Page 99 of Ruin

There are a ton of people here. People I knew from high school, a few from college, some from the neighborhood, a few people I worked with at the law center. My parents invited a lot of their friends and colleagues as well, but I’m relieved to see that not a single person from the Demonio family is here. Except for one.

“So is it a vodka tonic night or a water night?”

I turn toward the voice behind me and see Antoniostanding there in jeans and a V neck t-shirt that hugs his muscular chest and biceps. He grins and holds two cups out to me. I laugh and shake my glass at him. “I’m good, thanks.”

“Are you sure?”

“Unless you have a bottle of Albarino handy,” I say slyly as I turn to look back at the crowd, then side eye him. When I see him eyeing me critically, I laugh, and he joins me.

His cologne smells familiar and friendly. “I was this close to going to find one for you,” he jokes.

“I know you were,” I laugh. “Oh God, give me one of those. I can’t let you stand there with two glasses. Which one is the alcohol?”

“Guess,” he says, holding them behind his back.

“Mmmm…” I tap my chin thoughtfully then tap his right shoulder. He hands me the glass, and I take a sip, then screw up my face. “Ugh, fail. This one’s water.”

Antonio shakes his head at me, grinning, and replaces the water with the vodka tonic. “Here you go, Gigi. Just don’t go getting me in trouble with your boyfriend. I’m not trying to get jumped tonight.”

My laugh sounds hollow even to me, but I keep the fake smile plastered in place when Antonio narrows his eyes at me. He opens his mouth to speak but stops.

“What?” I ask.

“You okay?” he asks, taking a sip of the water.

I nod, a lump in my throat, and turn back toward the crowd, taking a big gulp of the vodka tonic. “Always,” I say and turn back to him, trying to make sure my eyes don’t negate the fake smile.

“Ah. Don’t want to talk about it. That’s fair.” He’s quiet a minute. “So I hear you’re going to grad school. NYU, right?”

I nod. “That’s right.”

“You still on the Upper West Side? That commute must be a bitch.”

I nod again. “It…was.”

He keeps his gaze out toward the crowd, but takes another swallow of his drink thoughtfully. “Was.”

“Yes, I…” I take another drink. I haven’t talked about the breakup with anyone other than Lexi and my mom. “I moved back to the Bleeker Street apartment I had my freshman year.”

“That’s cool. You guys going to sell the place you’re in now?”

I shrug. “You’ll have to ask Tommy about that. I don’t know what he’s going to do. It’s his place, and he still needs somewhere to live.”

I don’t like to think about what he’s doing, why he’s not calling me or texting. The idea of him staying in our house, of having other women in our bed makes me want to vomit, but I keep sipping that God damn drink like it’s my life line.

“So you moved back to Bleeker Street…alone.” He says it like he’s thinking out loud. I don’t comment further, and he nods, swirling the ice in his glass. “I figured you guys had found your way back to each other by now.”

I don’t respond. Tommy would have to stop being so…Tommy for that to happen. And he’d actually have to reach out and try to talk to me.

Antonio’s phone buzzes and he looks at it and frowns, then glances over at me.

When I don’t say anything, he tips the lip of my cup to look inside and sees that it’s empty. “Want another one?”

“No, I’m good, I think,” I say turning to him, my smile alittle less fake this time. I’m grateful he’s not trying to make me talk about it. “Thank you.”

“Okay. I’m about to head out. Duty calls.”

I roll my eyes. “Always.”