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They said goodbye amid a flurry of hugs and plans to meet for yoga the next day (everyone except Karen, who was spending the day at the salon in preparation for herdate).
“You heading back to Brooklyn?” Nina askedMoni.
“Bronx. Angela’s staying with a friend and I promised my mom I’d check onher.”
They walked together in silence until they came to Moni’s subwaystation.
She leaned in to give Nina another hug. “See youtomorrow.”
Nina pulled away and put a hand on her arm. “I’m sorry I didn’t tell you about Jack. It was…” She shook her head. “It wasstupid.”
Moni smiled. “I get it. You have to date someone else eventually. I don’t want it to beweird.”
Nina suddenly wondered if Moni had had the same conversation with Liam, if she’d spoken to him at all since he’d embarked on the project that had kept him overseas for the past fewmonths.
“Is Liam seeing someone new?” Nina shook her head as soon as the words were out of her mouth. “I’m sorry. Don’t answer that. It’s none of my business, and it’s not a fairquestion.”
Moni’s smile was sad. “I love you both. I want you both to behappy.”
Ninanodded.
“Are you?” Moni asked. “Happy?”
“I am,” Ninasaid.
Even as she said it she was aware that happy was too simple a word for the way she felt with Jack. She was breathless with excitement every time she saw him, lost in the power he had over her body. It was all-consuming, difficult to concentrate on anything but the doors he opened on cravings she hadn’t known shehad.
Moni smiled. “That’s all thatmatters.”
“Thank you,” Ninasaid.
They said goodbye and Nina continued to the intersection. There was a station for her train a block away and she waited for the light to change, her conversation with Moni echoing through hermind.
Why had she asked about Liam? It would be a lie to say that she never thought of him, but she’d managed to relegate him to a dark corner of her heart, the place where she kept the sadnesses and grief that couldn’t beundone.
You have to date someone elseeventually.
It had been Moni’s comment about dating that had caused a wave of desperation to rise in Nina, the thought of Liam moving on and forgetting abouther.
And yet she’d moved on, and while she hadn’t forgotten about Liam — would never forget about him — she’d resigned herself to the fact that they weren’t meant to be. He’d been too young and she’d been too confused, and one of those things would never change. More than anyone, Liam deservedlove.
It was just better for her if she didn’t think too much aboutit.
She tightened her coat and crossed the street, her heels clicking on the pavement, hair blowing in the icy wind. She’d just stepped onto the curb when she heard a startled voice say hername.
“Nina? Is thatyou?”
She turned around to find two women staring at her. They were standing near the front of a restaurant, looking at her with something likeshock.
She didn’t place their faces until she got closer, then she remembered: they’d both attended her gym in Larchmont. She knew the blond’s name was Kim but she had no idea about thebrunette.
“Hello,” she said, forcing a smile. “How areyou?”
“I’m fine… I’m just… wow, you look amazing.” Kim turned to her dark-haired friend. “Remember Nina from kickboxing, Steph? Doesn’t she lookamazing?”
“Amazing.” Stephanie’s eyes were wide as she looked Nina up and down. “What’s you’resecret?”
“Divorce?” They looked stricken and Nina immediately laughed. “I’m just kidding, although I did get divorced. I live here now. What are you upto?”
