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“Sure,” I murmured. “See you Monday.”
“Have a good weekend.”
* * *
I reemergedfrom the bar to find Xavier pacing outside like a dog waiting for its master. I couldn’t help the satisfaction pooling in my belly. Yes, I’d taken a little longer than was strictly necessary to come out. Yes, I was hoping for this exact effect.
I’d been sweating for a month. He could sweat for ten more minutes.
When he saw me, he stopped, masked the irritation, and offered a cool half-smile. “I hope he wasn’t too heartbroken you had to ditch him.”
That did it. All the stress, annoyance, frustration, and fear that had been piling up for the last ten minutes, not to mention the last month, came flying out of me.
“Yes, I came out here, but only to prevent you from causing an immature scene with someone I work with.” The more I thought about it, the more upset I grew, getting to the point where I was stripping off my gloves and shoving my hands into my pockets for want of something to do. “I know we have things to settle, but, Xavi? I am not at your beck and call anytime you want to show up and play the caveman. What are you doing here, anyway? It’s been a month, and I haven’t heard from you once.”
Xavier’s smug expression vanished. “Do you know, you are terrifying for someone so small. How do you manage it?”
I just folded my arms and stared up at him. I wasn’t in the mood for games.
He sighed. “Fine. Fine. It seemed more appropriate to come in person. Given, you know, the circumstances.”
“I think it would have been more appropriate to pick up the damn phone. Given, you know, the threat you made. Where have you been, if not consulting your giant team of lawyers on how best to screw me over?”
He exhaled through his teeth. “I was calming the fuck down,” he said through his teeth. “Seemed necessary after I was told I had a daughter I never knew about.”
I just rolled my eyes. “I wish I could take a month to cool down every time someone pissed me off. But since I live with a four-year-old, it doesn’t really work like that.”
Xavier’s entire body tensed at the mention of Sofia, and a finger of fear slipped right down my neck.
“Right,” he said. “Well, about that—”
“If you’re going to serve me with papers or a lawsuit or whatever, you could have just sent a process server or some delinquent to do it,” I rambled on, suddenly unable to keep my hands still. “You didn’t have to fly across the big blue ocean to scare me and Sofia again.”
“I—no, I didn’t.” He dragged the ball of one foot across the sidewalk, then the other, like a slow motion tap dance. “Look, can we go somewhere and talk? Just you and me. About everything.”
“No lawyers?” I meant to sneer, but it came out more like a whimper. I didn’t want to admit how much he had scared me with that.
He gave me a hard look, but one that softened after a few seconds. “Not today,” he said finally.
My stomach twisted. I supposed it was better than the alternative.
“I have some time,” I said. “Maybe I’ll get a glass of wine after all. Red, of course. Not white.”
I turned around before that wicked, knowing smile crossed his face again. I had to. I was afraid I would smile back.
