“Maybe,” she says, a glimmer of interest flickering in her gaze.
Sorry, Layla, but your flicker of interest won’t do. Not when I have a girl sending me “fuck you” selfies with my baby brother in order to get my attention. Besides, this isn’t that kind of lunch. This is a different lunch altogether.
“Meredith,” Layla calls out, waving.
Ahh, the other reason for wanting to have this lunch. Kill two birds with one stone and all that. I lean back in my seat, tracking my eyes over to where Meredith stares at me dumfounded with Manda by her side.
“Layla,” Meredith says as they approach. “So random seeing you here. And with Winny, too.”
Still so jealous.
I wonder if Duncan knows his wife would sell her left tit to get back in my good graces.
“So random,” I agree in a tone that says this isn’t random at all but in fact very orchestrated. “Your hair looks nice, Mer.”
Mer.
Predictably so, Meredith fluffs at her hair, flashing me a seductive smile. Her eyes flit over to Layla, roaming over her to sense whether or not she’s a threat, and then she reaches over to pat my shoulder. “You’re such a sweetheart. Careful or I’ll divorce Dunc for you.” She winks in a playful way that says she’s not joking in the least.
Manda’s lips thin out from beside Meredith. I seriously doubt it’s because she thinks I’m dating her stepdaughter. No, Manda doesn’t like her bestie turning into a Constantine fangirl.
Constantine fangirl?
I’ve been hanging around Perry too much.
“We should go to our table now,” Manda says, forcing a polite smile at me and Layla. “Lovely seeing you again, Mr. Constantine.”
“How are the boys?” I ask, feigning concern. “I heard about the terrible accident.” I also watched it from the best seat in the house.
Manda bristles, her features melding back and forth between embarrassment and motherly protectiveness. “They’re back home recovering. Thank you for asking.” She grabs hold of Meredith’s arm, but the woman has her eye on the prize. Me. She’s not going anywhere.
“I’d assumed Scout would be in jail,” I say with a lifted brow. “Rumor has it he was wasted.”
“The boys are traumatized from the accident. It’s been like pulling teeth trying to get them to tell me exactly what happened.” Manda straightens her spine. “Boys will be boys. Nothing a little money can’t smooth over. You understand being a Constantine and all.”
“Our well is endless,” I agree, “but I’m sorry to hear about your recent lawsuits.”
“Lawsuits?” Layla asks, brows scrunching.
“Malpractice,” I state as Manda huffs out, “Misunderstanding.”
“And all people you’ve known for years,” I goad, pinning Manda with a knowing glare. “What a coincidence. It makes you wonder if it was planned by those women. A conspiracy to take all your money.”
Manda’s features darken and her nostrils flare.
“Maybe you should take a vacation from it all,” I suggest. “Paris is great this time of year. Perry and I just went.”
Meredith nudges Manda. “Why don’t you order us our drinks? I’ll be over in a second.”
“How’s Ash doing?” Manda asks, feet planted firmly despite her friend trying to get her to move along to avoid sparring with me. Seems the temptation is too great. “Her father was horribly embarrassed over her behavior. They’re not even speaking.”
Her barb hits me in the gut. I’m not supposed to be worrying about Ash right now, but a wave of hot irritation flashes over me. Her father’s a dick if he’s not speaking to her over this. She’d mentioned he’d basically chosen Manda over her, but seeing it with my own two eyes makes it more real. It also makes me want to call Ash to check on her.
Later.
My chest tightens. I’ve been pretending like I don’t miss that bratty girl, but it’s getting more difficult to lie to myself. I’m starting to call out my own bullshit.
“Ash is an incredibly resilient young lady. She’s been working with my colleagues, really getting her footing in at the company. It’s almost as if the scandal hasn’t even affected her. Remarkable really.” I pick up my water glass and take a refreshing sip. “If we’re comparing scandals, I’d say your sons’ has affected them greatly.”
Manda’s face burns bright red and then she storms off without another word. I shrug my shoulders feigning innocence. “Was it something I said?”
“She’s going through a rough time,” Meredith assures me. “She doesn’t understand your sense of humor.” She lingers for a moment longer, remaining in my space as though I might suddenly choose her, yank her into my lap, and kiss away the past nearly two decades.
“It was good seeing you,” I say, dismissing her. “See you around.”
Her plastic smile wavers. “Of course.” To Layla, she says, “Don’t let this one go. He’s a catch.”
Layla doesn’t say anything until Meredith walks away. “Was this some strange attempt to use me to make your ex-girlfriend jealous?”