better off financially now than when Drew was alive and we were struggling to keep on top of everything. Funny old world eh?”
For some reason, Caleb seemed to relax when I told him this. It was weird the way I seemed to be able to open up to him. No one outside my family had any real idea about the state of my private finances, and yet I'd divulged pretty much everything to Caleb in the space of a few minutes.
“I guess it is, but at least you’ve been left secure. Your husband certainly did right by you,” he stated with obvious approval.
“Yes, but Drew used to worry about covering all the insurance payments, as well as all our other bills and commitments. That’s one of the reasons he rode his motorbike to work, so we didn't have the expense of running two cars. But I’d rather be broke and still have him here, than have him killed in a motorbike accident just to save a few pounds,” I whispered.
Caleb reached across and gripped my hand.
“I'm sorry. I didn't mean for you to get upset this evening. That’s the last thing I intended.”
“It’s okay. You know, for some reason I don't mind talking about Drew with you, and it seems to help. That’s if you don't mind - I know it’s all a bit odd,” I tried to explain.
“No, I don't mind at all. In fact, I’m real glad you feel able to open up, so please don't think talking about your husband with me is in any way taboo. And you know, from what you’ve told me about Drew, I think I'd have liked him, as he kinda reminds me of my brother Seth.”
“That’s a nice thing to say,” I murmured.
“Well, in case you hadn't noticed, I am actually quite a nice guy.” Another flash of that gorgeous smile of his.
“Yeah, I guess you are,” I smiled back. “So, your turn now. Seeing as I’ve filled you in a bit about Drew, perhaps you could tell me something about your wife in return. What was she like?”
Caleb’s smile disappeared in an instant.
“ Ex wife. And there’s nothing much to say about Cassie. My marriage had been dead in the water for a long time even before the divorce. And now it’s been dealt with, all done and dusted.”
Caleb’s expression froze as he quickly slipped a mask of indifference into place. He obviously still had deep issues, seeing as he found it hard to even broach the subject of his ex-wife. Clearly the subject of Cassie was not all done and dusted, however much Caleb might try and kid himself. Trust me, I knew all about avoidance tactics.
“How long were you married before you got divorced?” I stubbornly persisted, determined to try and gain at least a little more personal insight into the man that I was potentially going to be sleeping with tonight.
“About seven years,” he begrudgingly told me, as he scowled and took a large slug of his drink.
“Any kids?”
“No, thank Christ. Look, I really don't want to spend our date talking about Cassie. All I can say is that in the long run, my ex did me a favour, because she opened up my eyes and made me look at the world more realistically.”
Made you look at the world more cynically , I couldn’t help thinking. That she had hurt him really badly was blindingly obvious. And for that, I instantly hated her, this Cassie. But I knew better than to let any kind of pity show, knowing instinctively how much he’d hate that.
“So you concentrated on ruthlessly working your way into the top echelons of the mighty American Western Bank,” I smiled.
“Pretty much,” he agreed, his tension dissipating once we moved onto what was obviously a much more comfortable topic for him.
“Are you based in San Francisco permanently?”
“For now. I was based in New York for a while last year, but I've relocated back to California at present.”
“Do you have your own place?”
“Yes, I do. I had to sell the house Cassie and I jointly owned in order to give her half of the equity as part of the divorce settlement, so it took me a while to get settled again.
For some reason, Caleb seemed to relax when I told him this. It was weird the way I seemed to be able to open up to him. No one outside my family had any real idea about the state of my private finances, and yet I'd divulged pretty much everything to Caleb in the space of a few minutes.
“I guess it is, but at least you’ve been left secure. Your husband certainly did right by you,” he stated with obvious approval.
“Yes, but Drew used to worry about covering all the insurance payments, as well as all our other bills and commitments. That’s one of the reasons he rode his motorbike to work, so we didn't have the expense of running two cars. But I’d rather be broke and still have him here, than have him killed in a motorbike accident just to save a few pounds,” I whispered.
Caleb reached across and gripped my hand.
“I'm sorry. I didn't mean for you to get upset this evening. That’s the last thing I intended.”
“It’s okay. You know, for some reason I don't mind talking about Drew with you, and it seems to help. That’s if you don't mind - I know it’s all a bit odd,” I tried to explain.
“No, I don't mind at all. In fact, I’m real glad you feel able to open up, so please don't think talking about your husband with me is in any way taboo. And you know, from what you’ve told me about Drew, I think I'd have liked him, as he kinda reminds me of my brother Seth.”
“That’s a nice thing to say,” I murmured.
“Well, in case you hadn't noticed, I am actually quite a nice guy.” Another flash of that gorgeous smile of his.
“Yeah, I guess you are,” I smiled back. “So, your turn now. Seeing as I’ve filled you in a bit about Drew, perhaps you could tell me something about your wife in return. What was she like?”
Caleb’s smile disappeared in an instant.
“ Ex wife. And there’s nothing much to say about Cassie. My marriage had been dead in the water for a long time even before the divorce. And now it’s been dealt with, all done and dusted.”
Caleb’s expression froze as he quickly slipped a mask of indifference into place. He obviously still had deep issues, seeing as he found it hard to even broach the subject of his ex-wife. Clearly the subject of Cassie was not all done and dusted, however much Caleb might try and kid himself. Trust me, I knew all about avoidance tactics.
“How long were you married before you got divorced?” I stubbornly persisted, determined to try and gain at least a little more personal insight into the man that I was potentially going to be sleeping with tonight.
“About seven years,” he begrudgingly told me, as he scowled and took a large slug of his drink.
“Any kids?”
“No, thank Christ. Look, I really don't want to spend our date talking about Cassie. All I can say is that in the long run, my ex did me a favour, because she opened up my eyes and made me look at the world more realistically.”
Made you look at the world more cynically , I couldn’t help thinking. That she had hurt him really badly was blindingly obvious. And for that, I instantly hated her, this Cassie. But I knew better than to let any kind of pity show, knowing instinctively how much he’d hate that.
“So you concentrated on ruthlessly working your way into the top echelons of the mighty American Western Bank,” I smiled.
“Pretty much,” he agreed, his tension dissipating once we moved onto what was obviously a much more comfortable topic for him.
“Are you based in San Francisco permanently?”
“For now. I was based in New York for a while last year, but I've relocated back to California at present.”
“Do you have your own place?”
“Yes, I do. I had to sell the house Cassie and I jointly owned in order to give her half of the equity as part of the divorce settlement, so it took me a while to get settled again.
Similar Books
