“That’s the problem when you have too much money. It enables you to make foolish decisions.”
I give him a small smile, and he draws me closer and kisses my temple.
“I don’t have that problem,” I say.
A chuckle vibrates from his lips. “Oh, Amelia. One day, you will. I promise.”
A couple passes us by without a second glance our way.
“We went to Cartier and bought her a ring. Then, we got married at the courthouse.”
“That’s romantic.”
He cocks his eyebrow to me.
“I’m serious. You loved her and didn’t worry about what others would say. You listened to your heart, Davis. That’s admirable.” I face him, tucking my leg under the other.
He shrugs. “In a way, and maybe if we had made it work, in fifty years, I would have thought the same.”
“You guys flew to Fiji for the honeymoon, right?” I could sit here and act dumb, but I don’t.
“Yeah. Two weeks of bliss, or so I thought. I didn’t worry about anything. As you can tell in the restaurant, I’m pretty OCD about what goes on. You could say I lost myself with her.”
I want to place my hand over my heart and sink into the wooden bench. He did exactly what I wish a guy would do for me someday. I wish I could make a guy that crazy in love that he’d forget everything, except for me. It’s too bad that I look nothing like his five-nine stunning blonde of an ex-wife.
Jealousy quickly tries to overtake my thoughts, but I push it back, remembering how his marriage shattered and died a quick death.
“You know what happened, though. She said she caught me in bed with another woman. Trashed my name anywhere that would give her the time of day.” The pain is evident in his stern lips and tense shoulders.
“Why?”
His palm lies on my leg, and he rubs it back and forth. “We got into a fight when I told her we had to move to New York. She said she had a career that was ready to take off in LA. My life was here, and I was egotistical enough to think she’d known that before she agreed to marry me.”
“Was she a model?”
“Aspiring actress.” He rolls his eyes.
“Oh.” I don’t like the way he said that. It reminds me too much of when my mother would use air quotes for the word artist when she refers to me.
“No, Amelia. She wasn’t even going on casting calls. She hung out with a bunch of friends who she worked with at a restaurant. If she were serious about her career, I would have respected it.”
“How did you meet her?” My curiosity is so far in the atmosphere that I can’t hold back the barrage of questions spilling out.
“She was the bottle girl at my buddy’s bachelor party in Vegas. She just happened to be moving to LA the next weekend.” He shakes his head, and his palm rubs down his face. “It all sounds so stupid now.”
“Just because you wanted her to move to New York, she said all those lies?”
“Before we got married, I was smart enough to have a lawyer put together a prenup, but if I were caught cheating, it would be voided.”
I nod, realizing the whole reason for her lie. “So, she doesn’t own half of everything you had?”
He smiles. “Nope.”
He didn’t cheat, and I knew he didn’t.
“She thought allegations would be enough.”
In the whole conversation, it’s the first time I’ve seen him pleased with himself.
“Still, I think you’re a true romantic, Davis Morgan.”
I slide closer, and his hands cup my head in them.
“Maybe. But I haven’t found my princess yet.”
“I’m sure she’s out there.”
“Or here.”
He bends down, and I know he’s about to kiss me. All I can do is let him as my eyes droop and I completely swoon over him.
He graces me with a gentle and patient kiss but ends it sooner than I would have preferred.
“There’s one more thing.”
Shit. I can’t take this anymore.
“I have to go to LA for a month. We’re filming a reality show, and it’s easier if I stay out there.”
What am I supposed to say? No? “Okay.”
“I’m going to try to come back, but last time, it just delayed everything. Plus, I’m working on this cookbook with a few other chefs.”
“Davis.” I place my hand on his leg. God, his thighs are rock hard. “You don’t owe me an explanation.”
“Hold on, I have one more thing for you.” He digs into his back pocket. “Here.”
I look at the folded piece of white paper and back up to him.
“Open it.” He pushes.
It’s a printed itinerary.
“I want you to come out to LA for a movie premiere I’m in. I’ll be finished with everything, and then you can join me for the weekend.”
That warm pit in my belly grows more for him. “I don’t know if I can get off work.” I bite the inside of my cheek.
He gradually eases me onto his lap and grabs my ass. “I think I can convince your boss.”
“You think? He’s kind of a stickler.”
“Stickler?”
“He’s handsy, too.”
“Really?” He slaps my ass.
“Yes.” I nod.
“You don’t like his hands on you?”
He squeezes my ass more, and I squeal.
“Well . . .” I scrunch my shoulders up.
“That’s what I thought. Now, kiss your very handsy stickler of a boss.”
“Nothing would please me more, sir.”
* * *
I walk through the door of my apartment after a long good-bye to Davis outside. I almost begged him to take me back to his apartment, but he never asked. It injured my ego slightly that I wasn’t that irresistible for him to claim me before he leaves for a month.
My back rests on the door.
Tatiana stares up to me from her computer screen. “What are you fawning over?”
“Who is more like it.” I reluctantly move my feet forward and collapse on the chair.
“Davis, right?”
“Do you even have to ask?” I swing my legs over the side and steal a chip from her plate.
“Well, I thought maybe someone else might be in the running.” Her fingers fly on the keyboard, and she shuts her computer screen. Relaxing on the couch with her legs outstretched on the coffee table, she chomps on a chip of her own.
“Who’s on the other end of those emails?” I raise my eyebrow and pop another chip into my mouth.
“Oh, no, you don’t. I want details.” She gets up, grabs the bag of chips from the counter, and flops back down.
“What? Are you waiting for a show?”
“Your life is about to turn into a movie.”
I tilt my head, not understanding what she means.
“You honestly don’t see it?”
“See what?”
“Todd?”
“I’ve seen all of Todd,” I joke.
She purses her lips. “You know what I’m talking about.” She places the bag of chips down on the coffee table and leans forward. “Davis sounds great, from what you’ve told me, but I’m certain Todd is going to step up soon.”
My body warms, and I can’t fight the smile that wants to shine through. “What? We’re friends.”
“I don’t want to burst your happy bubble.” She sits up straighter.
“You just popped it.” I bring my legs up to my chest and hug them to my body.
She buries her head in her hands. “I don’t want you to hate me.”
“I’d never hate you, Tati. What is it?”
Concern fills her eyes. “I know you really like Davis, and I know I haven’t met him. But . . .” She stops.
“Come on, Tati. You’re driving me crazy.”
“Okay, okay. I think Todd’s the one for you.” She bites her lip, but there’s a devilish smile begging to emerge.
“Tati, we’ve been over this.” More times than I can remember.
Todd doesn’t want anything serious with anyone, let alone his good friend.
“We’re friends,” I say.
“And I believed that—until Davis came into the picture. Haven’t you noticed how different Todd’s been acting? How he seems down and not his usual sarcastic self?”
She hands me the bag of chips, and I swipe it from her.