Stella had a working night and wasn’t going to be home until later. So here I was, in my study, nursing my second bottle of brandy, still feeling sober.

Frustrated, I took out my phone and pressed a button on my speed dial.

“Kosta.”

It was rather lame, but hearing a familiar friend’s voice somehow felt comforting. “You sound like something’s up your arse,” I muttered, smiling.

“And you sound like shit,” Dimitris retorted back.

As usual, I didn’t even bother to do the usual to and fro. I just went and dived into the damn problem. “Zara came to see me.”

Dimitris stayed silent awhile. “I have an hour until I pick up my wife from the airport. So go ahead, I’m all ears.”

It was great to see him happy, really. After what his ex-wife put him through, he deserved this happiness. “Unofficial wife. Unless you’re planning to marry her again? Your family must be happy to have her back.”

“It’s Lindsey’s first time back, so she’s nervous. We’re taking one step at a time. I don’t want to scare her away the way I did the first time.” He paused. “Do you still love her?” he asked, referring to Zara.

I had no idea. “I don’t know. It’s been a few years. It was shocking to find her in my office, yeah, but as far as how I’m feeling right now, I can tell you, I feel a lot of hate and anger.”

“But that’s not what I asked you, Kensington. It’s either you love her or don’t,” Dimitris argued, making me even more confused.

I grunted and grabbed the side of my head, pulling my hair out. “It’s not that easy.”

Dimitris sighed. “Well, friend, I have another hour to drag this out of you, so do go on.”

This was madness.

“I’m dating Stella—” I spilled the information that was making it difficult for me to see the real problem with Zara.

“The child?”

All of my friends that knew about Stella, referred to her as “the child” since I had called her that from the very beginning. The woman was far from being a child, however. Truly. “Yes—no—fuck! She’s twenty-two! She’s no longer a child.”

“I get it. You’re in love with Stella,” he suggested, making things worse.

I groaned, getting more agitated as the clock ticked away. Fucking hell! “No. No. It’s nothing like that, but I do care for her. Very much, yeah.” I made an exasperate sigh, confronted. “Should I tell her about Zara’s visit?”

That’s another big question.

“Well, hell, that’s really up to you. If you both are forthcoming with these things in a serious committed relationship, then yes. Although, if it’s a casual buddy fuck, then I don’t see the point.” He paused. “It’s all up to you.”

Stella and I weren’t in love or anything… but we did enjoy each other, very much. “Exclusive, casual.” We were, weren’t we?

“Either way, you’re digging yourself a grave.” Dimitris sounded thoughtful. “You can’t have both. You have to choose. Trust me, it’s not fun to be with a person who doesn’t feel the same for you.”

With Zara, I had an idea… but with Stella, I had no sense where she stood with me. All I knew was that I liked having her around… and as for the rest, it was all up in the air.