“Just a bit—-oh.” Marcus had his jacket off in an instant and was now holding it out to her. “I...umm...”
“I would have done the same thing for anyone else,” Marcus murmured.
“Right.” She took the jacket gingerly from his hand and worked hard not to reveal her unhappiness as she slid her arms into the sleeves. She knew she should be happy about him treating her just likeanyone else, but she wasn’t.
There was a moment of silence before Marcus spoke again.
“You look good.”
In the past, he would’ve said she was beautiful. “You, too.” Anneke pulled the jacket around her more tightly, and his scent surrounded her, the only kind of comfort from him that she could afford to take.
He was so clearly over her. Maybe he always had been, but guilt had only made him try asking her back?
“Penny for your thoughts?”
She shook her head.
“A Euro then?”
Despite everything, she found herself smiling a little.
“Or perhaps I could make a guess?” Before she could answer, Marcus continued in a soft murmur, “Perhaps you’re thinking about the divorce.”
Ah.He had brought it up first, when in the past he wouldn’t even have wanted her to talk about the subject. Without meeting his gaze, she asked stiltedly, “Why is it taking so long?”
“My lawyers are the paranoid type, I’m afraid. When they heard from your legal team that you didn’t want anything, it only made them even more suspicious.”
Her jaw dropped, and she couldn’t help turning to him then, protesting, “But I honestly don’t want anything.”
“Si, certo.”Yes, of course.“I know that, and I have told them so, but they do not believe me.” A grimace touched his lips. “And unfortunately, I owe it to my stockholders not to interfere in their job. It would be bad business if they were led to think I’m willfully endangering my company and opening myself up to future court battles. I hope you understand.”
“I do.” She bit her lip. “But if that’s the case, then what will happen to our case?”
“Your legal team and mine will reach a compromise sooner or later. It’s only a matter of time.”
“I see.” Anneke lowered her head to hide her gaze. It meant she’dstillbe his wife for an indefinite run, and she just didn’t know how to feel about it.
“Anneke?”
“Yes?” She kept her gaze glued to the floor.
“I’m happy we can talk normally like this,” Marcus said quietly.
Oh.
And she heard herself say, “Me, too.”
“I hope one day we can be friends again.”
“Same.” Her heart squeezed.Friends.Marcus wanted to bejustfriends. She could be happy with that. Sheshouldbe happy with that. Right?
****
WILLEM CALLED ANNEKEto his office first thing in the morning the next day, and Anneke was stunned speechless to find Marcus Ravelli with her brother. Apparently, the successful opening ofGalleria dei Sognihad new merger opportunities coming up for the two companies. With Marcus on a one-month stay in Amsterdam, Willem wanted Anneke to work with him on DKE’s behalf.
“I’m hoping this won’t be a problem,” Willem then murmured, “since Ravelli informs me that you’ve become...friends?”
Put like that, Anneke was hard pressed to refuse Willem’s request. Or at least that was what she tried telling herself, all the while struggling to ignore the way her heart leapt at the prospect of being able totalkto Marcus again.