Natalie closes her eyes for a moment and smoothes her hand over Chloe’s hair. “It’s going to be all right,” she tells her. “Listen, I’m going to go talk to your dad—okay? Blair is going to stay here with you.”
Blair puts her arm around Chloe. “Drink a little hot chocolate. If you want, you can come and help me decorate one of my wedding cakes. You used to like that—remember?”
Chloe nods and sits back down. She reaches for her mug.
Blair squeezes Natalie’s hand and speaks into her ear. “Go tell that selfish bastard he can go to hell.”
“I don’t care if Dr. Anderson is with a patient. Tell him his wife is on the line and that it’s urgent!”
Natalie is put on hold again. Her hands are shaking with fury.
Finally, she hears Peter’s voice and he sounds annoyed. “Natalie, I can’t talk right now, I’m busy.”
“I just want to know one thing. Is Lena more important to you than your own daughter?”
“No, of course not.”
“Really? Because Chloe is here right now crying her eyes out.”
Peter sighs. “I’m sorry to hear that, but I don’t really understand why she’s so upset.”
“Maybe it’s because you just got engaged to another woman while you’re still married to her mother!”
“But our marriage is over. We’ll be divorced soon and besides, I thought she was warming up to Lena.”
“Do you think that’s how she sees it? You’ve wrecked her family.”
Peter doesn’t say anything.
“When were you even planning to tell me about this?”
“I was going to let you know about it tonight when I dropped Chloe off. I wanted to tell you face-to-face. I realize we haven’t seen each other in quite some time.”
“You couldn’t have at least waited until we’re divorced before you asked Lena to marry you?” Natalie grips the phone in frustration. “What’s the rush? And I understand you’re also having an engagement party?”
“That was Lena’s idea,” Peter admits. “I told her we should probably wait on that, but she wants to announce to the world that we’re committed to each other and I didn’t see the harm in it.”
“There is harm, though. Chloe is miserable and the whole thing is in poor taste. Has this woman robbed you of your common sense?”
“Of course not!” Peter snaps. “You’re just jealous. Lena said you would get like this when you found out.”
“I’m just trying to protect Chloe.”
“She’ll be fine. She’s tougher than you think.”
Natalie grits her teeth. “You know what? I’ve had it with your selfishness. I’ve tried to be reasonable about things because I didn’t want to upset our daughter more with a big drawn-out battle, but I’m calling my lawyer. If you want out of this marriage you’re going to pay.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
“I want the house free and clear.”
Peter scoffs. “Forget it. I’ll never agree to that.”
“Then I’ll drag this out as long as I can. In fact, I want alimony, too.”
“I’m not paying alimony! Why should I pay you alimony? You have the income from the bakery.”
Natalie tightens her grip on the phone. “You still make a lot more money than I do. Believe me, Peter, I can make this go on forever.”
“Lena is so right about you. You’re jealous and closed off, but you’re only hurting yourself. I feel sorry for you, Natalie.”
“Save the sympathy for yourself—because when I’m done with you, you’re going to need it.”
Natalie hangs up, shaking. She’s glad she decided to finally play hardball. Lindsay and Blair had both told her she was being too soft on Peter.
She has her boxing class that night and as she takes out her frustrations with punching drills, she thinks about what Anthony said, and he’s right—it does feel good to hit something as hard as she can.
Now I just need to fix the mess with him.
Later that evening as Natalie is getting ready for bed, her cell rings. It’s Peter’s name on the caller ID.
“What do you want?”
“Is that any way to talk to me? You could at least be polite.”
Natalie thinks back to her class earlier. I may have to install a punching bag in the living room. “It’s late for me and you already know that, so if you have something to say spit it out.”
He takes a deep breath and releases it. “I’m giving you the house.”
Natalie is stunned. “Could you repeat that?”
“Lena and I talked it over and we’ve decided to give you the house. She didn’t want to at first, but I talked her into it.”
“I see.” She wants to point out that this isn’t any of Lena’s business. Lena doesn’t own any part of their house, but she decides to keep her mouth shut.
“This is on one condition, though.”
“What’s that?”
“I’m not paying you alimony.”
Natalie pretends to think this over. In truth she doesn’t really care about the alimony as long he pays child support. The house is what she wants. “Okay, I accept your terms. I’ll take the house free and clear, but I won’t ask for alimony.”
“Good. I’ll tell my attorney to contact yours. Does this mean you’re ready to sign divorce papers?”
Divorce papers? Natalie’s heart is suddenly in her throat. A judge still has to sign off on their parenting plan, but it will only be a formality. Peter sounds so eager to be rid of her. To start the next chapter of his life. But he and Chloe have been her life for so long. She takes a deep breath and lets it out.
Peter doesn’t want me anymore.
“Okay,” she hears herself say. “I’ll sign the papers.”
“EXCUSE ME,” NATALIE stops some young guy with a backpack. “Can you tell me where the Physics-Astronomy Auditorium is?”
She balances the cold pack holding her tiramisu inside as the kid explains how to get there.
“Okay, thanks.” Natalie is only vaguely familiar with the University of Washington’s campus, but she printed up a map and thinks she knows what he’s talking about.
“Happy to help,” he says with a grin, glancing down at her chest. “Are you a new student?”
“No, I’m meeting someone.”
The kid’s eyes wander to her chest again and stay there. “I could show you around,” he says. “Maybe we could grab a latte?”
Natalie studies him. He doesn’t seem to be aware that he just asked her breasts out for coffee. “Sorry, we’re too busy for that,” she tells him.
She’s been getting a lot of this lately. Guys staring at her chest and asking her out. My breasts need to get their own social secretary. Lindsay told her she’s lucky, but Natalie isn’t so sure.
“I don’t think I’m wearing anything that revealing, am I?” she asked Lindsay after some guy asked her breasts out for drinks while they were waiting in line at the movies.
“No, you look nice. But you’re stacked. I wish I had a rack like yours.”
“Yeah, right.”
“I’m serious. I’d love to have your body. Why didn’t I get those genes? You obviously got lucky and take after Mom’s side of the family.”
Natalie laughed. “You’re kidding, right? I’ve spent my whole life wishing I looked like you. I always felt like a whale.”
“Well, you’re getting the last laugh now. I look like a boy standing next to you.”
“No, you don’t.” The wind was blowing Lindsay’s long brown curls around her heart-shaped face. “You’re beautiful, and I’m glad for you. I always have been.”
“You really don’t get it, do you?” Lindsay was shaking her head. “You’re gorgeous. And I’m not kidding when I say I wish I had a body like yours. I’m too skinny. I’ve learned how to work it, but you have the kind of body men love.”
Natalie didn’t know what to say to that.
“You need to loosen up and hav
e some fun with it, though,” Lindsay continued. “You’re finally single again.”
“Yeah,” Natalie sighs. Her divorce was made final only a week ago. She felt sad, of course, but mostly she felt numb. In some ways, it was still hard to believe any of it was real.
“Thank God, you agreed to go on a date. That’s progress.”
Natalie had finally let Lindsay talk her into going out with someone from one of the matchmaking websites. “I’m dreading it, though.”
“You’ll be fine. It’s a healthy step.” Lindsay smiles. “And, besides, you’ve got me to help guide you.”
Natalie consults her map and heads toward Drumheller Fountain. According to Latte Boy, the Physics-Astronomy Auditorium is the next building after the Chem Library.
She transfers the cold pack with the tiramisu to her left arm and looks at her phone. His astronomy class starts in five minutes, but she figures the building straight ahead has to be the auditorium. A number of students are entering and she heads over to follow them.
She pulls her wool pea coat close against the cold outside. Underneath she’s wearing a purple sweater and black pencil skirt. It isn’t easy, but she’s getting better at putting clothes together. A salesgirl at Nordstrom had introduced her to the miracle of shapewear, and that changed everything. It made her look ten pounds lighter, though she felt wrapped as tight as a mummy.
Walking with heels was also taking some getting used to. Her feet were already sore, but she loved the glamorous black boots she’d bought. She glances down at them with a smug smile.
They look just like Lena’s.
Natalie works her way down the auditorium steps and takes a seat, placing the cold pack on the small desk in front of her. She glances around, impressed by the number of students here. The fruity smell of perfume drifts her way from a group of sorority girls sitting directly behind her. Most students are pulling out notebook computers and there’s a general hustle and bustle as everyone finds a seat and gets themselves organized.
Searching the front near the whiteboard, she doesn’t see Anthony anywhere and hopes she didn’t get the wrong class. According to her phone, it’s five after the hour. But then she sees him toward the front, talking to a student.
Wow.
Her breath stops at the sight of him. It’s possible he’s even more handsome than she remembers. He’s wearing a chocolate brown sweater and jeans and is carrying his usual leather satchel. She studies his broad shoulders and how they taper down. Nothing but miles of lean muscle. His dark wavy hair is longer than when she last saw him and gives him a roguish quality.
She feels a peculiar hunger looking at him. I want him. The thought comes to her unbidden and she pushes it aside.
“There he is,” she hears one of the girls behind her whispering.
“God, he’s hot. I still can’t believe he’s the prof.”
“I know, I’d do him in a second!”
Laughter.
“I’m so glad he’s back from his vacation or whatever.”
“Me, too. This is so my favorite class!”
The room quiets when Anthony speaks. “Welcome back to Astronomy 101. I trust everyone had a good holiday and that you’re all relaxed and ready to get back to work.”
Smiles and murmurs run through the auditorium.
Anthony smiles, too. “I thought I’d quickly outline what we’ll be going over this quarter.” He offers up textbook page numbers and everyone starts typing into their computers.
Natalie, not having a computer—and obviously not even a student—is content to sit back and watch Anthony, and watch him she does. Every move he makes. It’s like having her own live Anthony channel.
If only I had a pair of those little binocular glasses people bring with them to the opera.
She almost feels guilty for the way she’s ogling him. But she can’t pull her eyes away. How he moves, the sound of his voice, even the way he puts on his black geek glasses and goes over to write something on the whiteboard. She studies him from behind. His jeans are loose enough to be stylish, but tight enough to show that he has a first-class ass.
God, I feel like a peeping Tom.
For a moment, Natalie even considers sitting in on his astronomy lecture every week.
It’s not as if he’d notice me in the crowd.
She watches Anthony’s mannerisms. He uses his hands when he talks and rubs his jaw when he’s thinking something over. Everything he does strikes her as impossibly sexy. She can’t remember being this strongly attracted to anyone in her entire life.
It just figures it would be him.
As she continues to ogle, she remembers how he told her he slept in a white T-shirt and boxer briefs.
What I’d give to see that.
Anthony isn’t the type of lecturer to stand still in front of a podium, but cracks jokes and paces the floor energetically. Natalie wonders how he does it. There’s no way she’d feel comfortable speaking in front of so many people.
Occasionally, she even listens to what he’s saying. Some of it is fascinating. Most of what she knows about astronomy comes from watching science fiction movies, so hearing Anthony talk about black holes as a real phenomenon is intriguing.
Eventually, the class is over and everyone starts to pack away their computers.
Natalie takes a deep breath and stands up. There are butterflies in her stomach. She grabs her cold pack with the tiramisu inside and pushes against the crowd as she makes her way down the stairs to the front of the room, where Anthony is talking to students.
He’s not going to be happy to see me.
Hopefully, her apology with a delicious dessert will be enough.
As she moves closer, she sees that he’s surrounded by young women fawning over him like groupies.
I’m surprised he isn’t signing autographs.
Clearly, he’s enjoying himself as he charms them all with his boyish grin. For a moment, Natalie is sucked in like the rest of them, rendered powerless by his smile. Anthony seems so good-natured. It feels familiar, but then she knows all about self-centered men like him from her father.
As the girls all giggle over some joke Anthony just made, Natalie pushes her way through the crowd.
“Excuse me, Anthony?”
He glances over at her. “Yes?”
“Do you have a minute?”
He glances over again, but then does a double take. His brown eyes grow wide as he stares at her for a long moment. “Natalie?”
She tries to hide her nervousness. “I know this is a surprise. I wonder if I could talk to you?”
Some pretty brunette is asking him why there are craters on the moon, but Anthony ignores her.
Instead, he keeps staring at Natalie, his mouth open, an alarmed expression on his face.
He’s probably shocked I have the nerve to show up here.
Natalie holds up her cold pack. “I brought you a peace offering. Do you think I could follow you back to your office?”
Anthony still appears on the verge of panic. “What happened to you? Your hair . . .”
“I know. I had it done blonde.”
“And other things.” He looks her up and down.
Some of the girls around him are starting to get irritated. “Professor Novello, we were hoping to meet up with you after class today. Maybe get coffee?”
Continuing to ignore them, Anthony scans the crowd behind her. Natalie turns to see what he’s looking at, but all she finds are more students. Mostly guys. One of them smiles at her, and she smiles back.
Anthony frowns.
“Professor Novello, will you—”
“I’m done answering questions for today,” Anthony says, standing up. “Feel free to email and either my assistant or one of my TAs will get back to you.”
He grabs his satchel.
Natalie is still clutching her cold pack, trying to look humble.
“Are you coming?” he asks.
She glances around and then back to him. “Ar
e you talking to me?”
He shifts his satchel impatiently. “Yes, of course.”
“Oh.” She smiles sheepishly. The women who were fawning over Anthony are now watching Natalie with disappointment instead.
They leave the auditorium together. Anthony walks quickly and Natalie struggles to keep up in her high-heeled boots.
“Is your office much further?” she asks.
“It’s just over in the Physics-Astronomy building.”
His eyes linger on her before he looks away. He’s still wearing an expression that’s bordering on alarm. I must be really putting him on the spot.
“I’m sorry if this is a bad time.”
“It’s not, I . . .” Anthony suddenly notices her cold pack and stops walking. “Here, I can carry that for you.”
“Oh, it’s fine. I’ve got it.”
He takes it from her hands. She lets him, since it’s his tiramisu anyway.
After what feels like ten miles, they get to his small office. It’s on the third floor of a newer building. Anthony’s desk is in the corner near the window and is crowded with books, papers, and various academic paraphernalia. There’s a bookshelf next to the desk and a whiteboard pushed to one side that’s covered with mathematical equations. She takes a deep breath. It smells like stale coffee and high IQs.
He shoves some papers aside and sets the cold pack down.
Natalie eyes the chair, wishing she could sink into it and take her boots off, her feet hurt so badly. That’s what I get for trying to be as glamorous as Lena.
“I enjoyed your class,” Natalie tells him politely. “I don’t know much about astronomy, but it was interesting.” Her butterflies are back, but her foot pain is a good distraction. She hopes he doesn’t try and quiz her about the lecture, since she spent more time ogling him than actually paying attention.
He turns to her again, his eyes still lingering. She notices the alarmed expression is gone and instead, he’s studying her with interest.
“I’ve never seen you outside the bakery before.”
“I suppose not.”
“You’re not what I thought. You look . . . different.”
Year of Living Blonde (Sweet Life in Seattle, Book 1) Page 15