Now what? Does Claire expect me to take it to her outside? Does James expect that? I stare down at the glass in my hand, unsure what to do.
I jump when James appears next to me, white wine splashing over my hand. He takes the glass from me and hands me a tea towel. I look into his shame-filled eyes, then to the door behind him, where Claire stands watching us.
‘Everything okay?’ she asks.
I can’t do this. I really can’t do this. Yesterday he told me he had waited so long to taste me. Now I’m serving his wife drinks.
I walk over to my bag, snatch it up, and leave.
‘Annie,’ James says.
I don’t stop or even look back. Yanking the door open, I step out onto the street. The heat swallows me.
I hear the door open and close behind me, then footsteps coming at a jog.
‘Annie.’
I pick up my pace.
‘Will you just stop and listen?’
‘Why? So you can lie some more?’
He steps in front of me, forcing me to pull up. ‘We’ve been on and off for years, living apart for most of that time.’
‘You told me you were divorced.’
‘Because in my mind the marriage is over. We just haven’t had the courage to break our kids’ hearts yet.’
I search his eyes. ‘So she would be okay with what happened between us yesterday?’
He closes his eyes and pinches the bridge of his nose. ‘You can’t possibly understand how complicated these things are. Not at your age.’
‘I think I understand just fine.’ I step past him. ‘I’m going home.’
‘It’ll look very suspicious if you don’t come back.’
I shake my head. ‘That’s not my problem.’
Bridget gets home from her Christmas fundraiser at a gallery a little after ten o’clock. I’m seated on the couch staring at the TV, which is turned off.
My sister looks between me and the black screen. ‘Good show?’
When I don’t reply, she sits on the sofa, studying me. ‘Have you been crying?’
It’s obvious I have. ‘Yeah.’
Most sisters would shuffle over and offer some comfort in this situation, but Bridget prefers to do comfort from a safe distance.
‘What’s going on?’
‘Besides Maggie dying, Hunter telling me to lose his number, and making out with my boss last night, today I found out he’s still married.’
Bridget’s eyes widen. ‘You’re kidding.’
‘His wife came to visit him at work today.’
She sighs. ‘What a jerk.’