Chapter 13
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
E den
My phone vibrates across my desk as I look at the time on my laptop.
Just a few minutes after five. Normally, I’d be in a hurry to get out of the office and go home, but what’s the point?
It’s been a week since Ava’s party, and all I do is go to work and then go back to the penthouse to climb into bed and hide underneath the covers.
I don’t have to look to see who’s messaging me. It’s the same person it’s been all week.
Marius.
He thinks I’m still angry with him, but that’s not true. I passed anger the day after. All day Sunday, I wanted to scream and then kill someone. That night, though, a strange calm came over me, and I finally knew what I had to do.
Now I’m just in the stage of a breakup that feels the worst. The one where all you want to do is cry until there are no more tears left inside you.
Marius has texted me over and over every day. It started out with I’m sorry, and then it went from there to I’ll do anything to make it up to you. The crazy thing is I think he would, except for the singular thing I need him to do.
I haven’t responded to even one text. I half expected him to show up at the penthouse. It wouldn’t be out of the question. He did buy it, so it wouldn’t be outrageous to think he’d try to find me there.
Part of me wishes he had. Then again, what else is there for us to talk about now? He finally pushed me too far. I had no choice but to do what I did.
My phone vibrates again, but this time it’s a call from Ava. I take a deep breath and put on my happy voice before I answer so she doesn’t know anything’s wrong.
“Hey, mama! What’s up?” I ask in an exceedingly cheery way that is very unlike me.
She picks up on that immediately, just like I should have known she would. “Hey, are you okay? You sound off.”
“Just a great day at work. Living the dream. It’s also Friday, so who doesn’t like the idea of two whole days off? What’s going on with you and those beautiful babies?”
I say that knowing anytime anyone mentions her children Ava is off to the races talking about them. It’s not a great thing to pull on my best friend, but right now, I just don’t want to talk about how I’m feeling because I don’t know if I can stop myself from telling her everything.
Or completely breaking down into a sobbing mess. It could go either way.
“Oh, Theo actually said ma-ma today, or at least it sounded like he did. Matthias hasn’t stopped bragging about how he said da-da first, so it might be wishful thinking.
As for Matty, he really is such a good baby.
I’m hoping to break him of his love of that stroller, though.
I don’t think it’s healthy to stay in that thing as much as he does, even if he does love it. ”
And just like that, Ava isn’t paying any attention to how I sound.
“You are so lucky. You have a great husband and those two beautiful boys. I hope you know how lucky you are.”
For a moment, she doesn’t answer. I probably sound pretty pathetic, and she wants to ask what’s wrong. Since I can’t tell her, I should have kept my mouth shut.
Finally, she says, “I’m sorry Rob didn’t work out. He told Matthias he thought you had feelings for someone else. I told my husband he’s nuts, but it’s okay. There are more fish in the sea.”
“If it’s okay with you, I’d like to cut bait for a little while when it comes to men and dating. I think I just need to figure out what I’m doing with my life.”
The disappointment I expect to hear doesn’t happen, thankfully. “Sure! I’m not worried about you. You’re going to find a great guy who’s crazy about you. I bet he walks into your life when you least expect it.”
I had a great guy who came into my life at the very moment I needed him. I thought we’d be together forever.
So much for the fairy tale romance.
“I want you to come over tomorrow. We’re having the last pool party of the year, and everyone will be there. One last summer blast before we have to close the pool.”
Everyone? I don’t think I can handle seeing Marius yet.
“I don’t know. I’m still fighting whatever that was that made me leave the party early.”
Ava isn’t going to take that lame reason for an answer. I know her far too well. I should have said I have to work this weekend.
“Please? I like hanging out with the guys and their girlfriends, but I like having my best friend around too. Ronan and Kate will be there, as will Kellen and Salem. I haven’t seen Marius much this week, so I don’t know if he’ll be there. He’s been downright surly lately, so probably not.”
“Maybe his girlfriend is giving him a hard time. Perhaps she lost her binky, and he hasn’t bought her a new one.”
My snide comments make Ava laugh. “That was so weird, wasn’t it? Marius never brings anyone to our parties, and then he shows up with that girl. Ronan said he thinks she’s only twenty. Marius is nearly thirty! What is he thinking?”
I don’t answer, but in my mind all I can think is I have no idea what that man thought he was doing.
Did he actually think him bringing that beautiful girl with the giant boobs and gorgeous, young face was anything close to the same thing as my having to go out with Rob, the man who worries about choking on food so he cuts everything up into tiny pieces like Ava does for her kids?
“Not sure,” I answer, not wanting to continue talking about Marius and his date.
“Well, I highly doubt he’ll be there, with or without her, so say you’ll come over tomorrow.
Matthias is going to be manning the grill.
He’s very excited about it too. He’s closing his office door and taking the entire weekend off.
We’ve got hot dogs, hamburgers, steaks, shrimp, the works! You just have to come.”
I don’t have the heart to disappoint her a second time she has a party, so I reluctantly agree to go. “Need me to bring anything?”
“Just your bathing suit. We’re swimming until we get pruney. See you at noon!”
“I’ll be there.”
Even if I really don’t want to.
When I walk out onto the patio, I see everyone has arrived already. All except Marius. That’s probably for the best. I have to admit a small part of me had hoped to see him today, but that’s likely just habit. Every time I’ve come to see Ava in the past two years I’ve hoped to see Marius here.
“Eden!” Ava squeals as she hurries over to give me a hug. “Did you bring your bathing suit? You have to get in today. It’s the last official party of summer!”
I lift up my t-shirt to show her my suit. “I’m here and ready to swim!” I say far more enthusiastically than I feel.
“Okay, drop your purse off near the table. I’m in with Matty, and Theo is hanging out with his uncles. Matthias can make you anything you want to eat. We have a ton of food!”
Her excitement for this party is nothing more than her usual happiness to have her friends and family around her, but my stomach is already in knots. It started as I was driving up to the house, and now that I’m here, it’s much worse.
The last time I was here, I had to pretend to be sick. This time, I might not have to lie about it at all.
And if Marius shows up, it’ll be worse. If he shows up with that young girl, I might just throw up all over the patio.
I force myself to smile and make small talk with Matthias, Kellen, and Ronan before saying hi to their girlfriends. It’s all one big happy family and me. Well, one big happy family with one member missing.
Knowing I have to put on my usual act, I jump into the pool and play with Matty and his mom for a while as everyone else drinks and laughs and occasionally joins us in the water.
After a while, I forget about my worrying and let myself enjoy the party.
Ava is my dearest friend in the world, and her family has always been great to me.
I don’t know how they’re going to feel when they find out the truth. I guess they might not think I’m so great when it all comes out.
Two hours into the party, we’ve all eaten and swam enough for an entire weekend.
The boys fall asleep, Theo in his Uncle Kellen’s arms, and Matty in his usual spot in the stroller.
The margaritas are flowing, and we’re all having a great time.
I even forget about my worries that Marius will show up and demand to talk to me.
And then what had been a perfectly wonderful day goes to hell in a matter of minutes.
“Marius! I didn’t know if you’d be joining us today,” Matthias announces, and my heart skips a beat.
I turn to see the man I still love walk out to join all of us.
He looks tired, like he hasn’t slept in days.
The dark circles under his eyes tell that story.
And his beard says he hasn’t shaved since the party last week.
The way he looks at me when he sees I’m here tells a completely different story, one that I can’t hear today.
Leaning over to whisper to Ava who’s sitting next to me drinking a margarita, I say, “I’m going to go change out of my bathing suit. Do you want me to bring anything out when I come back?”
She smiles and nods her head. “If you see Eleanor, tell her to come out and join us. Everyone I love is here, and we’re living our best life. I don’t need anything else.”
I nod and hurry inside the house. At least one of us is living the dream. Too bad my life has become a nightmare.
After hiding out in the powder room for ten minutes, I can’t avoid returning to the party anymore. I open the door, poke my head out to see if the coast is clear, and happily, there’s not a soul to be found.
I don’t get two steps out of the bathroom before Marius appears in front of me. He doesn’t say a word and pulls me by the arm into the kitchen. Not exactly the room I’d choose for our final showdown, but he’s calling the shots for now.
He looks at me, and I see such love in his dark eyes. I’ve always loved the way he looks at me. It’s a mixture of caring and sensuality that never fails to make me fall in love with him all over again.