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Felicia cleared her throat. “I sell vintage clothing online. But my business is incorporated in the UK.”
“I see,” he said again. “Are you both willing to proceed even with the possibility it will be denied?”
I nodded. “Of course.”
“Are you aware, Dr. Kincaid, that you are accepting financial responsibility for Felicia for a period of ten years, whether you remain married or not, as long as she stays in the United States?”
I did not know that, but it didn’t matter. As if I were going to let her be homeless if we didn’t work out. Not that she would be. Felicia had a certain hustle to her. She was a successful businesswoman all on her own. “I have no issue signing off on that. And please, call me Michael.”
“So what are my chances of success here?” Felicia asked.
“I can’t really say. But trust me, there is no guarantee.”
Felicia gave me a worried look.
“It’s okay,” I told her, squeezing her knee. “It will work out.”
“Either that or it’s my last New Year’s Eve in New York.”
That sounded ominous. “Think positive.”
We filled out all the paperwork and I paid the lawyer a ridiculous amount of money, then we left together.
When we got downstairs, Felicia said, “Are you sure you want to do this? I have this feeling I’m not going to get approved.”
“You don’t know that.”
“But it’s not a guarantee.” She pulled her coat close together over her chest. “This could be a massive waste of time. I thought the odds were better. I don’t want to hold you to this, Michael.”
I stared at her, not sure if she was feeling guilty or hopeless or both. “Are you looking for an out? Is this not what you want?”
“What I want is irrelevant. I’m the massive idiot who got myself into this.” She held out her hand and stared down at the engagement ring I’d given her. “I just don’t want to waste your time,” she repeated.
“Spending time with you would never be a waste,” I said, and I meant that. “Now let’s walk, it’s freezing out here.”
I put my hand on the small of her back and guided her down the sidewalk. I bent over to murmur in her ear, “You don’t get it, do you? I fell for you before I even met you in person. I’ll fight to keep you here. I’ll fight to keep you with me.”
She glanced up at me, her blue eyes displaying vulnerability.
I couldn’t even begin to say that I knew what Felicia was thinking. Now, or half the time. She was an enigma, but I enjoyed every minute with her. I didn’t want her to leave New York.
I didn’t want her to leave me.
“Then you’re just as massive an idiot as I am,” she said.
That made me laugh. “I guess so.”
* * *
“Don’t be angry,” I said out loud to Becca’s ghost. “I know a woman’s closet is sacred, but I have to keep some clothes here at Michael’s flat.”
The closet bothered me and I didn’t even know why. It wasn’t like I felt a presence of someone. Of Becca. Because I didn’t. It was actually just a hushed room that had the feel of a space that hasn’t been used in years. It had needed a massive dusting when the movers had taken Becca’s clothes out, so now I was finally unpacking while Michael was at the hospital.
I didn’t have Becca’s volume of clothing and shoes.
My wardrobe looked sparse compared to the space that existed.
“You had great taste,” I assured Becca. “Though we do have slightly different tastes. Sort of like relationships, you know. I wonder if I’m quite different from you. I expect that I am.”
