I turn to see the man I still love walk out to join all of us. He looks tired, like he hasn’t slept in days. The dark circles under his eyes tell that story. And his beard says he hasn’t shaved since the party last week. The way he looks at me when he sees I’m here tells a completely different story, one that I can’t hear today.
Leaning over to whisper to Ava who’s sitting next to me drinking a margarita, I say, “I’m going to go change out of my bathing suit. Do you want me to bring anything out when I come back?”
She smiles and nods her head. “If you see Eleanor, tell her to come out and join us. Everyone I love is here, and we’re living our best life. I don’t need anything else.”
I nod and hurry inside the house. At least one of us is living the dream. Too bad my life has become a nightmare.
After hiding out in the powder room for ten minutes, I can’t avoid returning to the party anymore. I open the door, poke my head out to see if the coast is clear, and happily, there’s not a soul to be found.
I don’t get two steps out of the bathroom before Marius appears in front of me. He doesn’t say a word and pulls me by the arm into the kitchen. Not exactly the room I’d choose for our final showdown, but he’s calling the shots for now.
He looks at me, and I see such love in his dark eyes. I’ve always loved the way he looks at me. It’s a mixture of caring andsensuality that never fails to make me fall in love with him all over again.
And if I’m not careful, that’s exactly what’s going to happen.
Taking my hand, he presses it against his bare chest just over his heart. “We both proved our points, so now we can start fresh. I’m sorry, Eden. Please, say you forgive me.”
When I shake my head but don’t say anything because I’m on the verge of crying, he continues. “This can’t go on. I miss you, and I know you miss me. Have you gotten all my messages? I’ve been texting every day. I’m sorry. You have to believe me.”
“You look like hell, Marius.”
He tries to smile, but it never really happens. “I haven’t been sleeping very well for the past few nights. I miss you, Duck. I’ve been miserable without you. You miss me, don’t you?”
Tears well in my eyes, making it hard to see as pull my hand away and say, “I wanted to go public about us, and what did you do? You brought that girl to the party.”
“You were with that guy. How is what I did any different?” he asks with so much hurt in his voice that I almost want to say I’m sorry.
I can’t stand here and talk about this with him right now. I have to go before I fall apart and everyone sees.
“Don’t follow me. I have to go say goodbye to everyone, and if you’re with me, I’m not going to be able to do it without crying.”
He follows me, even though I just told him not to, so it’s practically a herculean effort to act normal when I return to the party. I make a beeline for Ava in the hopes that I can bid my farewells and leave as soon as possible before anything more happens.
“Ava, I have to go. Thank you for a great time.”
She jumps up off the chaise lounge and gives me a hug. “Thank you for coming over. I’m so glad you were here.”
“Me too,” I say, barely holding back tears. Turning to everyone sitting at the table, I say, “Thanks for a good time, guys! Matthias, as always, thanks for letting me monopolize your wife’s time.”
They all say goodbye, but one King says nothing. He simply stands near the door to the house like he intends on intercepting me on my way out. Why can’t he just leave things alone? Doesn’t he understand I’m not ready to forgive?
As I make my way toward the house, Eleanor appears in the doorway with a man. Dammit. I forgot to tell her to come outside.
Behind me, Matthias asks her, “Is something wrong, Eleanor? Everything okay?”
I swallow hard and try to push past her and the man, but it’s no use.
“I’m fine, Matthias. This man is a process server.”
When I look back, Ava is wearing a worried expression. “What’s this about, honey?”
Matthias walks over to the man and smiles back at his wife. “Nothing to worry about. It’s par for the course when you run a company as big as King Industries. They usually serve me at my office in the city, though. This guy must be working overtime.”
It’s like everything begins to move in slow motion as the process server explains to Matthias he isn’t the King he’s there for. Confused, the oldest King looks around and asks, “Then who?”
And that’s when the entire world stops.
Walking out of the house, the man holds up the envelope containing the papers he’s been hired to serve. “I’m looking for Marius King.”