“Yeah, well, obsidian was useful for weapons because it made great knife blades. Naturally occurring black volcanic glass—it was their equivalent of using a broken bottle. Anything else?”
“Nothing that would interest you. Pottery fragments.”
“You’re right. Boring. Pottery is Lily’s area.”
“It’s not interesting enough for Lily, and anyway she’s living the high life with her billionaire.”
“She is. And they’re perfect together. You should have seen them, Spy. So cute.” Brittany sat back in her chair. “When do you go back to Athens? Is the university letting you stay until the end of August?”
“Yes. What about you? What are your plans?”
Her immediate plan was to get through the next few weeks without killing her ex
-husband.
After that?
She was about to confess that she didn’t have a clue what she was going to do with her life when she heard a knock at the door. “Hold on, Spy—” Hoping it wasn’t another casserole, she sprinted to the door and opened it.
Zach stood there, dark eyes hooded, powerful thighs encased in the same black jeans he’d worn the day before. He radiated masculine vitality and seeing him rocked her in a way she didn’t want to be rocked.
His gaze connected with hers and sent a thousand volts of electricity through her body.
Her response annoyed her and fried the mellow feeling she’d had talking to Spy.
“What can I do for you?” Worn-out with the effort of projecting happiness, she went for crisp and businesslike but what effect that had on him she had no idea. Zach didn’t share his thoughts and feelings with anyone. Not even her. If he had, she might have known he was thinking of leaving so soon after their wedding.
One of the hardest things to cope with afterwards was the realization that while she’d been dreaming of the future, he’d been dreaming of escape.
“We need to talk.”
“I can’t imagine what we have to talk about and I’m on video chat with someone right now, so—”
“I’ll wait.” He stepped inside the house before she could think of a reason to close the door in his face.
“Right. Well, you’ll have to excuse me.” She walked back into the kitchen, more rattled than she wanted to admit. “Spy, I have to go. Great to talk to you. And I definitely think it’s obsidian.”
Like Zach’s eyes. The same volcanic black, sharp enough to slice like a blade.
It was a comparison she wished had escaped her.
For years Zach had been no more than a slightly uncomfortable memory, like a small stone rubbing inside her shoe.
She didn’t want him to take up space in her head. There wasn’t room for him anywhere in her life.
There certainly wasn’t room in the small pretty kitchen of Castaway Cottage.
Zach topped six feet and his shoulders were broad and strong. She felt crowded and didn’t like the feeling. What was he doing here and why would he choose to knock on her door after so many years had passed since he’d walked out of it?
“Something wrong, agape mou?” Spy’s voice was smooth and deep and carried through the house.
Knowing that Zach was listening, Brittany felt tension ripple through her. “No, everything is fine, but I need to go. Speak to you soon, Spy.” She ended the call, turned and met Zach’s gaze. “Well? What did you want to talk about?
“Boyfriend?”
“Work colleague, although it’s no business of yours what our relationship is. You lost the right to question me on my love life the day you walked out and left a note on the pillow.” She snapped out the words before she could stop herself and then clenched her teeth together.
Damn, damn and double damn.