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Yet the second I make up my mind, I can’t stop myself. I direct my comment toward Rhino.
“Things have been good,” I repeat. “But… well, some things have changed in other ways. Our alone time.”
Stitches’s glasses slip down his narrow nose while Rhino barks out a deep laugh.
“Not having sex like you want, eh?” Rhino says. “Welcome torealmarried life. Not that honeymoon shit you two’ve been on. Good times, ain’t they?”
“It’s not just a lack of sex—it’s that she’s… something’s changed.”
“She just had a baby. Maybe it’s her hormones being outta whack. Don’t they be acting up anyway for women?” Stitches shrugs.
“Possibly.”
“Listen, and listen carefully,” Rhino says, hunching forward. He resembles a rhinoceros in this moment more than any other. “Nine times out of ten for women, it’s mental. Men, we’re simple creatures, ain’t we? We’ve got like… three emotions.”
“Which would be?” Stitches asks.
“Anger and happiness,” he says, ticking off each one with a fat finger. “And, as you guessed it, horniness. Those three are our bread and butter. But the fairer sex? They’re more complicated than usstronzos.”
Stitches nods along like he’s about to start taking notes. “Maybe you two need to get away.”
“I’ve suggested it. But she doesn’t feel it’s the right time with the baby.”
“It’s in her head,” Rhino says. “You find out what it is that’s causing the block, you’ve solved the riddle. Get it?”
I get it. But it’s not as if I haven’t been trying for days now. I finish another whiskey highball and think on what we’ve discussed so far.
“Maybe it’s her dad.” Stitches pulls off his second set of eyes and polishes the pair on the hem of his shirt. “He’s been sending gifts and calling nonstop, right? Maybe he’s getting in her head.”
“I’ve considered that.” My expression darkens as my thoughts do.
“Ut oh!” Rhino claps his huge hands together and cracks up in laughter. “That’s a psycho look right there! Something tells me not to be surprised if daddy dearest turns up without a head!”
Rhino’s joking. Mostly.
But I’m not laughing. Because it’s not a funny matter. I haven’t forgotten that Ernest is back and lurking in the background, waiting for the chance to slither his way into Delphine’s good graces.
“What about you? You got a special lady, do you?” Rhino asks, jutting his round chin at Stitches.
Stitches chokes on nothing but air. “Special lady? What special lady?”
“You tell me. There’s somebody special, ain’t there? Be honest,goombah.”
I’m barely paying attention as Stitches skirts around the issue and vaguely mentions he might have his sights on an attractive, successful career woman. Though I’ve suspected he’s been hiding something, I couldn’t care less about who that is in this moment.
The intimacy issues with Delphine take up all the real estate in my mind. My frustration has grown considerably, even though I’ve tried to hide it from her. Finishing up yet another highball, I make up my mind.
Time to try something new.
…in more ways than one.
* * *
There’s a soft knock on the door of my home office.
I don’t look up from the book I’m reading at my desk. “Come in.”
“You wanted to see me, professor?”
