The Almost Wives Club: Kate Read Online Free Page A

as though a damn were about to burst. “Today, I signed a prenup. I am going into a marriage with a contract already signed setting out what my rights are in the event of divorce, what my children can expect.” She sucked in a breath finding she’d suddenly run out of air. “And only a few weeks before my wedding, my fiancé dumps me at dinner because he’s called into work. If that’s how he treats me now, what will my life be like in a few years?”
    Nick didn’t say a word. He simply watched her. He didn’t appear particularly sympathetic, but she felt she had his full attention. She was so shocked at her own words that she clamped her lips shut, wishing she could call her rash sentences back. The world didn’t stop. The dinner chatter, the discreet scrape of cutlery on china, the hushed progress of waiters across the room, all of it continued. “I shouldn’t have said those things,” she murmured.
    “Why not? They’re true.”
    “Because I also believe in loyalty.”
    A waiter hovered. Her companion glanced at her. “Do you want more wine?”
    She shook her head, shocked to find the bottle empty. As was her salad plate. She’d eaten more tonight than she had in days. Strangely, the burning in her stomach had stopped. It was as though this guy who pushed his way into her evening and asked her impertinent questions had taken her mind off her stress.
    The waiter offered, “Coffee? Tea?” as he dropped off dessert menus.
    “I would like coffee,” Nick said. He glanced up. “Will you join me?”
    If he’d tried to ply her with more booze or manipulated her into staying for coffee, she’d have left, but the way he presented her with the option of staying or going made her decide to stay. She needed to explain that her foolish statements about her wedding dress and, even worse, her groom, were the products of pre-wedding jitters.
    “Herbal tea,” she said. “Ginger if you have it.” Ginger was supposed to be good for the stomach.
    “Ginger lemon?”
    “Fine.”
    “Dessert?” Nick asked.
    “I never eat dessert.”
    He made a movement with his mouth that looked like a grin hastily suppressed. What? So she never ate dessert. Did that make her seem repressed or something? Too rigid? Well, too bad.
    The waiter disappeared and the man across the table gazed at her once more with his full attention. His eyes were an interesting shade. Gray with green flecks scattered in them. She knew the term was hazel, but the color reminded her of the ocean in winter. “Why don’t you buy another dress?”
    She pushed her engagement ring around her finger, then caught herself and stopped. “A wedding dress is not a pair of socks.” She imagined for a moment the shock and fury and criticism if she even tried and shuddered. “I was lucky that the designer even condescended to design my dress. She’s very hard to get.” Then she sighed. “You don’t understand.”
    “Okay. Then why don’t you talk to your guy?”
    “My guy?” Her dress designer was a woman.
    “Your fiancé. Maybe you should tell him how you feel.”
    She rolled her ring all the way around her finger. The large diamond bumped her middle finger, stretching the space so she could be doing the Vulcan salute. “I never should have told you how I feel. I don’t know what came over me. Really, I’m suffering from pre-wedding nerves.”
    There was something honest about his face. And he looked at her as though he was sorry for her. “If I ever get married I hope I’ll be happy about it. At least, three weeks before the ceremony.”
    Once more their gazes connected. She felt an attraction to this man that was so strong it made her drop her gaze to the table. At that moment, the waiter set her tea in front of her. She took a hasty sip. Put the cup down. What was she doing?
    She rose suddenly. “I’m sorry, I really need to get going.” And, because she was always polite, she added, “Thank you for an interesting discussion.” And then she