“Says who?”
Was he for real? “Come on, River.”
“Come on what?”
“You know I’m right. I don’t respect you, and you don’t respect me. It’s best if we just keep our distance from one another, wouldn’t you say?”
“I never said I didn’t respect you.”
I bit my tongue, and the silence stretched awkwardly.
“Oh,” he snapped. “I see.”
I sighed. “Look, it is what it is, River. Too many unpleasant things have happened between us. We’re like vinegar and water. There’s no need for us to interact, so let’s not.”
“Is this what you do, Maxwell? Just write people off and move on?”
I frowned. “I don’t know if that’s something I do very often—”
“I triedreallyhard with you when I first arrived, Maxwell.” His voice was harder now. “But you just wouldn’t give an inch. You were a snob from day one.”
“No I wasn’t.”
“What makes you think you’re so much better than me?”
“I never said I was better than you.” I gritted my teeth. “Why do you care? Why are you pushing this? We’re never going to be pals. Let’s just go our separate ways.”
“I’m the one who should be angry and resentful, not you. Certainly notyou,” he hissed.
“River,” I snapped. “None of this matters. I’m starting a new chapter in my life, and I’d prefer you weren’t a part of it.”
“Sure, that’s your MO, right? Starting over?”
I bristled at his comment because I knew he was once more trying to bring up Lucinda Pratt’s death. “I don’t know why you insist on drudging up my painful past.”
“Maybe because you seem to forget it all soeasily.”
“There was nothing easy about that situation.”
Ignoring me, he rasped, “How shallow are you?”
“My past is none of your business. It’s settled. It was settled long ago.”
“Well, if you say so, it must be true.”
“This is ridiculous. You’re like a bratty child. You apparently resent my happiness. My success. How about you focus on yourself? All I need from you is to sign some papers so we can be done with each other for good.”
The silence stretched so long, I thought perhaps he’d hung up. But then he said harshly, “I tried to give you the benefit of the doubt, but you’re everything I thought you were. You’re cold and detached. You don’t care about anyone else. You don’t care who you harm in life, so long asyouland on your feet.”
“That isn’t true.”
“Bullshit,” he rasped. “You’re a negative force in this world. You’re damaging the positive energy that flows around us all.”
Oh, boy.
“Are you willing to meet with me to sign the paperwork, or shall we have our lawyers do it?” I asked brusquely.
Another long silence, and then he said in a cold voice, “Oh, by all means, let’s meet.”
