Kapitel 18: Chapter 18

“Well, as long as you’re not calling him your husband,” he said, pushing his salad plate away. He shrugged. “It’s not the same as a real marriage between a man and a woman.”

My fist tightened around my fork, and I had a sudden flash of clarity. Why the fuck had I come back here? I didn’t belong here ten years ago, and nothing had really changed.

I guessed maybe I should say something, but my tongue seemed to stick to the roof of my mouth. Or maybe it was the two shades of color Julia lost just a few seats away from me. I knew she was thinking, Oh my God, my party is going to be ruined by a scene. I didn’t even know her, but I couldn’t do that to her. It wasn’t her fault Garret was obtuse. And that was putting it nicely.

So, instead I reached for my water glass and took a sip, counting to ten in my head. The conversation had stopped for a few seconds for the rest of the table’s occupants, but when they realized I wasn’t going to strangle Garret, the chatter picked up again.