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“I’m not. Honestly.” I’m more intrigued than anything else, and I step closer to her, noting that her breath hitches again. It makes me think my attentions might not be as unwelcome as she claims. “Although I’d love to know why you think I’m married.”
She glances over my shoulder and I turn, noticing Nash, who’s leaning against the wall, talking to that same little girl he was with earlier, their heads bent close together. He spotted me a while ago and gave me an enthusiastic wave, although he didn’t come over to see me. It seems I’m not as interesting as his friend… and for the moment, I’m okay with that.
I’ve got an interesting friend, too.
At least, I’d like for Zara to be my friend… and a lot more besides.
“I think that’s a big enough clue, don’t you?” she says, and I look back down at her, surprised by the sadness in her eyes. “Now, would you mind leaving me alone?”
I shake my head. “I’m sorry, but I can’t do that.”
“Yes, you can.”
“No. I really can’t.”
She narrows her eyes. “I see. And what do you think your wife would have to say about that?”
“She’s my ex-wife, and I gave up caring what she said, or thought, or did, quite some time ago.”
Zara tilts her head again, although the effect isn’t so cute this time… probably because she’s frowning at me. “Oh, she’s your ex-wife, is she? How convenient.”
The sarcasm in her voice is unmistakable, and it wipes the smile from my lips.
“Believe me, there’s nothing convenient about my ex. She and I separated three years ago when I found her fu—” I stop talking and cough. “Sorry. I should say, when I found her having sex with another man. The divorce took a long time before it was finally legal, but we are definitely no longer husband and wife, and there isn’t a day that goes by when I’m not relieved about that.”
She raises one hand to her mouth, a blush creeping up her cheeks, while she reaches out and grabs my arm, worried perhaps that I’m about to leave. I’m not. I’m in love with her. There’s no way I’m going to let a misunderstanding come between us, even if I am offended that she didn’t believe me.
“I’m so sorry,” she whispers.
“It’s okay.”
She shakes her head. “No, it’s not. I should have believed you. Better still, I should have trusted you not to lie in the first place, rather than accusing you of cheating on a wife you don’t have anymore.”
“It’s okay,” I repeat.
“But I was so rude.”
“You can make it up to me, if you want.”
She looks up into my eyes, hers glimmering in the sunlight. “How?” she asks.
“By agreeing to have dinner with me tonight?” I say, sounding a lot calmer than I did earlier, and she sucks in a long breath, letting it out slowly as a smile forms on her lips. “Unless my attentions are still unwelcome?”
She blushes a little harder. “No, they’re not. I’d love to have dinner with you.”
“Good. If you give me your address, I’ll call for you at seven… or is that something else that’s not done anymore?”
She shrugs her shoulders. “I don’t know, and I don’t care.”
I smile, and she recites her address. “Hold on. I’d better put this on my phone, and I’ll need your number, too.”
She releases my arm, and I feel a little lost without the contact, although I focus on the job at hand and pull out my phone, putting her details into my contacts list.
“Do you want to take mine, too?” I ask, looking back at her.
“I don’t have my phone with me. It’s in the teachers’ lounge.”
“Okay. I’ll send you a message, so you can get in touch if you need to.”
