Immediately, Calvin’s face clouded. “Of course I did. You act like we’re paupers or something here, Nina.”
“Of course we’re not,” I said quickly. “No, it’s, um, it’s really something, Calvin. It’s just…”
“Just what?” he spat, looking quickly between me and Caitlyn, embarrassment rising on his face.
But I couldn’t stop. “It’s just that given the situation we’re in…and the lawyers…don’t you think maybe…this should have…”
“What are you saying?” The question slipped between his crooked, yellowing teeth.
I took a deep breath. I couldn’t stand down now.
“I’m saying,” I said as gently as I could. “Perhaps it’s not the best optics for you to be spending several million dollars on a piece of jewelry and then millions more on a fake wedding when you’ve been indicted for less-than-savory business practices.”
As the steam started to rise on Calvin’s face, my heart sped up. Oh, dear. Oh, that was a big mistake.
You said what you said, doll. It’s not your fault he can’t fuckin’ handle it.
Wasn’t it?
Calvin looked like he wanted to toss his dinner all over me—what little there was still left of it. And if Caitlyn hadn’t been sitting next to us, he very well might have, along with a few other things. I could easily imagine it. The way my body would fly out of the chair. The way my cheek would crack against the sideboard edge. The way I’d be forced to my knees, my hair yanked, face slapped until my ears were ringing.
But Caitlyn, to her credit, did not make the sleek exit most people would do in her situation. She simply sat beside me and waited.
At last, Calvin sucked in a deep breath and stood. “I’m sorry it doesn’t meet your lofty goals, your highness,” he gritted out. “I’m going to the john, and then I have to make a phone call. When I get back, maybe you’ll have learned to appreciate the things your husband does for you instead of being so goddamn selfish.” He glared at me, then Caitlyn, then back at me again. “Happy fucking anniversary, you callous bitch.”
Chapter Eight
He stormed out, leaving us sitting at the table in awkward silence—me staring at my plate, Caitlyn staring at me.
After recovering myself, I looked up at her. “I’m sorry you had to see that.”
Caitlyn looked pityingly at me. But unsurprised. I wasn’t sure why Calvin never felt the need to censor himself around her. Maybe it was because they came from similar backgrounds, but I supposed it provided some relief. Someone knew who he really was. Even if she couldn’t do anything about it.
“No need to apologize,” she said quietly. “I’m sorry things haven’t changed much.”
I shrugged, willing the dread that had suddenly settled over my chest like a fifty-pound weight to lift a bit. “It is what it is.”
We both were quiet while I pushed pasta around my plate. My appetite had fled.
“How are you?” Caitlyn asked after a minute. “How are you really?”
I stilled my fork. My resentment about her behavior over the last year returned with a flourish. “How in God’s name can you ask me that?”
Caitlyn had the decency to look slightly ashamed, despite the fact that her face couldn’t actually move very much. “Look, N, I know things have been off between us since my little stunt—”
“You mean the part where you tried to trick me and the rest of my family into ruining my cousin’s wedding?” I demanded. “Or the part where you showed up with his nemesis at New Year’s and shoved it in his face just before he was arrested? You know my family, Caitlyn. You know we don’t take kindly to treachery.”
Caitlyn flinched at the sudden sharp edge in my tone. Any other time, I might have lowered my voice. I might have apologized. But right now, I was tired of being run over roughshod. Matthew, even if imagined, still chanted in the back of my mind.
Don’t take their shit, baby. You deserve better.
Caitlyn seemed to sense it. After a moment, she sighed. “Yes, well. I do regret all of it, you know. Can you blame me for being a teensy bit jealous? After all, I did have such a terrible crush on Eric when we were kids.”
“And that makes it okay?”
“No, of course not. But I’ve apologized a million times over. Is it really worth it to end our entire friendship over one mistake? Besides, that all happened months ago. I’m happily remarried now. Kyle and I are just two peas in a pod.”