er'

open directly into the p

least,

I had picked out last year. The scent of vanilla

her nose, stepping past me as if avoiding a bad smell

oosening his tie. He

he said, his voice flat. "Move you

. "Excu

no apology in them, just the cold pragmatism of a Capo issuing o

e," I said, my

hly. "I pay the mortgage. I pay for the l

kitchen, pouring himself a dr

humiliation. Karyn was already wal

was standing by the bed, running her hand over t

e with arched brows. "Oh, you're still

. I started throwing clothes into it.

sleep on a park bench before

, glass in hand. He watched m

nt on 5th? Fine. I'll have a driver take your boxes tomorrow.

s apartment. He couldn't conceive of a

tment," I said, zipping th

aughed. "Your dad's? He'll sell

er. I just wa

my arm. "Em

go of

a breakfast meeting here in the morning

want me to make you pancakes after

he said, his face hardening. "And stop cal

bathroom, now wearing a

. "Ho fame. Ordiniamo da quel posto francese?" (I

ove. Whatever you want.) Chace replie

peaking in the rapid, lyrical language of our worl

e pretended I didn't. He used it as a wall to shut me

in English, glancing at the stove where the ingredi

the wine rack and p

ge red. One of the few bottles C

ic. Chace knew that. We had spent a night in the ER three year

" Karyn said, h

uncorked it without hesita

otten. Or worse, he didn't care if I stopped

ss to Karyn. Th

e handle. I didn't nee

to the fr

nd. He just tossed something onto the marble

ack Am

ty," he said. "Cool off. Come b

ed the

Then I heard the sound of glass being set do

growled, his voic

the sound. But the silence in th