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"I am married, Aidan. Filed for divorce, but still married."
"Filed for divorce?" I set down my food. "Then you're separated. Legally."
"There's no such thing as legal separation in Michigan. But yes, I started the divorce process." She raises her sandwich as if to take a bite, then sets it down. "My husband has been trying to delay the proceedings."
"Are you still in love with him?"
"I never loved him."
"Donnae understand." I glance at my sandwich, my lip curling because I suddenly feel ill. Why did she wait until now to tell me this? She's a married virgin? I don't understand at all, so I set down my sandwich. "You don't love him, and you've never slept with him. Why did you marry the man? Why not get an annulment instead of divorce?"
"It's a long story." She holds up a hand when I open my mouth to speak. "Please don't ask any more questions. That's all I can tell you, for your own protection."
Squinting at her, I pucker my lips. "Protection? Why would I need to be protected from knowing about your relationship with your husband?"
"It's complicated."
"Has he abused you?"
"No, nothing like that."
"All right." I pick up my sandwich and devour another bite while I wonder what exactly she needs to protect me from, but I decide to give up trying to figure that out. Time to get back to enjoying my day with Calli. "Then we can kiss, and I'm free to seduce you, since you're not really another man's wife anymore."
"Maybe you should go home. I'm bad news."
"You've already been good for me. I haven't had this much fun in a long time."
She stares at me, still holding her sandwich. "Aren't you worried I'm a criminal wanted by the FBI? Or that I'll try to con you into murdering my husband for his life insurance?"
I laugh, shaking my head, and go back to eating my lunch. She really is the sweetest lass I've ever met.
"Tell me," I say, "can your husband stop the divorce?"
"No. Michigan is a no-fault state, which means the divorce will happen. He can argue about the terms and bring in his team of lawyers to slow things down, but it will go through, eventually."
"His team of lawyers? Is he wealthy?"
Calli absently draws lines in the sand, her gaze on the lake. "Yeah, he's rich. Inherited a fortune from his parents."
"Does he want to keep you from getting any of his money?"
"No." She dives her fingers into the sand. "I already told him I don't want any more of his money. I want nothing from him except a divorce."
"Anymoreof his money?" I say. "He's given you—"
"Yes and no. It's complicated, please don't ask me to explain."
"If that's what you want." I stroke the back of one finger along her upper arm. "Speaking of what you want… Since I don't want to overstay my welcome, would you rather I go back to Chicago tomorrow?"
Please say no.
"Well…" She hesitates, then says, "Stay for a week. We can reevaluate at that point."
I smile, sure my joy shows on my face and makes me glow from head to toe. Calli doesn't want me to leave. Whatever's going on with her husband, she can tell me later, after we've gotten to know each other better.
"Have dinner with me," I say.
"I'd love to."
