Page 24

“You said ‘can’t,’ ” Vera points out.

Nate nods. “Not ‘won’t.’ ”

“Won’t,” I correct. “Itwon’thappen again.”

My friends both stare at me in what I can only describe as pity, like I’m a foregone conclusion. I glare at both of them.

“Itwon’t,” I stress.

“Right,” Vera says.

“Sure,” Nate offers.

I shake my head. “I hate you both.”

“Yeah, but you hate Ezra too,” Nate says lightly, “and you let him bend you into a—”

“Donotfinish that sentence.”

Vera pats my shoulder. “I have faith in you. Mostly.”

“Lovely,” I mutter.

Vera and Nate start arguing about something or other that I can’t help but tune out, slurping down a big portion of my drink and hoping a buzz will help loosen the tension in my shoulders. I know that today was just a preview of what will probably be a long and exasperating trial should it come to that, just like I know that my friends are right, that I need to shove Ezra into a “strictly professional” compartment of my brain and leave him there. My mind is completely on board with this plan. It’s practically nodding in agreement, applauding this logical decision.

But unfortunately…logic never really seems to have anything to do with my decisions in regard to Ezra Hart.

Six

Dani

Typically, there aretwo ways a mediation meeting can go. One, the couple remains amicable, having a predetermined plan for how to divide their assets and cordially move through the motions of doing that; or two, chaos ensues. I have seen women chuck vases at their cheating husbands. I have watched men devolve into toddlers, copying everything their wives say just to annoy them.

Sitting in the largest conference room here at our firm, I have no idea how this one is going to play out.

Mr. Casiraghi is exactly what I expected him to be. He exudes power; his suit probably cost more than my entire wardrobe, and his white hair is slicked back and combed over to hide the way it thins at the top. He hasn’t said a word since he arrived with both EzraandEli Hart ten minutes ago, and as much as Bianca and I prepared for this meeting, I have to admit that Ezra’s firm sending both brothers has me on edge. Especially since Eli rarely handles divorce cases, from what I’ve gleaned from the papers.

Bianca doesn’t seem to be suffering any of my reservations. Her shoulders are squared and her spine is straight, and she hasn’t taken her eyes off her soon-to-be-ex-husband in the entire time they’ve been in the same room. Her stare is confident and determined, everything about her showing no fear of what lies before her. God, I want to be her when I grow up.

My thoughts inevitably wander to my parents, as they often do during these proceedings. How easy had it been for them to divide everything up? How simple had it been to take my entire life and turn it on its head?

We did this for you.

“So,” the mediator starts, tearing me out of the past, thankfully. “I think we’re all here if we want to begin.”

I shoot a glance at Eli, who is watching all of us from down his nose. “I wasn’t informed you would be bringing cocounsel.”

“It was…” Ezra clears his throat, frowning. “It was a last-minute decision.”

Eli’s eyes narrow slightly, not enough for him to appear outwardly rude, but enough to make me want to flip him the bird all the same. “Do you have some issue with my being here, Ms. Pierce?”

“No issue,” I say as placidly as I can manage. “I just like to be kept informed.”

“Well,” Eli says with a smile that doesn’t meet his eyes. “Consider yourself informed.”

Wow, fuck this guy.

I catch Ezra’s nostrils flaring slightly, his mouth in a tight line before he says, “We’re ready to proceed if you and your client are, Dani.”