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“So, what did you want to share with me?” I asked when we had been seated.
“First, let me say that there’s nothing wrong with two consenting adults having a drink and a dance together. It’s all innocent and strictly casual.”
“You know that’s not true, Casimir.”
“It’s not innocent? What? Were you planning to take advantage of me in my weakened state?” he asked.
The smirk on his lips and the gleam evident in his eyes showed that he was clearly teasing me.
“What did you want to tell me?” I asked, redirecting the conversation before I continued down the path that would undoubtedly lead me into a train wreck.
Casimir lowered his gaze from mine and wiped water droplets from his glass.
“First, you’re no longer my therapist. You were fired, so there’s no concerns there.”
“I guess, but I’m not about to argue that with you, Casimir. Now, what did you want to tell me?” I repeated.
“I filed for divorce the day after we left your office.”
I blinked rapidly and stared at him in disbelief. My heart pounded loudly in my chest. So loud that it competed with the thump of the music.
It took several seconds before I could gather my thoughts, but when I did, I tamped down the excitement blossoming in my chest.
“Well, I don’t know if I would say that congratulations are in order. I don’t generally celebrate the ending of someone’s marriage, but if this makes you happy, then I guess I would say ‘best wishes.’”
He smiled and stared at me for several long seconds until I found myself squirming in my seat. His gaze was penetrating, and the heat that flared from his eyes burned me in parts that I didn’t want to think about.
“Thank you.”
“How did she take it?”
He sighed and then lowered his gaze.
“As you might expect that she would. She thought that I was joking at first, then she was disbelieving, and that morphed into outrage, and finally, she became the victim and had a complete meltdown. She blamed everyone in the world, from my parents to my best friend to me to the neighbor across the street.”
“I’m sure that I was thrown in there then.”
He laughed. “Yeah, you were definitely the source of a major portion of Beth’s rant. She wanted to contest the divorce, but thankfully, her father talked some sense into her. As much as he didn’t want us to divorce, he knew that contesting it would cause a bigger scandal. He didn’t need that attention right now.”
“I’m sorry that I couldn’t help you all.”
“Don’t be,” he stated before he reached across the table and grabbed my hands.
His fingers were warm and smooth but firm and rough at the same time. The comfort that I felt holding his hand and the warm energy flowing between us made me uncomfortable. I pulled my hand back.
Casimir changed the subject briefly and talked about his family, the things he wanted to do, and a business he had been working on behind the scenes that he hadn’t shared with anyone. He even stated how he had been working toward divorce long before they met me.
I saw a different side of Casimir, one I suspected existed but was uncertain. Gone was the somber man fighting for control of his life back, but in his place was a carefree soul who was enjoying life in the moment. He shared his love of swimming and playing basketball and how much he hated golf but played anyway to appease his father-in-law. I enticed him to give the more adventurous sports that I loved a try.
“White water rafting and rock climbing?” he asked in an incredulous tone.
Nursing my drink and trying to push the flirtatious manner I had adopted out of my tone, I smiled. “Mm-hmm. A girl has to live, you know. It’s not always logic, theory, and healing with me. Or at least not in the way you’re used to.”
I grew subdued as I thought about Elijah and how we enjoyed so many activities together.
Picking up on it, Casimir grabbed my hand, pushed the drink away, and said, “Come on.”
“Where’re we going?” I asked and followed him.