?”
“You might. He’s a lawyer, too. Ares Huxley?”
“You married aHuxley?” I might as well have said I married a serial killer from the way Ethan’s eyes bulge under pinched eyebrows.
I squirm, an odd discomfiture fleeting through me at the strong disapproval in his tone. Does he know something about Ares that I don’t?
“We ran into each other in Vegas and, you know, hit it off,” I say. “It seemed perfect.” Well,wasperfect when Ares told me he wanted to be my knight. Of course, he had to ruin it by saying he only wants an “indifferent” relationship, then confuse me by being considerate about my food issue, even though I never said anything explicit about it. Only an observant man who cares would do what he did. “Is there something about him I should be aware of?”
“Other than the fact that he’s got a rep for being a dick, both in and out of court? No.” Ethan’s eyes narrow, but the gleam in them is tinged with satisfaction.
His reaction strikes me as odd, but maybe he and Ares have some sort of enmity? Possibly they were pitted against each other in court or something.
But Ethan also said “out of court.” Maybe my expression is too transparent, because he adds, “He dates women, then dumps them as soon as they fall in love with him.”
My face crumbles a little.
He spreads his hands, but not entirely without sympathy. “Lareina, everybody knows this. He’s infamous.”
This might explain Ethan’s vague disapproval. “Don’t worry. I don’t plan on falling in love with him.” Throwing myself at my husband when he specifically told me to stay respectfully indifferent would be beyond ridiculous and humiliating. “Nobody gets to break my heart without my permission.”
