“Kitten.” Xavier sounded annoyed.
I looked back at him, embarrassed. “What? Sorry, were you saying something?”
He sighed and looked up to the timber—framed ceiling. “Here’s a question I hope I’ll never have to ask again, but, am I boring you?”
“No!” I protested and reached for his hand. “No, sorry, I’m just….”
“Thinking about your man?”
I grimaced.
“Go ahead and check your phone,” Xavier sighed. “Again.”
I pulled it from my pocket and stared at the blank screen in mute disbelief. “Nothing.”
“Hmm.” Xavier scraped the remnants of his dinner onto his fork and licked it thoughtfully.
“He must be really angry.” I made to put it back into my pocket, then thought better off it, and set it onto the table instead. Face up.
“Does he have reason to be?” Xavier wanted to know. “You said you kicked him out. Why, again?”
My hand twitched towards my phone involuntarily. Xavier eyed it and I pulled it away. “Because.” Worry was clouding the memory of my anger. I could barely recall the reason I’d left in the first place. “He… wanted me to join a support group,” I mumbled, looking down at my hands.
“Mm hmm.”
“I know it doesn’t sound like something to get mad about.”
“Mmm.”
“Is there something you want to say? It’s not like you to hold back, Xavier.”
He set his fork down. “Kitten. I adore you. Any time you want to drop by like this, I’m thrilled because I love you to pieces.”
“But?” I took a sip of my water.
“But.” He ran his tongue along the inside of his cheek. “I’m pretty sure you’re eating dinner with the wrong man who loves you to pieces.”
I choked on my water.
“Check your phone again.”
“Nothing!” I almost wailed. “He’s not even worried! He’s done with me, Xavier. I fucked it up!”
“You’re sure of that?”
“Of course I am! He’s not calling me. He’s not looking for me. I left and he just let me go!”
“So go back.”
I gaped at him.
Xavier sipped his wine.
“Go back?” I sputtered.
“This doesn’t have to be the end, Kitten. You can turn around, retrace your steps.” He raised his eyebrows. “Leaving doesn’t have to be a permanent thing.”
I sagged back in my chair. “Shit.”
He nodded.
“This is what I do.”
“So stop doing it,” he snapped.
I stood up from my chair. “I love you.”
“You’re not sleeping here, Kitten.”
“I know.”
“Go get your man.”
“I will.” I grabbed my coat.
“You can stay here for your honeymoon!” he called after me as I sprinted through the door.