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Santiago took his own bite and nodded. “It was so easy. Almost too easy.” He frowned, seeing their conversation in a new light. He’d thought he was trapping them, but did the Woodses have something up their own sleeves?
“I wouldn’t read too much into that,” Ainsley said. “I’m sure they won’t hesitate to throw you under the bus and tell me you bribed them if they think it will help them, but since I’m in on it, it doesn’t matter.”
“That’s true,” Santiago replied. “They probably think I’m just as compromised as they are.”
“How are you going to get the money back, anyway?”
He shrugged. “I expect the judge who hears the case will order them to repay me, since I have them on tape taking the bribe.”
“Fair enough.” Ainsley shook her head and laughed. “You know, it’s kind of nice feeling like the smartest one in the room.”
Santiago nearly choked on his food. “Aren’t you used to that already?”
“Hardly.” Her tone was dry, the aural equivalent of rolling her eyes.
“Oh, come on,” he insisted. “You were the smartest one in our class at law school. And no offense to your family, but I doubt any of your relatives are anywhere close to your level of intelligence.”
“Flattery isn’t necessary,” she said, raising one eyebrow in a clear expression of skepticism. “I’m already here. No need to keep trying to convince me.”
“It’s not flattery, it’s the truth,” he shot back. “You’re the smartest person I know.”
She shifted in her chair and he knew she was uncomfortable. She’d always had a hard time accepting praise, a habit he’d never understood. When they’d been together, he’d tried to help her see just how amazing she was. He was willing to bet that once they’d separated, she’d had no one in her life to hold up a mirror so she would recognize her own accomplishments.
The thought made him sad. Ainsley was special, but she’d always minimized her own gifts, preferring the shadows to the spotlight.
It’s not your problem, he reminded himself. A part of him would always care for Ainsley—he was smart enough not to deny or fight it. But he couldn’t be there for her, not in the way a true partner was. And if he let himself get too close, if he started to forget why he’d left her in the first place, he’d only hurt them both in the end.
She cleared her throat. “Maybe I can get them one-on-one tomorrow morning after breakfast,” she said. “Offer them my bribe and see what happens.”
“That sounds like a plan.” Santiago nodded, glad the conversation was moving on. Best to focus on why they were here and ignore any other distractions.
It was the only way he was going to get through this.
Chapter 5
“Welcome to breakfast.” The young woman smiled at them, nodding first at Santiago, then at Ainsley, the following morning. “If you’ll please follow me, I’ll show you to your table. This is where you both will eat your meals for the duration of your stay with us.”
Interesting, Ainsley thought as they followed the staffer into a dining room off the main lobby. It seemed the Woodses didn’t want the couples at the marriage retreat speaking to each other outside of any group sessions. Was that because they didn’t want people comparing notes? It was definitely easier to manipulate people if you isolated them. Given the fact the Woodses had insisted they stay in their cabins last night, and were now assigning them all to separate tables, it seemed they were starting the process early.
The dark-haired woman stopped at a two-top and flashed that Stepford smile once more. “Here you are.”
“Thank you,” Santiago said quietly. They sat across from each other, and Ainsley glanced around the room.
There were nine other tables, all of them set for only two people. Six couples were here already, sipping coffee or eating scrambled eggs. There was a quiet hum of conversation in the air, but she couldn’t make out any individual words.
The room itself matched the subtle, classy decor of their cabin and the lobby they’d seen yesterday. The sound of a fountain tinkled through the room, the soothing noise providing additional privacy for speech.
Not that it mattered. The tables were set far apart, islands scattered throughout the room. The better to discourage casual socialization, she supposed.
Santiago caught her eye. “Interesting setup,” he said softly.
She nodded. “For a couple who claims to be all about encouraging communication, it sure doesn’t seem that way.”
A twentyish-looking man appeared at their table, looking like a catalog model. “Coffee?” he asked brightly.
Santiago and Ainsley both nodded, and he filled their cups. “I’ll tell the kitchen you’re here. The food will be out momentarily.”
“We don’t get to order from a menu?” Ainsley asked.
