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“I appreciate that you’ve told me you’re having a hard time,” I say. “I know it’s hard for you to talk about things like this. I know it’s probably…embarrassing telling your soon-to-be ex-wife.”
He’s quiet for a long moment. “No, you’re actually the easiest person to tell.”
I shut my eyes, fighting the wave of tenderness threatening to stop my breath. “I’ll be honest with you,” I say when I’m able to find my voice, “dating has been really hard for me. I’m having a tough time knowing what to say to men who aren’t you. I’m out of practice.”
His jaw clenches. “You’ve been doing a lot of dating?”
I repress a smile at the shift in his mood. How quickly he went from listlessness to fiery jealousy. Even in his brokenness, he can’t fully restrain that hot temper of his.
“No, not really,” I say, “but I did have quite a few men approach me after we announced the separation.”
“Who?” he nearly shouts, and I strain my muscles to keep my lips from twitching.
“I really shouldn’t tell you.”
After a few seconds, he shrugs, but the movement is jerky. “I’m not going to do anything. I’m just curious. I probably know some of them.”
“You know all of them, which is why I can’t tell you. They’re business acquaintances. I don’t want to cause any problems.”
He clenches the steering wheel, his knuckles growing white. “Who, Whitney? You have to tell me now. You can’t drop something like that and not tell me.”
I gulp back a laugh. Oh, this is too much fun. What a nice change to have him worried about who I’m sleeping with.
“Let me guess,” he says. “Anthony Mariano has to be one of them.”
I stay silent for a moment to draw out the suspense. “He’s one of them.”
“Son of a bitch,” Mark grits out, and I grin. “I knew he wanted to fuck my wife.”
I jab a finger in his direction. “None of that, Mr. Walker. I’m soon to be Ms. Whitney Silva.”
“I can’t believe it.” He shakes his head, seeming like he didn’t even hear me. “Who else, Whit? You have to tell me. They’ll probably be at the Christmas Ball next week, and I need to be prepared.
I sigh. “You have to promise you won’t punch any of them in the face like poor Jason.”
“PoorJason,” Mark huffs, smirking. “He was lucky all he got was a punch in the face.”
I giggle, and a strange lightness tugs at my limbs. Are Mark and I really teasing each other about Jason? I never thought this day would come. The idea of Jason and me always loomed as large and desolate as a blackhole.
“Have I done anything like that these last few months?” Mark asks. “I wanted to kill your ex-divorce lawyer, but I didn’t do a thing.”
“How noble of you.”
“I really won’t do anything.”
I set a hand on his arm. “I know you won’t, which is why I’m going to tell you one of the men who you were right about when you thought he had a crush on me.”
“Who?” His voice is full of curiosity, and it makes me smile. He’s going to love this one.
“Well, he’s more of a boy. At least in my eyes. I’m surprised Cole hasn’t sent you a picture of him as a candidate for his stepdad, since he’s one of his friends.”
Mark turns to me, his eyes wide and fierce. “Parker.”
“Keep your eyes on the road.”
He grits his teeth as he turns his head back. “The little fucker. Parker thegradstudent. Remember how he kept reminding us? Like being in graduate school made him less of a little weasel. Ready to fuck my wife under my own roof.”
My voice is choked with laughter. “You were in a terrible mood that weekend. When he visited with Cole, I mean.”
