The Winters(56)

“Good morning to you, too,” he said. “What a nice way to be woken up.”

“I missed you,” I said. We kissed some more, his hand snaking up my nightshirt. “When did you get in?”

“Very late. I hope I didn’t wake you.”

“I was out cold, I guess.”

“How did it go?”

“How did what go?”

“Did you find a dress?”

It felt like a dozen years ago, our time at the store. Had I imagined Dani’s helpful presence, her support and compliments?

“As a matter of fact, I did.”

“Among the many attributes about you that I love, you are also decisive.”

“Well, it’s not fancy, but it’s very me.”

“Was Dani helpful?” He cocked an eyebrow, trying to make his face seem angry, to no avail.

“You know about that? That she came to New York?”

“She texted me when you guys were driving back together. Would you have told me she went with you?”

“Max, she made me promise not to.”

He collapsed back onto his pillow. “How can I lay down the law around here if you keep her secrets?”

“I’m sorry.”

“She said she had fun with you, though. Did you have fun?”

She told me you were a cheater. Are you, Max? Did you cheat on Rebekah? Will you cheat on me? Maybe you’re already doing it. Maybe that’s why you never invite me to events, or on overnight trips to New York, because you’re seeing someone, maybe that woman, the one who came to Asherley. Why don’t you marry her?

He snapped his fingers in front of my face. “Where did you go just now?”

I closed my eyes and opened them again, as if to erase the evidence of my thoughts.

He lifted his head off the pillow to get a better look at me. “There was a funny look on your face, an angry one that I’ve never seen before. Right here,” he said, pressing his finger in between my eyebrows. He scowled, imitating what he’d seen.

“I didn’t look like that,” I said, laughing, trying to lighten the mood.

“I’m telling you, a little drama just played itself out on your face. I saw it. What were you thinking?”

“I was thinking nothing. I was thinking how excited I am for the wedding, now that I’ve found a dress. And I was thinking how grateful I was that Dani was there to help me.”

He looked at me, bemused. “I haven’t quite figured out when you’re lying to me.”

“It’s true,” I said, smiling, lightly punching his arm for effect.

“Lying by omission requires talent, and you, my dear, don’t have it. Lucky for you, I find your attempts at mendacity a tiny bit sexy.”

“I do have a question.” I could broach the subject without betraying Dani. After all, we were going to be married, and wasn’t infidelity something about which you’d naturally ask your betrothed? “Did . . . Rebekah ever cheat on you?”

He frowned. “What makes you ask that?”

“I don’t know. Maybe because you’ve been married before and I haven’t.”

“I don’t think she cheated on me. Are you going to ask me if I ever cheated on her?”

I nodded.

“Is this because I’ve been away so much?”

I nodded again.

“I promise after November you’ll be sick of me. Whether I win or lose, things will slow down. And there are a number of events in the Hamptons this summer that I’m taking you to, so many you’ll be sick of that part of the job, too.” He searched my face to see if his answer was satisfactory. “Look. I am many things, some shitty, some just plain venal, I know. But I’m no cheater. I never have been, I never will be. I’d divorce you before I cheated on you, and I’d only do that if you stopped loving me, which you won’t, correct?”

“Correct.”

He spilled over on top of me. “You do believe me, don’t you?”

“I do.”

And I did. I made the choice to believe him. Doing so also meant I didn’t need to betray any more of Dani’s secrets. If she was testing my trustworthiness, I had just laid an ace.

Max reached for his watch on the bedside table. “Let’s go out for dinner tonight, just the two of us. I’m glad you’re getting along better with Dani, but you were my friend first.”

I kissed him and walked over to the window. Whenever I threw open the curtains, I always expected to be hit with the sun, but gray clouds menaced the horizon. Still, I felt hopeful, determined to throw myself with chilly efficiency into the remainder of my wedding plans. Dani would soon grow bored of me, the same way she would tire of Maggie when she became a moody cat with territory to conquer and sharp claws to enforce her boundaries.



* * *



? ? ?

After a long shower, I made my way downstairs. As I neared the kitchen, I heard Louisa’s voice. Then Max uttered the word “greenhouse,” and I pressed my back against the paneling by the archway, ashamed that my first instinct was to eavesdrop.

“I disagree completely, Max. I think the great hall is far too formal for a small spring barbecue.”

“Did she put you up to this?”