7. Astrid
Chapter 7
Astrid
Girl, you wanna come over for pizza tonight?
I read Scarlett’s message with a smile. Fuck yeah, I do.
Cool. I’ll prep the dough, and we can make our own pizzas.
This sounds like a pizza party.
There’ll be booze, so it sounds like a party to me.
Great. I’ll see you tonight. I finished the rest of the day at the gallery then went home. When I’d woken up in Theo’s bed that morning, he was already gone, so I wasn’t sure what he was up to today. I knocked on his door, but there was no answer.
I went to my room and changed out of my stuffy pencil skirt and blouse. I ditched the heels for flats then texted Theo. Scarlett invited me over for pizza, so I’m headed over there. I’ll see you when I get home .
The three dots appeared so fast, it was as if he’d already been looking at his phone when I’d texted him. I’ll meet you there.
I think this is a girl thing…
The dots disappeared. I waited for him to explain, but he didn’t. The dots never returned. I grabbed a bottle of wine from the kitchen then drove over to their place. They lived in a villa behind a gate, similar to Theo, a luxurious property that was inaccessible to the public. She’d given me the code to get through the gate and onto their property.
When I parked in the garage, Theo’s black Range Rover was already there.
Even if he wasn’t supposed to be there, I felt a thrill at the prospect of seeing him. We’d fucked like rabbits in spring throughout the night and I was still full of the seed he’d given me, but I still got nervous, still got excited.
I took the elevator to the ground floor and stepped into the foyer.
The first thing I heard was a crying child upstairs. A beautiful vase of lilies was on the table in the foyer, and as I stepped farther into the villa, I heard male voices coming from the study. As I drew closer, I recognized Axel’s voice and assumed he was speaking to Theo.
The child continued to cry upstairs.
I approached the open doorway and saw the two men sitting in the armchairs, talking over a decanter of scotch. Axel noticed me first, and his eyes flicked to me. “My wife makes some good pizza, so you’re in for a treat.”
“I look forward to it.” I looked at Theo in the other armchair and gave him a slight smile.
He got to his feet when I didn’t expect him to. His eyes greeted me warmly as his arm circled around my waist, and he kissed me in front of Axel, the way Axel kissed Scarlett in front of everyone. “How was work, sweetheart?”
I was a bit overwhelmed by the way he greeted me, like I was his woman and not just someone he was sleeping with. I was so caught off guard that I didn’t even answer the question, lost in his gaze and the way he kept his hand on the small of my back.
Axel wore the biggest grin.
Scarlett came around the corner wearing an apron with flour stains on the front. “Good, you’re here.” She immediately enveloped me in a quick hug. “The dough is ready. We just need to prep all the ingredients.”
“Sounds great,” I said.
“Make sure you make extra,” Axel said. “I was just bragging about your pizza to Theo, and I’d like to prove I’m right.”
“You think I’d ever cook without making something for you?” Scarlett teased.
Axel smirked. “That’s my baby. ”
“Come on.” Scarlett led me from the study. “We’ve got work to do.”
When we stepped out of the room, an older woman came down the stairs holding the child I’d heard crying earlier. She continued to wail in her arms, fists bunched together for battle. “I’m sorry, Scarlett. I can’t get her to stop crying. She won’t take the bottle. I’ve already changed her diaper?—”
“I know what she wants.” Axel came out of the study and took his daughter from her arms like he knew exactly what he was doing. He tucked her in the crook of a single arm then started to rock her from side to side. And like magic, she stopped crying. “There you go, little one.”
Scarlett smiled with her eyes, looking at her husband the same way she looked at her daughter. “You’re her favorite.”
“I’m not her favorite, baby. I think it’s because I’m warm.”
“I think it’s because you’re her father.”
I felt awkward standing there, watching this tender moment between them.
“I can take her,” she said. “Since Theo is here?—”
“Baby, I’ve got her. Now get that ass in the kitchen and get cooking.” He gave her a quick kiss on the cheek before he carried their daughter into the study. He dropped back into the armchair he occupied before, his daughter already asleep in the crook of his arm .
Scarlett watched him for a second before she headed to the kitchen.
I walked beside her. “He’s a good dad.”
“Yeah, he is.” She stepped into the kitchen, the counter covered with different doughs. “He’s always been a natural. Me, not so much.”
“Really?” I asked in slight surprise.
“Axel has that…charisma. He makes everyone happy.” She washed her hands in the sink and patted them dry before she grabbed all the produce from the fridge and placed everything on the counter. Tomatoes, basil, artichokes, onions, olives, garlic, and eggplant. “The kids are attracted to it. I just don’t have…whatever that is.”
“I’m sure you’re a great mother, Scarlett.”
“Yeah, but he’ll be the favorite. It’s inevitable.”
“I wouldn’t worry about it too much.”
She turned on the faucet and began washing the produce. “Pat these dry, and we’ll slice ’em up. I’ll check on the sauce.” She turned to the stove and stirred the sauce she’d made from scratch then grated the cheese she’d picked up at the market.
I continued to slice all the veggies and dice the garlic. I didn’t have restaurant experience, but I felt like I was working in a real kitchen .
“What kind of pizza do you like?” Scarlett asked.
“I’ll eat anything, honestly. Margherita is always good.”
“Good choice. I’ll make a couple of each. I know Axel isn’t picky either. Do you know what Theo likes?”
“Um…I don’t know. I’ve never seen him eat pizza.”
She chuckled. “He seems like a steak and greens kind of guy.”
“Axel isn’t?” I could tell how ripped he was. His cords popped out of his forearms too.
“He used to be, but after I came into the picture, he fell in love with food.”
“Doesn’t look like it.”
She chuckled. “I know, right? That shit ain’t fair.”
“Theo told me he eats four thousand calories a day.”
“Now I really want to punch him in the face.”
I laughed. “I couldn’t believe it when he told me, but I’ve seen him do it.” He’d have a big breakfast then come by the gallery and eat an entire sandwich by himself. Then a couple hours later, he would eat again before dinner.
She ladled the red sauce onto a few of the doughs, leaving some plain for Margherita, but for the remaining ones, she grabbed a different pan that contained a white sauce .
“You made two different sauces from scratch?”
“Yep.”
“Wow, I couldn’t even make two different sandwiches.”
“You’ve never cooked?”
“Well, I used to make things for Bolton. But it was mostly casseroles and easy stuff.”
She didn’t flinch at my ex’s name, just returned the pan to the stove then joined me at the counter. “How’s all of that going?”
I released a sigh. “He called me the other day. That was fun.”
“Why did you answer?”
“Blocked number. Thought it was a client.”
She gave a slow nod in understanding. “Sounds like that asshole can’t take a hint.”
“A hint? It could be posted on a billboard, and he still wouldn’t read it.”
She smirked as she grabbed the produce and assembled it on the pizzas before she added a sprinkling of different cheeses. “What did he say?”
“Threatened me to leave Theo. Said it would be worse if I didn’t. You know, a bunch of bullshit. ”
“Don’t stress about it,” she said. “Theo will handle it.”
“I know. I just wish he didn’t have to.” It was my problem. I’d fallen in love with a psychopath. His good looks and the sex masked the truth. When I’d signed our marriage certificate, I didn’t realize I’d signed a deal with the devil.
“Did you hang up on him?”
“No. He hung up on me.”
“Oooh, then you must have said something good. Attagirl.”
“Well, I told him I loved Theo.” I hadn’t said it to hurt or provoke Bolton. Like a bird that needed to burst from its cage, the words had exploded out of my chest. I wanted Bolton to move on with his life—and let me move on with mine.
She was just about to finish placing the veggies on the last pizza when she froze, her eyes locked on the dough in front of her. Then she dropped the olives and mushrooms right in the center and quickly pivoted toward me. “You did what now?”
“I know it was stupid.”
“What did he say?”
“He hung up?—”
“No, Theo.”
“Well, he wasn’t there during the conversation, so he didn’t hear it. But then he walked in and demanded to know what happened…so I fessed up.”
“Oh. My. God.” She slapped the counter with her hand before she turned back to the pizzas. “You’re both here right now, so I guess it went over alright.”
“Yeah.”
“Did he say it back?” She looked at me again.
I wasn’t sure if he would ever say it back. Didn’t seem like that kind of man.
“You don’t have to tell me,” she said quickly. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to pry. I just wasn’t expecting to hear all of this tonight.”
“You aren’t prying, Scarlett.”
“No, I am,” she said with a chuckle before she fixed the veggies on the pizza. Then she placed four in the oven, two side by side on each rack. She shut the door and set the timer on her phone. “I’ve come to care for Theo like a brother, so it’s hard not to get invested in his love life.”
“He didn’t,” I said, doing my best not to sound disappointed.
She came back to the counter, and her eyes softened in sadness. “I’m sorry, girl.”
“It’s okay. Please don’t feel bad for me. ”
“I don’t feel bad for you.” She took a drink of her wine then washed her hands in the sink. “Just because he didn’t say it now doesn’t mean he won’t say it whenever he’s ready. But I know that must have hurt.”
It hurt like a motherfucker. “Watching him run away would have hurt more, but he didn’t do that.”
“Has it been…awkward?”
“No.”
“Well, that’s good. At least he didn’t give you the cold shoulder like most guys would.”
“The more I get to know him, the more I realize how different he is from other guys.” He could be so distant and detached, but he was always there when it mattered. Ever since I’d moved in under his roof, he’d made me his priority.
The timer on her phone went off. “First batch is done.” She put on her mitts and placed the pizzas on the stove before she put in the next four pizzas.
“That’s a lot of pizzas for four people.”
“Well, Axel will eat three by himself, and Theo probably will too.”
“You never have leftovers?”
She chuckled. “I wish. Would make my life so much easier. But Axel eats everything I make the second I make it.”
“It’s sweet that he loves your cooking. ”
“He’s an easy man to please, honestly.” She grabbed the pizza cutter from the drawer and started to slice the pizzas into halves, then quarters, then eighths. “In all ways.” She waggled her eyebrows.
I chuckled. “You’re a lucky lady.”
“Oh, I know I am. But don’t tell him that because it’ll go straight to his head.”
“What will go straight to my head?” Axel entered the room with their daughter tucked into his arm, dead asleep.
“Nothing,” Scarlett said quickly. “The pizza will be ready in ten minutes.”
“Why do you assume I’m here for the pizza?” He walked around the kitchen and approached her, effortlessly holding their daughter like she wasn’t even there.
“Because I know you.” She grabbed her glass and took a drink.
He came close and grabbed her ass right in front of me. “Maybe I came to see my baby.”
“Right…” She tried to pull away.
He tugged her in close and forced a hard kiss on her mouth.
She didn’t fight that. She even leaned into it.
He pulled away, a smirk on his lips. “So, ten minutes? Because I see four pizzas right there.”
She rolled her eyes. “I knew it. ”
“Theo wanted me to ask.”
“He did not.”
“He’s full of shit, Scarlett.” Theo came into the room like a shadow from the passing sun. Even if he hadn’t said a word, I would have noticed his energy right away. Like a black panther that stalked its prey, he sauntered into the room.
“Oh, I know he is.” Her timer went off, so she grabbed the oven mitts again and removed the new batch of pizzas.
Theo came to my side and looked at my glass of wine before he looked at me.
I felt that thrill when our eyes locked, felt that tension in all my muscles…including my heart.
He took the glass and helped himself to a drink.
When Scarlett’s back was turned, Axel walked over to the pizzas on the counter and grabbed a slice. He took a bite, closed his eyes, and savored it. “Shit’s so good.”
Scarlett turned around and shot him dead with her eyes. “Can you wait two seconds?”
“Nope.” He took another bite and finished it off.
“And stop cussing around the kids.”
“She can barely lift her head, baby. You think she’s gonna know I said shit?”
“Theo.” Scarlett turned to him beside me. “You have my blessing to punch my husband in the face. ”
Theo smirked and took another drink of the wine.
“I’m gonna put the little one down,” Axel said. “I think she’s out.” He carried his daughter out of the room and left the three of us alone together.
Scarlett sliced up the pizzas on the stove.
Theo turned his gaze back to me and stared.
It felt like we were alone together, not in the presence of Scarlett as she finished making dinner. “Why did you come?”
“Does it bother you that I’m here?”
“No, of course not,” I said quickly. “I love it when you’re around.” It was another case of word vomit, when I spoke my mind a little too freely.
It didn’t seem to bother him. “I think it’s best if I keep you close.”
I wanted to ask if he’d spoken to Bolton again, but I didn’t want the answer. I’d rather bury my head in the sand—at least for the moment.
Scarlett returned with the rest of the pizzas. “Want to help me set the table?”
“Of course.” I stepped away from Theo and carried the pizzas to the dining table, along with the wine and the glasses .
Axel returned a moment later, and when he saw the table laid out with all the different pizzas, he rubbed his palms together. “That’s what I’m talking about right there.” He took a seat and pulled out the chair beside him so Scarlett could sit down.
Once she was in the seat next to him, he moved his arm to the back of her chair, leaned in, and kissed her. Words were said, but he spoke in a whisper so no one else could hear. It must have been welcome because she smirked before she gave him a kiss.
Theo pulled out a chair for me.
I took a seat and let him push in the chair to catch my ass.
When he took the seat beside me, he helped himself to the bottle of wine and poured two glasses. Then he reached for my thigh under the table and left his hand there, just as he did when he drove me to dinner. His fingers made a home underneath my dress, just below my panty line.
With one hand, he grabbed a couple slices of pizza and dropped them on his plate.
“I’ve never seen you eat pizza before,” I said.
He grabbed a slice and took a bite. “I’m not going to pass up anything Scarlett makes.”
“Fuck yeah.” Axel reached across the table and fist- bumped Theo.
If Theo’s hand wasn’t on my thigh, then it was over the back of my chair, showing me the same affection Axel showed Scarlett, his fingertips sometimes touching my hair. We talked about the kids for a while then talked about the restaurant and summer travel plans. A few months ago, I didn’t know any of these people, but now it felt like Axel and Scarlett were old friends.
And Theo was…the man I had married instead of Bolton.