Felix licked his lips. “You taste like strawberries.”
Thea met his eyes and snickered. “That’ll be the entire bowl I’ve eaten. You ought to look at stocking some ice cream or some crackers. I was hungry, and my choices were to eat the berries or the countertop.”
“I’ll order some in, but why are you sitting here in the dark?”
Thea took a full breath before letting it out with a whistle of air. Her shoulders dropped, and a furrow appeared on her brow. “Felix, I need to know what’s going on with your ex.”
The tremble in her voice tugged at his gut. What the hell had Ginny said? Felix rolled Thea’s green scrunchie off his wrist and lay it on the white marble of the bench. “Nothing’s going on, and that’s just it. She’s my ex.”
“It doesn’t sound like it.” Thea looked up at him, her lips set tight together.
The hairs on the back of Felix’s neck bristled. “What do you mean? Is this something to do with Ginny? She mentioned you had a chat. I know she can be abrasive.”
Thea snorted out a derisive laugh. “Abrasive? I’d describe her as more like battery acid or a blowtorch.”
One corner of his mouth lifted. “Indeed. But why would something be going on with Adrienne?”
“Oh, Felix. She messages you night and day.”
“Because of Lucas. I can’t just ignore her. She’s his mum.”
Thea raised a brow and picked up another strawberry from the almost empty bowl. “The volume of texts seems a littleunhealthy if you ask me. I know nothing about your marriage. You always avoid talking about your ex-wife. It’s like you’re hiding something.”
Felix shook his head. Thea had it right. He had avoided talking about Adrienne. Telling her about the manipulative guilt trips. Her constant texting. Her jealousy.
Felix shut his eyes and ran a hand through his hair. He hadn’t set proper boundaries with Adrienne; he knew that. But he wanted her in Lucas’s life as much as possible. And there was nothing “going on.” He was only guilty of burying his head in the sand.
“The conversation we’re having now is why I never talk about her. She always gets involved in my life. Finds a way to poison things.” Felix pulled up the stool next to Thea’s and sat down, slipping the strawberry out of her hand before lacing his fingers through hers. “Adrienne and I have a complicated history. She helped me build up the business. Gave up so much. But we were bad for each other. And for Lucas. Because of him, she’ll always be a part of my life.”
Thea sucked on her bottom lip, her eyes hanging on his. “I get that, and I know we’re all hauling around a ton of baggage at our age. But mine is a little less messy, and I’m open to talking about it.”
Felix stroked the back of Thea’s hand. “You didn’t tell me. About Phil. Not until I asked you. But I accept I haven’t handled things well.” The wrinkle between Thea’s brow lessened a little, and a faint glow of hope crept into Felix’s chest. “I can’t just make Adrienne disappear. But I can request she limit her texts. Get it down to three or four hundred a day.”
Despite the crackle of tension in the air, Thea snickered, a hint of a smile on her pink lips. How Felix longed to kiss them.
“Well, I think you should be more careful who you employ. They don’t always have the best taste in wives.”
“Ginny. What did she say?” Based on the conversation the two of them were having, he could only imagine.
“Apart from suggesting that you and your ex were still a thing, she called me unpolished and incapable of keeping your interest.”
Felix’s stomach dropped. “I’m sorry. I didn’t know.”
“She said the hotel business was all you cared about. That it had hardened you and made you heartless.”
Felix brought a hand to Thea’s bare shoulder, his thumb grazing her soft skin. “Believe me, I have feelings. And the only thing hardening me right now is you and the memory of what lies under your dress.”
Felix brought the back of the hand he held to his mouth before turning it round and kissing the inside of her wrist. Thea’s pulse was thick and fast under his lips.
“Felix?”
“Yes?” He spoke the word against her skin.
“I don’t want to get burned. If I need to worry about anything, would you tell me?”
Felix leaned in to give her a lingering kiss. The sugar on her mouth reminded him of the doughnuts they’d eaten at the cafe. Except this time, he’d have no hesitation licking the crystals away from her lips. Even if it meant a one-way ticket to hell.
A lingering nag of doubt nibbled at Felix’s gut, though. Ginny had spoken to Thea. She stuck the knife in, and he could guarantee Adrienne would be ready to share her opinions with him before too long. But Thea didn’t have to worry. He’d deal with his ex. He’d do anything to protect the warmth that filled his chest whenever he and Thea were together.
