Come Alive (The Cityscape 2)

“You haven’t wanted to do anything lately, and I know Bill doesn’t really like that sort of thing.”

“Well, I said I would try, didn’t I? What’s it for?”

“That gigantic new hotel on the River. Revelin, I think? They’re doing a test run to make sure the staff and everything is up to standard.”

“Oh.” Revelin. David’s hotel. I rolled my lips together and nodded, trying to hide my surprise. Her eyes skimmed my face knowingly.

“What?” I asked when she didn’t speak.

“I saw you earlier.”

“Where?”

“Out front, with David.”

“Oh.” My body warmed with embarrassment, and I tucked some hair behind my ear.

“He kissed you.”

“No,” I said, shaking my head. “It’s not what it looked like. It was just a peck on the cheek.”

“Um, that’s exactly what it looked like. Why are you even together?”

“I don’t want to talk about this.”

“Olivia, are you guys . . . Is this . . .” She paused and shifted in her chair. “Are you having an affair?” she asked with a lowered voice.

“No,” I insisted.

“I don’t believe you.”

I gaped at her. “We are not sleeping together.”

She nervously rotated her glass of water on the table. “Please tell me you aren’t going to do anything stupid.”

“No,” I said, but it came out as a whisper.

“Are you thinking about it?”

I shook my head emphatically.

“Are you lying?”

I just blinked at her, trying to look offended.

“I know his type,” she said, her tone heavy with warning. “He’s a pla

yer with a capital ‘P’.”

“I know that.”

“Do you? I get that it’s tempting, he is a god. And yes, you clearly have chemistry. But I’m afraid he sees you as some kind of challenge. Guys like that have fucked over me and many of my friends. But you have way more at stake.” She paused, searching my face. “Think of what it would do to your marriage. You would regret it.”

How could I tell her that I’d already done it, and that I didn’t regret it at all? At least not for the reasons I should? I looked down. Grains of salt were scattered over the table. I studied them, forming them into abstract patterns.

“Olivia?”

I nodded finally. No one had more concerns than myself. I knew I wasn’t the only person under his spell; he could have anyone with the snap of his fingers. Why, then, was I tempted to put everything on the line for him? Gretchen was right. But I feared I’d wandered too far down that path to find my way back.

“So I guess you still have feelings for him,” she said, sighing.

I opened my mouth, gulping for air. “I don’t know. He’s helping out with the Oak Park house.”

Her eyebrows joined. “Isn’t that weird?”

“Of course it’s weird, but you were there after the wedding. What was I supposed to do when Andrew brought it up? Forbid them from seeing each other? That wouldn’t raise a red flag at all.”

“Well, look. He’s with Dani now anyway, right?”

“Seems that way,” I said, directing my scowl at the table.

“So let her have him. If he’s going to break someone’s heart, I’d rather it was hers than yours.”

I smiled so she wouldn’t notice my dejection.

“Speaking of the house,” she continued, “any news?”

“We should hear back any day now.”

“Are you ready for all that?”

“I don’t know, I guess so.” My conversation with David, fresh in my mind, hadn’t given me any answers. But as usual, opening up to him was easy and left me feeling better. It also left me more confused.

“Well, I hate that you’ll be leaving the city, but I am excited for you. This is a big step.”

I nodded. “You’ll come visit, won’t you?”

“Of course,” she said, but her smile waned.

CHAPTER 11

BURGUNDY LEATHER AND DARK WOOD made up Bill’s office, and it smelled intentionally rich. Sturdy, essential-looking volumes lined the room like wallpaper. It had been a few nights since my dinner with Gretchen, and I hadn’t seen much of Bill that week because of a big case. Knowing he was in for another late night, I’d decided to surprise him.

“This is a treat.” He rounded the mahogany desk to embrace me. “Everything okay?”

“Yep. I haven’t been here in a while, so I thought I’d make sure you’ve still got my photo up.”

He plucked a frame from his desk and showed it to me. It was from the one time I had agreed to go on the fishing boat, and we were smiling from behind sunglasses and goofy hats.