Teach Me Something (Something Series Book 4)

by Aubrey Bondurant

  “You should’ve told me when we got divorced that an annulment could take this long.”

  My eyes narrowed. “How the hell is it my responsibility to educate you on the workings of the Catholic Church? You’re the one engaged, so you should’ve researched it yourself once you knew you wanted a religious ceremony.”

  “I don’t have two years. Brittany’s pregnant.”

  Blood roared into my ears, and I had to remember to breathe. A punch in the stomach would’ve felt better than hearing those words. The annulment request had stung, but this—This was so much worse. When I thought about how much I’d wanted to have children and how close we’d almost been—Tears instantly pricked my eyes.

  For a moment I thought he’d say something for the almost-mother-to-his-children that was sympathetic, but instead he barged on with his agenda. “Do you think if we contributed a large donation it might make a difference in how fast they can process it?”

  “You really don’t give a damn about anyone but yourself, do you?” My voice was louder than intended, and Will didn’t hesitate this time. He walked right towards us.

  Deciding I didn’t want either man to see my threatening tears, I quickly turned on my heel and fled out the rear doors.

  Thank goodness for Sherman who, upon seeing me, popped out to open my door.

  “Home, please,” I managed.

  His kind, sympathetic expression was almost my undoing as he simply nodded without a question.

  Will’s voice called out my name. When I turned, I saw him running down the steps after me. I didn’t protest when he slid into the back seat with me.

  Sherman started driving, and I sat there stunned.

  “Are you okay?” Will asked softly.

  I shook my head, letting a tear slide down despite my best efforts.

  “How about I walk you up, and we talk about it?”

  We were nearing my place already and all I could think was that I wanted to be alone. “No, thank you. But, um, Sherman can drive you home if you like.”

  He stepped out with me anyhow onto the curb. “The way I see it is you have two choices. A, you can let me come up and ensure you’re all right, or B, I can call Haylee.”

  My eyes went wide. He was using my own ultimatum back on me, the one I’d given him when he’d had appendicitis. With a sigh, I realized I had no energy left to fight. “I guess I’ll go with option A, then.”

  CHAPTER SEVEN

  Will smiled with the mild victory of turning the tables on me and followed me into the building. Inside, I gave a nod to the doorman and led Will into the elevator. The cab didn’t stop until the thirty-sixth floor. My two-bedroom, two-thousand-square-foot home wasn’t fancy by any means, but I’d wanted it for the view—not to mention the impressive closet space.

  His eyes went straight towards the large window taking up most of the living room and overlooking the city. “I can see why you bought the place.” He moved closer to the glass.

  Murmuring a “yes,” I slipped off my heels and plunked down my clutch on the granite island that separated the living room from the kitchen. Hating that this would most likely sound bitchier than intended, I blurted out, “I’m fine. I was merely taken off guard tonight with him showing up.”

  Will turned towards me, lifting a brow. “In other words, you’re dismissing me?”

  “Look, I’d feel terrible if you left your date behind or I cut your evening short.”

  I found myself swallowing when he shed his jacket and loosened the bow tie of his tux exposing the slightest hint of skin.

  “My roommate is dating a woman who helps run a shelter in Queens. Since she knew she’d be busy tonight talking to all of the sponsors, she invited me to keep him company. So I didn’t bring a date, and I don’t have anything else going on. It’s a worthy cause, by the way.”

  “It definitely is.” The small talk was helping ease the awkwardness. I watched as he took in the room, which boasted an open floor plan from living room to kitchen.

  “You going to tell me what happened?”

  I sighed. “I’d rather not. Matter of fact, I’d love nothing more than to change into yoga pants, pour an extra-large glass of wine, and not talk or think about it at all.”

  “How about I wait for you to do the first part while I facilitate the second, and then I promise not to bring up the third part unless you wish to?”

  A smile tugged at my lips. I definitely couldn’t turn down someone who was trying to be a good friend to me. But then a doubt creeped in that maybe friendship wasn’t why he was here. The thought he might intend to ‘work off his debt’ left me cold. “I appreciate the offer and know you feel obligated to work off your hospital bill, but I’ll need to decline tonight.”

  His instant anger surprised me. “You think that’s why I’m here?”

  “I don’t know, honestly,” I whispered. I could hear my own vulnerability lacing the words.

  He stepped closer to me, searching my eyes. “The lines may be blurry when it comes to our history, so let me be crystal clear: I’m here right now because we’re friends. I want to be that for you without a thought towards our deal.”

  I took a deep breath and let it out slowly, forcing myself to relax. It was clear there wasn’t one ounce of him that wasn’t sincere. “Okay.”

  He walked over to the kitchen and perused the wine rack on the kitchen counter. “Any of these bottles okay to open?”

  “Either those, or there are whites in the refrigerator. Opener is in the drawer next to the stove. I’ll only be a moment.”

  Once I’d changed into comfy clothes and come back out into the living room, he greeted me with a large glass of red. I sipped and approved of the dry Malbec. It suited my mood tonight much better than a fruity white wine would have.

  We took seats on my plush sofa overlooking the city. Although I had a television mounted on the wall, it rarely was turned on since the view was all I needed in here. The expanse of lights and buildings visible for miles was awe inspiring.

  Will leaned back, sipping on his wine. “Did you live here with your ex?”

  “No. I bought it after the divorce. I needed a new space without the memories.”

  He raised his glass. “Good choice.”

  We drank in a silence which, surprisingly, wasn’t awkward. His husky voice after a few minutes took me off guard, but not as much as his words.

  “I was a baby when my older brother was diagnosed with cerebral palsy. He was about two years old at the time, and I guess wasn’t developing like he should’ve been. We lived hours away from the nearest major city, and I remember having to travel there constantly while I was growing up. My mum quit her job to take care of him and my dad—Well, by the time I’d turned ten, he’d had enough of that life, I suppose. I remember overhearing a fight on my tenth birthday where my dad said it wasn’t fair to me to live a life in and out of hospitals. He claimed she’d forgotten my birthday because my brother Thomas had been very sick the entire week.”

  I could see him swallow in the shadows of the room. I turned towards him and moved closer, mindful this wasn’t easy for him to share. “It must’ve been difficult on her though.”

  His smile was sad. “I didn’t appreciate that fact until I was older. Once they divorced, my dad moved me with him to California. My mother remarried when I was a teenager and then had my sister. By the time I went back to spend a summer with them, Thomas’s care had become more efficient with technology, and his medications were better. But I finally saw through mature eyes what it was like to be my mother every day. How hard it was and how much it took from her.”

  He paused, taking another drink of wine. “But worse, I realized how much my brother, who was almost an adult by then, hated being a burden on her. I vowed then and there that I’d have the type of job someday where I could put my brother into an assisted living community where he could live his life and finally give my mum the break she deserved. I was able to achieve that goal three years ago when
I began working at Club Travesty. It was steady money while modelling was more hit or miss. So I live where I do in order to keep my expenses minimal because Thomas’s care is costly.”

  I was blown away that he’d made both his brother and mom such a priority and by the type of load he shouldered for the sake of his family. “I can only imagine.”

  He glanced at me, shaking his head. “And I swear to God, Cath, if you so much as think about paying one cent of—”

  I held up my hand. “I would never. Even I wouldn’t cross that line.”

  His features relaxed. “My mum took a vacation last year for the first time ever.”

  “You’re an incredible son and brother. How old is your younger sister?”

  “Janet is fourteen and in high school. She’s a good kid. Next week I’m traveling to Australia to see them all. It’s been over a year, so I’m looking forward to it.”

  “That sounds really nice. Thank you for sharing your story with me about your family.” He’d clearly made a difficult effort to do so, but I didn’t feel ready to reciprocate with my baggage.

  “I didn’t do it because I have an expectation you’d do the same. I simply want you to trust we’re friends now. In fact, there isn’t one other person who knows about the things I’ve just confided to you.”

  I took a gulp of my wine, downing the contents, and got up to pour another. When I returned with a full glass, I blurted it out. “Michael wants an annulment in the church because his fiancée is Catholic. In order to have a second Catholic wedding, you need one granted from the first marriage.”

  “Ah. I take it you’re not exactly feeling like doing him any favors?”

  I sighed heavily. “That’s not what really upset me the most, although his timing was sucky at the gala, I’m not going to deny him the annulment.” I pulled the pins from my hair, letting it down. “It’s all so personal.”

  “I won’t pretend to know how you’re feeling as I’ve never been married or in love, for that matter, but I am a good listener.”

  Maybe it was time I had one of those. “I was three days away from an IVF egg retrieval procedure in order to try to have a baby when Michael came home out of the blue and told me he wanted a divorce.”

  “Jesus. That’s shitty.”

  I fought the tears as I recalled the day he’d announced he wasn’t ready, after all, and then left. No wavering, no discussion, just moved his things out that very night. I remembered sobbing in my shower, a hormonal, bloated, and shocked mess. I’d convinced myself he’d come back, that he’d only panicked temporarily and would come to his senses in time.

  “Tonight he told me he needed the annulment stat because his fiancée is pregnant and she comes from a Catholic family. He went on to vent his frustration about me not telling him sooner how long an annulment can take—as if it’s my responsibility to inform him that annulments can take years.”

  Will set down his glass on the coffee table to give me his full attention. “Wait, he ambushed you this evening to tell you he’s having a baby with his fiancée and wants you to help get him the annulment—after your history together? Then he blamed you when he found out it would take a while?”

  I drained the last swallow of my new glass of wine, thinking it had gone down rather fast. “It would appear so.” Suddenly I needed more alcohol and some levity in the heavy conversation. “You know, they say there are four glasses to a bottle, but clearly they aren’t aware what an actual full portion should be.”

  Getting up off the couch, I headed for the kitchen in order to uncork a new bottle, but Will came up behind me.

  His strong hands took the bottle out of mine and set it on the counter. Turning me, he rested his hands on my shoulders, letting his blue eyes, full of sincerity, meet mine.

  “Cath, I’m really sorry. You didn’t deserve to be hijacked tonight or at any other time. He should’ve been more sensitive than to treat you that way.”

  That did it; the dam broke. I guess I should’ve been grateful they were silent tears and not ugly sobs, but still, not exactly my finest moment. Before I could register what was happening, he’d steered me back onto the couch and enveloped completely in his arms, allowing me to cry it out on his chest. His hands stroked my hair and my back, and he was quiet in his unwavering support.

  Finally, when there were no more tears to shed, I hiccupped and spoke softly.

  “The thing is, I don’t love him any longer, but I once thought he was my forever. I’d believed we were starting a family together. So to now hear he wants to erase me like a mistake so he can have that future with someone else really hurts. I convinced myself when he left that it had to have been a midlife crisis or something. He’d needed someone younger in order to have a life with less responsibility. That an impending baby and added commitment had made him freak out. But now I know that wasn’t it, which means it was me. And to add to it all, they couldn’t ever diagnose why we couldn’t get pregnant naturally after years of trying, so now it’s obvious that was me, too.” The verbalized, deeply personal thought set off a fresh round of tears.

  Will didn’t hesitate pulling me closer in his strong arms. “You might not believe this yet, but he never deserved you.”

  I let out a humorless laugh. “God, you’re sweet, but I’m far from perfect, Will. I didn’t even notice my marriage was falling apart. Looking back, maybe I should’ve done more to ensure it didn’t. Hell, I didn’t even make any effort to go after him once he left, so what’s that say?”

  “I have no doubt you took your commitment very seriously to make it work, but were you truly happy? Would putting more effort into it have made you happier—or just him?”

  “I wasn’t happy or unhappy. Rather, I was simply going through the motions, at least in the final years. At some point, I felt empty, and I believed a baby would fill that void. But now the thought of having a child in which I’d be sharing custody with him right now is sobering. So I know the timing of the divorce was for the best even if it was devastating to go through at the time.”

  “And now you have the power to never settle for anything again.”

  I reluctantly left his embrace, missing his heat almost immediately as I moved towards the kitchen to put space between us and the subject at hand. “Speaking about settling, we should recap about Paul.”

  He watched me pour more wine. “I think we can save that conversation for another time.”

  It occurred to me he was most likely trying to keep the lines clear between paying me back and being a good friend. The sound of his stomach growling broke the silence. I lifted my eyes to his. “You’re hungry.”

  He grinned sheepishly. “A little. The appetizers at the gala were on the small side.”

  Thankful for something to do, I realized I was starving, too. “I only have a few things I’m decent at cooking and of those, only two can be made from the ingredients on hand or under the influence of the amount of wine I’ve just consumed. So it’s buttered noodles with parmesan or cheese quesadillas. Or we can order in.”

  “Noodles sound great.” A smile played at his lips, and he took a stool at the island to watch. “So what happened with the egg retrieval? Did you end up going through with it?”

  I swallowed hard, having never shared this with anyone but my doctor. “I did. At the time, I thought Michael would change his mind. And after all those drugs, not to mention the money…”

  “You don’t have to justify it, especially not to me.”

  “You’re the first person I’ve ever told. I’m guessing talking about frozen eggs might not make a good first-date impression, so I should probably add that to the list of what not to bring up.”

  He chuckled. “Probably best to wait on it.”

  We ate in silence there at my kitchen island, side by side, enjoying the simple meal.

  You would’ve thought I’d made something gourmet from his compliments. “That was really good. Thank you.”

  I scoffed. “You’re obviously easy to plea
se.”

  He winked and then did the hottest thing ever: he washed the dishes.

  ***

  I don’t remember what time I’d finally closed my eyes, but when I woke up on the couch, I found Will was still asleep on the other side of it. I took a moment to observe him in his slumber. He was sexy even in his sleep. Not only was his body incredible and his face cover worthy, but also his charm and caring nature were absolutely incredible. We’d sat there talking about life until the early hours of the morning as we watched the city come alive. I don’t think I’d ever laughed or enjoyed someone’s company as much as I had his. And instead of feeling embarrassed about everything I’d shared with him, I realized it had been cathartic.

  After tiptoeing down the hall to the bathroom to brush my teeth, I then ran a comb through my hair and made sure my makeup—what was left of it—wasn’t completely smudged. I walked out tentatively, wondering if I should wake him up or let him continue to sleep. The unexpected knock on my front door took the decision out of my hands.

  Will popped up suddenly. “Sorry, I meant to catch the subway first thing this morning, but I must’ve fallen asleep.” He stood up to straighten the pillows and throw blanket.

  “No, no, it’s fine. I should’ve offered you the guest room.” Or my bed with me in it, the naughty thought crept in.

  Another knock sounded, reminding us that someone was at the door.

  “Uh, should I go hide?” He looked adorable, rumpled from sleep and eying the door with apprehension.

  “No, it’s probably a delivery. The doorman would call up with anyone not on the list, and the only people on there are—” I gave an obligatory peek through the peephole. “—my parents,” I finished on a groan. I couldn’t believe they were here.

  “We know you’re there, Cathy, and don’t you go hiding that man we hear in there with you until I get a good look,” my mother’s voice called out.