Love on Lexington Avenue(72)

Claire lifted Bob’s paw and waved at Scott. “Say ‘Bye, Dad! See you tomorrow!’ Scott, your turn,” Claire said, glancing at the camera. “Say bye to your girl.”

He rolled his eyes but played along. “Bye to my girl.”

The second the words were out, Scott’s world tilted on its axis as the truth rolled over him.

The FaceTime window went black as Claire ended the call, off to primp for her party, off to live her life, but Scott didn’t move. Not when his computer stayed inactive for so long the screen went black. Not when his coffee turned cold, the mug still frozen in his hand.

Bye to my girl.

He hadn’t been talking to the dog. He’d been talking to Claire.

Claire was his girl. His woman. And he didn’t want to have to say bye to her. Not ever again.





Chapter Thirty


FRIDAY, OCTOBER 11

You’re sure you don’t mind?” Claire asked for the hundredth time, as she watched Bob do a third perimeter sniff of Audrey’s apartment. It was a significant time investment, as Audrey’s apartment was huge.

Claire assuaged some of her guilt, slightly, by reminding herself that Bob would like all the extra space. That she wouldn’t feel ditched, first by Scott, then by Claire.

Granted, Claire’s “ditch” had a one-week expiration date. As far as brownie points went, she was way ahead of Scott.

“I’m positive,” Audrey reassured her. “I love dogs.”

“Yeah, but, and I mean this with love, you’ve got a distinct purse dog vibe about you,” Claire said, miming the size of a tiny little lap dog.

“I like all dogs,” Audrey insisted. “I did my homework. I read a bunch of pet blogs and learned new tricks to teach her. Oh, and I didn’t show you . . .”

She teetered away on her high heels, came back holding something small and aqua.

“See!” Audrey proclaimed, unrolling it slightly. “Tiffany blue poop bags! And look . . .” She unrolled it further. “It says Pooping at Tiffany’s.”

Claire shook her head. “That is the most you thing I’ve ever seen in my life.”

“Right? I even watched a YouTube video on how to use them. You put your hand inside, and then pick up the poop, pull the bag inside out, and knot it. Voilà! Her poops aren’t that big, right?”

“Not at all,” Claire lied, because the truth might result in Claire missing her plane because Audrey had backed out of her offer to watch the dog.

“Okay, I have to ask,” Audrey said as she walked Claire to the front door. “Does Scott know?”

“Not the details, but I told him the truth. That I came across a travel deal I couldn’t resist, that I haven’t gone anywhere since Brayden died and I was overdue a vacation, and that I wouldn’t leave Bob with anyone I didn’t trust with my life.”

“Aww,” Audrey said, giving her a quick hug. “But wait, I feel like you’re avoiding the topic. Is this trip just for kicks or because you’re trying not to think about him?”

Claire winced. “You know.”

“That you’re in love with Scott?” Audrey asked sympathetically. “Yeah, honey. I think we all do. In those final days before he left, you had a frequent sex glow, but it was the other stuff at the beach house that made me realize it was more than that. The way he looked at you like you were the best gift he’d ever received. The hand brushes. The food sharing.”

“You and Clarke share food.”

“Because Clarke can barely feed himself. It’s different, and you know it.”

Claire wasn’t so sure it was different, but she wasn’t exactly in a position to be lecturing anyone about romance right now. She’d barely recovered from the reality of her crappy marriage before getting her heart broken all over again. Hence the spontaneous trip. She’d decided that this time, she wasn’t waiting an entire year to heal. She needed a shortcut to resetting her life, and a new environment seemed the way to do it.

Plus, it gave her an excuse to take a break from the FaceTime calls with Scott. They were the highlight of her entire existence, and that wouldn’t do. At this rate, she’d have to have another bonfire next year to get over Scott.

“I’m sorry,” Audrey said, her brown eyes worried. “I hate that you’re hurting. Again.”

“My fault,” Claire said with a smile. “The guy did warn me from the very beginning that he wasn’t sticking around. And Naomi warned me a million times. I should have trusted the pact, trusted you guys to pick out the heartbreakers when I couldn’t.”

“Well, actually,” Audrey admitted, “I sort of feel like I let you down. Naomi knew that Scott was one of the heartbreakers. I, on the other hand, thought he was the one. Why do you think I insisted Oliver invite him to the beach house?”

“Audrey! That was you?”

“I know! I’m sorry. But you and I had such good luck with Naomi! Remember when she was dating Dylan, and we were like, ‘Hello? Oliver?’ I thought Scott was your Oliver. I was so sure . . .” She sighed. “Naomi would be a gloating terror if she ever found out that she was the one who was right.”

“It’ll be our secret, but maybe next time don’t get so . . . involved?”