“We aren’t.”
She tucks a strand of hair behind her ear—the way she always does when she’s about to spin something. “Then why did you come?”
Because I thought if I met with her, she’d leave Kate alone. This was supposed to be a preemptive strike. Drawing a line in the sand. But if Kate ever finds out I’m here, she might not understand.
“I came to say—whatever this is, whatever you’re hoping for—it’s not happening,” I tell her. “I’m married now.”
She laughs softly. “You? Married? You can barely commit to a gym membership.”
I don’t laugh. “It’s real. I’m in love with my wife, Tess. I was hoping you’d move on and leave us alone. No more lies to the press. No more bathroom banter to hurt Kate.” I add, just to drive it home, “Or anything else meant to make her feel like she doesn’t belong.”
“Is it real?” she asks, eyes locking onto mine. “Because from where I’m standing, your marriage in Vegas—with an Elvis impersonator, no less—looks like a joke. Y’know Ben and JLo did the Vegas thing too. You know why? Because theyknewit was a mistake. Both of you men jumped the gun, Finn. You can’t be serious about her. You knew her for a fewhours, for Pete’s sake.”
Then she leans across the table, boobs practically on display, voice dropping low.
“You know, you’re right—I don’t know her. But your face in those photos?” She inches even closer. “That look in your eyes? I used to think it was love. But it’s just you... being lonely.”
“You don’t know anything about Kate. Or me,” I snap. “You and I ended a long time ago. You need to stop obsessing over me.”
I push my chair back. “And for the record? You never knew me very well.”
Tess stands. She steps in close—too close. “You once told me you didn’t know what it meant to love someone. Remember that?”
I do. I said it over a year ago, standing on the rooftop of a club in Coconut Grove. I wasn’t drunk, but I knew then she wasn’t the one.
I open my mouth—to deny it, explain it,something—but then she touches my arm. Light. Familiar. Wrong.
And then she leans in andkisses me.
That’s when I see the flash—like lightning. Quick, but unmistakable.
I’ve been in the game long enough to know when I’ve been set up.
Fuck. Fuck.Fuck.
“Tess, did you?—”
“No,” she blurts, stepping back like I burned her. But she knew exactly when the camera would go off.
“I didn’t call anyone. But someone saw us,” she says with a snicker.
My chest tightens. What if it hits the news? Shit—TikTok would eat this up. Everyone loves watching someone else’s life burn down.
Kate wouldn’t believe it... would she?
“We’re through, Tess,” I growl, storming off without a goodbye.
The optics are bad. Really bad. Kate’s out of town. I decided that I need to get ahead of this. I didn’t think anything—oranyone—could wedge themselves between Kate and me.
But now? I realize all too late that I might’ve handed Tess the boulder she needs to put a wedge between me and my wife.
I get in my car and command it to call Kate. I look at the clock on the dashboard, and it’s late. Kate might not hear my phone if she’s still at the concert venue.
I text Shay, she’s not picking up either.
Shit.
I arrive home and toss my keys on the counter. I run my hand through my hair and pace the living room. I’m in a panic thinking the worst because this is my marriage.
