“Darling!” she squealed, throwing her arms around Nick’s neck and hugging him. She leaned back and kissed him full on the mouth before saying, “Darling, I’m back. Aren’t you glad to see me?”
There was dead silence in the group.
Sasha swallowed hard as she looked at the beautiful blonde, then Nick, seeing the shock before a mask came down over his face.
Effortlessly he extricated himself from the woman’s arms and slid his arm around Sasha’s waist and said, “Brenda, I’d like you to meet my wife.”
The other woman gasped, her eyes darting in disbelief to Sasha and back. “Your wife?”
“That’s what I said.”
The blonde’s face began to crumble. “Oh, Nick, how could you!” she choked, spinning on her heels and racing out to the patio.
The silence continued.
Nick’s mouth tightened as he turned to Sasha. “I’d better go sort this out.”
Sasha nodded. It was the right thing to do, the only decent thing to do, so why was she feeling uneasy about it all? He strode away, leaving an uncomfortable quiet.
Then Fiona took matters into hand. “These things happen,” she said sympathetically, giving Sasha’s arm a pat.
Sasha cleared her throat. “Yes, they do.”
Then one of the men started talking about something else and the conversation started up again somewhat awkwardly, everyone no doubt wondering what was going on out there on the patio and none more than herself.
She held her head high and determined to keep on doing so, but inside she was feeling less than certain. Who was Brenda, and how much had she and Nick meant to each other?
It seemed forever before he returned. His jaw was clenched as he came up and slipped his arm around her waist again, pulling her close. “Right, I’m back where I belong now.”
She knew he meant to comfort her but their relationship was such that she didn’t know which way the wind would blow. All this could be for show.
She winced. What was the matter with her? It was all for show.
All at once Brenda appeared at the open doorway, tears streaming down her beautiful face as she gave a loud sob and ran through the room to the front door. Every pair of eyes watched her, then all those eyes seemed to turn and look at her and Nick.
Sasha wanted to sink through the floor.
“Let’s dance,” he rasped, taking her drink and handing it to Boyd. Then he led her toward an area set aside for dancing.
He pulled her into his arms. “Don’t ask.”
“Nick, I—”
“Later. Right now I want to dance with my wife.”
She kept quiet but as she looked into his angry blue eyes she had to wonder if there was a reason he had called her his wife.
Was it to remind her that he was married to her?
Or was it a reminder to himself?
Thankfully by the time they’d finished their dance, the commotion Brenda had caused had receded into the background. Everyone had gone back to enjoying themselves and she was touched that some of the ladies seemed to be going out of their way to be nice to her.
She just hoped it wasn’t from pity. She couldn’t bear that. Not when she’d seen so many others pity her mother over the years.
They stayed at the party for an hour after that, more out of pride than not, Sasha knew. Once in the car, she couldn’t hold back any longer. She had to know.
“Do you love her?”
Nick’s hand stilled on the ignition key. “Of course not.”
“She loves you.”
His mouth tightened as he lowered his hand. “She thinks she does. She’ll get over it.”
Just like she had got over him years ago?
Just like she would have to get over her love for him now?
“That’s so hard-hearted, Nick.”
“What do you want me to say, Sasha? I’m married now. I can’t help her.”
Pain wrapped around her heart. “Would you help her if you weren’t married?”
He shot her a hard glance. “No.”
Is that all he had to say?
“Look, she went overseas and married someone else, and now she’s walked out on that marriage after six months and is pretending she still wants me? No way.”
She swallowed hard. Couldn’t he see what was right in front of him?
“Maybe she really does love you.”
He made a harsh sound. “Sure. Brenda came back through that room knowing everyone would feel sorry for her. Don’t you think a truly brokenhearted person would leave by the back door and away from prying eyes? Does all that sound like love to you?”
Her heart began to fill with relief. “No, I guess it doesn’t.”
“I was the one who broke it off. Brenda was a fling, that’s all. I would never have married her.”
“Never?”
“Never.” He reached out and put his hand over hers. “I’m glad I’m married to you.”
She ignored the warmth of his skin against her own. “Why?”
He blinked. “Why?”
“That’s what I said.”
Withdrawal came over his face before he turned back to put the key in the ignition. “There’s a whole heap of reasons.”
Yes, and none of them were love.
He glanced back at her. “Sasha, don’t let her get to you. She’s someone from my past and I can’t change that. But don’t let her into our future, okay?”
He was right.
“Okay.”
He waited a moment more, his eyes reading hers as if to be convinced, then he started up the engine and headed for home.
“Are you sure you don’t want to come with me to my parents’ place?”
Sasha placed her hairbrush down on the dresser and looked at Nick. “No, I’d only be in the way.”
The Valente men were getting together at Cesare’s apartment now that Alex was back from London. And Isabel was having Sunday brunch with a friend, so it was no use going with Nick just to sit and listen to the men talk business.
“You wouldn’t be in the way,” he said, a touch of gruffness to his voice.
Tenderness filled her but she tried not to show it. She’d accepted what he’d said about Brenda and it was forgotten. Now she just wanted to get on with her life.
With Nick.
“No, I’ve got lots of things to do here.”