“SO IT’S JUST THE TWO of us?” I asked.
Kate sat down at the desk across from me and smiled. “Yes, it will just be the two of us.”
I didn’t know if that was better or worse. She seemed like a nice enough lady, and I felt it was only fair to give her a heads-up of things to come.
“Just so you know, this is a waste of time,” I said. “I’m probably going to quit or run out. It’s inevitable.”
“Well, we’ll have to make the most of the time we have together then, won’t we?”
I examined her, not quite sure how to handle someone who was so… happy. She was still smiling at me after I’d told her this was a waste of her time.
“Where do we start?” I asked, eager to get the show on the road so I could plan my escape.
“Have you ever noticed that most people will ask you broad questions?” Kate tapped at her chin thoughtfully. “Well, I’m not really about that, Gypsy. So I’ll tell you a few things about myself. Three things you’d never guess.”
She took a sip of what appeared to be a cup of tea, staring off into the distance as she spoke. “My star sign is Pisces. I’m a member of a hardcore rock band. And I was a victim’s advocate for thirty years, so there isn’t a thing on God’s green earth you could say to push me away.”
I shifted in my seat, already uncomfortable with where this conversation was heading. I didn’t like that she’d used the word victim as if it somehow related to me. And I liked even less the fact I wasn’t sure how much she knew about my life.
“I don’t know your story,” she said. “Lucian told me a little but not much. Just that you didn’t make it through school, mostly. And I’m here to help you with that. What I’m not here to do is coddle you or play into your fears. You can tell me that you’re going to quit every two minutes if it makes you feel better, but we both know that Lucian won’t let you. And neither will I.”
I had to respect the woman for being so honest. It wasn’t what I’d been expecting at all when Lucian talked about school. But it was clear that Kate wasn’t about to let me get away with anything, and she was right that Lucian wouldn’t either.
“Why don’t you tell me three things about yourself,” she suggested. “Anything you want.”
I stared at a poster on the wall. It was a cat hanging by one paw with a motivational phrase beneath it. I was used to telling lies, so I considered telling a few now. But I think a part of me was tired of lying because what came out was nothing but the truth.
“My star sign is Leo. I listen to country music but pretend that I don’t. And for the past four years, I’ve been a professional con artist.”
Kate flashed a conspiratorial smile and patted my hand. “See, that wasn’t so hard, was it? Now we can get started on the fun stuff.”
True to his word, Lucian arrived at four to pick me up from the learning center. I got into the passenger seat, and he waited for me to buckle in before driving out of the parking lot.
“How was it?” he asked.
I fiddled with the radio station. “Boring.”
He smirked. Truthfully, it wasn’t that bad, but I wasn’t about to admit that to him. Kate must have been a good teacher because she had a way of presenting things in a way that made sense to me. It was easy to pay attention to her because she found a way to make every problem relatable, and I didn’t know if it was just like that with me or all her students.
“Are you ready for the barbecue?” Lucian asked.
“Sure am.” I rolled my eyes. “I’ve been looking forward to it all day.”
“I would tell you to be on your best behavior,” he said, “but I have a feeling it won’t make any difference. So instead, I’ll tell you this, pet. Don’t think for a second that because we’re around my colleagues that I will hesitate to punish you in front of them if you decide to act out.”
I shot him a glare. “That’s a little unfair, isn’t it? You’ve already pre-determined my course without giving me a chance.”
He gave me a sideways glance. “I’m not saying you will or you won’t, but I want you to be aware of the consequences.”
He could shove his consequences where the sun didn’t shine for all I cared.
We were both quiet for the rest of the trip to the park where the barbecue was being held, and when we arrived, I wasn’t in the best of moods. I couldn’t figure out why, but it irritated me that this morning he’d been encouraging and even vaguely sweet when he dropped me off, but now he was treating me like I was a wrecking ball.
Lucian parked the car, and we walked across the grass together. There were more people than I expected to see, and it occurred to me as small children zoomed in and around the adults that this was a family event.
Lucian charged through the maze with purpose, stopping along the way to say hello to a few people here and there. He was all business as he introduced me to Vincent, his other partner at the firm. I shook his hand and smiled and did all the things I was supposed to do, though I didn’t really care. These people weren’t any association to me, and it made no difference what they thought of me either. Regardless, I played the part of Lucian’s obedient wife. When that was out of the way, we went straight for the food and plated up, and it seemed like Lucian was in more of a rush to get out of there than I was.
We found a vacant picnic table and ate in silence until one of the employee’s children took it upon himself to join us. He was a cute little boy, probably only about six if I had to guess, and he was proudly displaying the water gun he’d brought with him. “Lucian, look what my daddy got me!”
I looked at Lucian, who seemed less than impressed and didn’t make an effort to respond. In fact, he’d turned downright cold and irritable as I gave the boy a smile for his benefit.
“You should get back to your parents,” Lucian told him.
The boy’s shoulders fell, and I glared at Lucian after he retreated. “That was rude.”
“It was rude for him to interrupt our meal,” Lucian countered.
I stared at him in disbelief. “He’s just a child. He was excited.”
Lucian’s response was to flatten his empty plate between his hands as he stood. “Finish eating. I need to speak to my colleague.”
I scowled at his back as he retreated and made a point to appreciate every bite of the hamburger and chips I had left. He only ever ate healthy stuff, and I wasn’t sure when I’d be able to enjoy something like this again. Lucian circulated through the crowd and disappeared on the other side of a large cluster of trees. And when he didn’t return after ten minutes, I decided I might as well have a little fun since none of the adults were talking to me.
I joined a group of young girls playing the bean bag toss, and then they challenged me to a game of horseshoes, which I accepted and then purposely lost. They were begging me to play another round when I checked my watch and realized Lucian had been gone for a while.
It wasn’t difficult to spot him in the crowd, considering he was about six inches taller than the average male. But what I didn’t expect to find was the company he was keeping on the other side of the park. A tall, beautiful brunette in a form-fitting pencil dress and heels.
My stomach lurched, and the reaction made no sense to me. I didn’t know what it was I felt, but it certainly wasn’t jealousy. Lucian meant nothing to me. The fact he had discarded me so he could go chat her up should have been a relief. But it wasn’t.
I found myself moving toward him like a lost puppy, only to stop and change my course midway. This was ridiculous. He’d forced me to marry him. He’d forced me to come to this stupid barbecue, and now he’d abandoned me to the wolves. But Lucian forgot where I’d come from, and I was all too happy to remind him.
I knew how to circulate a crowd too, and I already had my sights set on his buddy Vincent.