Blake gestures with his knife. “Language…”
“What? You going to call her an angel when she fucks with your life?”
“Both of you stop.” Elizabeth turns to me. “You wanted to go.”
“I didn’t. Why do you think I never looked her up?”
“But you left as soon as you found out where she was.”
My grip on my fork tightens. “Again, proving my point that you’re meddling in my life.”
“Lucas, just hear me ou—”
“No. You hear me out.” I point the fork in her direction, and she shuts up. “Stop interfering. You’ve done more damage than you can imagine. I’m going to marry and you’re going to get your painting.”
Blake munches on a strip of bacon. “Who?”
“Faye. She’s perfect.”
Elizabeth closes her eyes briefly, but B
lake remains unperturbed.
“Does she know about…” He waves the half-eaten bacon.
“Who doesn’t?”
He grunts. “Not everyone thinks it’s true.”
“Yeah, well, she’s too smart to be fooled.”
“Are you sure you want to settle like this?” Elizabeth asks. “Ava is—”
“I’m not going to be with a woman who thinks I’m toxic.”
“Ava said that to you?”
“Yes.” I push my plate to the side and lean closer so she will really hear what I’m saying rather than what she wants to hear. Elizabeth is convinced everyone can be saved—a noble enough attitude for someone who’s trying to change the world, but totally irritating when she’s messing with my life. “I told her I loved her, and she said I was toxic and that we were finished.” I spit out the words. “Toxic. Finished.” They’re like coarse salt into an unhealed wound. “So don’t even think about talking to me about settling or any such bullshit. I’d much rather have a little honest greed than a bunch of pretty lies. At least Faye doesn’t play games.”
“That’s crap, and you know it,” Elizabeth says. “How can you say she doesn’t play games after what she did last night?”
“What are you talking about?”
“She made sure Ava was watching when she kissed you.”
I frown. Then it clicks. Giving Faye’s ex a show. Except it was my ex.
“Ava cried after you left.”
My gut tightens at the idea of her in pain. I prayed for it before—wished she would be a tenth as miserable as me so she would take me back—but now it just leaves me hollow.
Still… Nothing’s changed. I got my closure when she signed the documents and took my two million. I remind myself that the first time you cut someone off always hurts. It’s like the surgery to fix my leg. It left scars, but I was better off for having done it.
Blake shrugs. “She’s the one who left. What’s she got to cry about?”
“Probably felt robbed she didn’t get enough money,” I say, grateful for Blake’s voice of sanity.
“Lucas! That’s so…cynical,” Elizabeth says.