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Hecould see the relief on her face in the way she glanced down and bit back a smile.
“CanIask you about your divorce?” he asked, wanting to know.Notto judge, just to understand.
“Well…Idon’t thinkI’msupposed to talk about it,” she said, nibbling at a mini quiche.
Hiseyebrows rose at that. “You’renot?”
Shehesitated briefly before shrugging. “There’sthis dating coachIfollow.OnInstagram?Andshe says to never talk about your exes on a first date.”
Hemade a show of looking around the tasting room.Musicfloated on the air, mingling with the sound of the softly crackling fire. “Isshe here?”
Hazellaughed. “No.”
“ThenIthink you’re safe.Unlessyoudon’t want to talk about it.Whichis fine.”
Sheshook her head. “No,Idon’t mind.It’s…Imean, the whole point is getting to know each other and whetherIlike it or not, this is part of me…”Shetrailed off, her bottom lip once again caught between her teeth.Hewanted to pull that lip free, smooth his thumb over it.Wraphis arms around her to try to absorb some of the anxiety he could feel coming off of her, like heat from a fire.Hesipped his cider, not even noting which one it was.
“ImetSeth…”Shelooked up at the ceiling, squinting. “Sorry,I’mjust trying to think of the shortest way to tell this story.”Sheglanced at him. “I’vealways sucked at writing synopses.”
“That’sbecause synopses are an instrument of torture invented bySatanhimself,” he said, his voice deadpan.Shelaughed, and he saw some of the tension go out of her shoulders.
“Agreed.Okay, so.ImetSethabout eight years ago, through my agent.Sethwound up being my editor for the trilogy, and by the time the third book came out, we were married.Butabout a year in, things started to feel off.WhenIfinally worked up the guts to confront him about how distant he’d been, how much he’d been working, how off things felt between us…”Shetrailed off, glancing out the window at the darkened forest. “Headmitted he’d been seeing someone else.”
“God,Hazel,I’msorry.Whata shit.”
Herlips trembled, a small smile pulling them upwards. “Yes.Heis a shit.He’scharming and smart and connected and a total, complete shit.Anyway, he’s with that other woman now and the divorce has been final for just over a year.”
“Soundslike good riddance to me,” saidAdam, his heart aching for what she’d been through.Hewasn’t a violent man, and he didn’t even knowSeth, but he wanted to punch him in the face for what he’d done toHazel.
“Well, it would be if he wasn’t still my editor,” she muttered, and he stilled, his eyes going wide.
“I’msorry?”Hecouldn’t possibly have heard her right.
Shesent him a sheepish smile. “Yeah.Sethis still my editor.”
“Nowonder you’re stuck,” he said, not thinking before the words were out of his mouth.
Shetilted her head. “Whatdo you mean?”
“Idon’t thinkI’dever feel comfortable sharing somethingIwrote with someone who broke my heart.Whoshowed themselves to be unethical, untrustworthy, and—”
“Anda total shit?” she finished for him, an adorable grin on her face.
“Yes.Idon’t thinkIcould, andI’monly imagining a hypothetical, here.”
Shesighed. “I’veasked to switch to another editor, butSethwon’t pass me along.Ithink it’s his way of pretending that everything is fine and that he’s not the bad guy in all of this.”
Adamput on an overly jocular voice. “See, we’re still working together, we’re still friends, no harm no foul, nothing to see here.”
Hersmile returned, bright and flashing in the firelight. “Exactly.That’sit exactly.”
“Well,Idon’t know how you’re supposed to be productive and creative with that going on.”Heshrugged. “IknowIcouldn’t be.”
“Iknow, but what amIsupposed to do?Hewon’t pass me along.Ihave to hand something in to avoid having the entire contract cancelled.Ijust…”Hershoulders slumped. “Idon’t know what to do.Ifeel…lost.”
“I’mso sorry you’re in this situation,Hazel.It’sshitty and unfair.”Hefelt drained just thinking about the emotional and professional turmoil she’d been through.Wasstill going through.
“Thanks.I…it’ll be fine.Ithas to be, right?”Hecould tell the smile on her face was forced.
