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“Oh, for God’s sake,” I snapped. “Yes, you know each other. Xavi, you’re just too self-absorbed to remember that you and Adam were at Eton at the same time together.”
“Adam Klein?” Adam reminded him. “We had biology and calculus together. I was the ambassador’s son.”
Xavier blinked, completely nonplussed. “Oh right. Lizard, wasn’t it?”
Adam’s eyes practically bugged out of his head. It wasn’t hard to imagine where the nickname had come from.
“I don’t really go by that anymore,” he said.
“Good for you, then,” Xavier retorted. “Are you still trying to assault women with your lizard mouth on their doorsteps too, or is that also a thing of the past?”
“Xavi!” I hissed. “Cut it out!”
“Not that it’s any of your business, but I’ve apologized for that behavior,” Adam gritted through his teeth. “Didn’t I, Frankie?”
“Her name is Francesca.”
“Only to self-important jerks who barely know her.”
“Barely know her? You can fuck right off, mate.”
“Jesus.” I shoved my way between them. “Can we not with the schoolyard antics? There are enough actual children on the property.”
I placed a hand on both their chests and shoved. Hard. Adam took several steps back, but Xavier stood his ground for an extra few seconds before taking one single step backward.
“All right,” I said. “Adam, let’s get a drink next week, all right? Maybe at Pioneer Works after we’re done here? We can talk more then and look at some art too.”
Adam brightened, though he was staring at Xavier when he answered, “Sounds perfect. I’ll get your latte.”
“She drinks tea, you twat,” Xavier snarled, though he quieted once I shot him another glare.
“A latte sounds great,” I told Adam. “I’ll see you then. Xavier, I have a class to teach in thirty minutes. If you want me to listen to whatever reason you showed up here, you can walk me there.”
Xavier smirked at Adam like he’d won some kind of fight. “Be delighted.”
I rolled my eyes. Freaking cavemen. “We good here, gentlemen?”
“Perfect,” Adam gritted out.
“Perfect,” Xavier replied.
But I was already on my way out of the schoolyard, no longer interested in being witness to further dogfighting.
“Francesca, hold on.”
I didn’t bother waiting, but Xavier caught up with me as I began the walk up Court Street to the YMCA. He had such long legs, it only took a few seconds.
“I thought you were going to let me talk,” he said.
“I’m walking. You can talk if you want to.”
Xavier sighed. “So it’s like that? I don’t even get a chance to explain myself? That’s messed up, Ces.”
“No, messed up is going four months not telling me you’re a freaking duke! Telling me this sob story about your horrible relationship with your dad when, in fact, he passed too, didn’t he?”
“Yeah, he did!” Xavier exploded. “And so what? At least it isn’t four years of not telling me I have a daughter, who is very much fucking alive!”
I whirled around. “That is beside the point now, don’t you think?”
