"So what are you going to do about it?"
"For one thing, I’m not letting her get out of the agreement, I—" I firm my lips. What the—? Did I actually blurt that out? That was utterly foolish. Since when did I start making such juvenile mistakes? Did I actually reveal the true nature of the connection between me and my wife? Jesus Christ, looks like I am losing my touch.
"I… see," Hunter says slowly.
"No, you don’t."
"Sure I do. You had to be married to claim the rights to your company and your trust fund, so you proposed an agreement."
I scowl.
"Very mature of you."
"Don’t patronize me, asshole."
"Me, patronize you?" He widens his eyes. "What gave you that idea? Besides, it’s what I would have done."
"You would?"
"Sure—" He pulls his phone out of his pocket and begins to play with it. "You wanted to keep your feelings out of this entire marriage business, while also locking down your inheritance." He glances down, his fingers flying over the screen as he addresses me. "You wanted to find someone over whom you have control, and strike an arrangement with her. Everything was good, but for one thing."
"What?" I’m almost too scared to ask.
"You fell in love with her." He looks up at me.
I laugh, or at least try to, but it comes out more like a cough. "You’re out of your mind."
"No, you’re going out of your mind, wondering how, for the first time, things are not going according to plan. You made the mistake of getting your emotions involved, brother. Now, you don’t have a choice but to deal with it."
"I’m not going out of my mind. I’m simply—"
"Going out of your mind?" he offers helpfully.
"—trying to understand the nature of the problem I’m dealing with." I scowl
"Sure, you’re using your head to figure out why it is you’re having this emotional reaction to her. You know you’re in over your head, but you’re still trying to deny it."
His words ring more true than they should. "And since when did you become an expert in relationships?"
"Can’t claim to be one, but I have one advantage over you."
"What’s that?"
"I’m not you.” At my scowl, he continues, “I have the advantage of having perspective on this situation."
"No shit." I toss back the contents of my glass, then reach forward to top up my glass again.
"Don’t you think you should go slow on that?"
"On the contrary, it’s time for me to drink copious quantities of alcohol."
"Yep, definitely entangled in the quagmire of love." He smirks.
"Shut the fuck up." I glance into the depths of my tumbler.
"And now, he stares into his liquor. You do realize you’re conforming to the stereotype of the heartbroken lover in every way?"
"Were you always this annoying?" I glare at him.