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Even our sister, Poppy, has found her footing as the style and image director at our mother’s family company, Chloé Bellerose Cosmetics. I’m the only one working at and running The Maxwell Group alongside my father.
As he grooms me and prepares me to take over the company in his upcoming retirement, I’ve had a lot of stressful days and nights. I seldom have time for myself and no time for a personal life whatsoever.
That made dating Claire so easy because she was immersed in her career.
I glance around at everyone and see the laughter in their eyes, if they aren’t outright laughing. My eyes land on Lauren again and Andrew. For the first time, I can see the strain around his eyes and mouth despite his trying to smile.
The fissure in their marriage is deeper than Lauren’s letting on, and I know why. Andrew, as much of a creative as he is, also has to have control. When control is lacking in his life, he becomes unsettled, and I know he’s trying to figure out why Lauren doesn’t want to have children right now.
I wonder how long she will keep up the façade. How long will she drag it out? Telling him that she wants children, but not now until they’re both too old and the dream has faded.
At what point will he figure out the truth?
Could his marriage or any of our friendships sustain the truth?
I drag a hand down my face to push those thoughts aside, relax, and bask in the moment.
When I turn my gaze away from Lauren, I find Yaya watching me with a confused expression. She does that a lot, I notice. Watches me when I’m not paying attention.
I wonder if she’s noticed how often I watch Lauren. What does she think? I must be careful around Lauren because I wouldn’t want her to get the wrong impression. I’m not sure how close she and Stacey are, but if they talk at all, one wrong word getting to Stacey and then to Shepherd will create a wedge between us all.
I stand up, stretching. “I’m heading back to our chalet, guys,” I announce.
Everyone else stands and does the same, throwing trash away and grabbing their equipment. The girls all band together and start walking ahead of us guys.
The conversation around us turns to business as it invariably does, the stock exchange, company mergers, new business ideas, and downsizing. In the midst of all that, Andrew speaks up.
“I’m thinking about asking Lauren for a divorce.”
I stop in my tracks, damn near tripping over my feet. Tyler runs into the back of me.
“Shit!” he mutters.
“You’re what?” I ask.
Andrew nods slowly, and Shepherd stops as we all form a semi-circle around Andrew. “I think she’s having an affair.”
“Lauren,” Shepherd scoffs, shaking his head.
“She worships the ground that you walk on, Drew. Always has,” Tyler says.
“Not anymore, Ty. Something has changed, and I can’t put my finger on it, but things are different between us. I try to talk to her, get her to open up, and she pushes me out.”
“Maybe she’s stressed about her company,” Shepherd says.
Andrew scratches the back of his head and shakes it as he glances at where the women are now walking through the doors of the chalet. “No, it’s not that. The company’s doing pretty good.”
“Not as well as yours, though, right?” Shepherd asks.
“The success Martin and I have had is a fluke. It doesn’t happen like that overnight for most companies, but she’s still doing damn good to be only five years in. There’s something else. Someone else has her attention,” Andrew shares.
“Maybe she’s ready to start a family. Settle down,” Tyler suggests.
Pulling his fingers through his beard, Andrew shakes his head again. “That’s just it. She always wanted a family when we were younger, but she doesn’t now. She makes up every excuse for why we should hold off. That’s all she used to talk about, remember?”
“People grow up,” I say.
“They grow up, but people are inherently who they are,” Andrew argues.
