Page 203 of The Havenport Collection

We settled into watching the fire, the new intimacy between us fresh and fragile.

Things were making a lot more sense now.

I can see why she would have disliked my behavior so much if she thought I had come from privilege and wealth.

My spending and donating around town was probably seen as insulting to her.

I changed the subject, desperate not to disrupt the delicate truce we were forging.

“Speaking of dating, what’s up with you? No dates tonight?” I tried to make it sound casual, but I was desperate to know if there was a guy in her life.

She shrugged. “I’m just choosing to be celibate.”

I almost choked on my whiskey. “What?”

“I gave up men. Haven’t dated since last summer. Just gave up.”

“Why?”

She turned and glared at me. “Have you met your species?”

“Fair point. That’s it then? No sex at all?”

She blushed slightly, and it looked adorable in the firelight. “Only gave it up with men. I would never give up my vibrators.”

My head snapped around. “Vibrators? Plural?”

She threw her head back and laughed. “Silly man. You think we girls only have one? Bitch, please! I have an arsenal that can do anything I need. Men think we need them; the sad truth is that I have battery operated devices that can do the work of ten men.”

I stared, open-mouthed, my brain trying desperately to process this information.

“And,” she said, popping a marshmallow in her mouth, “they treat me with respect and never talk back.”

I regained my power of speech and leaned in close to her. “I think you like a little back talk, Nora.”

She blushed again and I loved it, watching the pink creep up her creamy white skin. Even in the freezing cold she was gorgeous.

“So cut the bullshit and tell me what really happened, Nora. Who hurt you?”

She glared at me and burrowed into her winter coat. “If you must know, his name is Chip.”

“Sorry.” I almost snorted whiskey out of my nose. “Chip? No grown-ass man is named Chip.”

“That’s his name. His real name is Charles, but he’s always been Chip.”

“So what happened with Chip?”

She rolled her eyes. “Give me that bottle again.” She took a huge gulp and then continued.

“He is from one of those old money Park Avenue families. Grew up with a silver spoon in his mouth, never really had to work at anything. We met in New York when I was finishing up school and dated for almost four years. He messed me up really badly.”

I balled my fists. “What did he do?”

She stared into the fire, looking sad, and I wanted to wrap my arms around her and promise I would murder this Chip asshole if it made her smile. But I sat and waited.

“He was—fuck, I can’t believe I’m admitting this out loud—verbally abusive.

Always putting me down and undermining me.

Picking on me, telling me I wasn’t good enough for someone like him, and making me feel shitty.

He claimed to love me but never introduced me to his friends or family.

Nothing I ever did was good enough, and at the time, I thought I was the problem. Not him.”

“Nora, I am so sorry.”

“Don’t apologize. I was a doormat.”

“But no one deserves to be treated like that.”

“I know. But I really believed I did. I thought we would get married if I could just be better. He was always criticizing me. I was too loud. Too boisterous. He always seemed embarrassed of me. So I tried…I tried to shrink myself, but I didn’t fit.”

I felt sick to my stomach. “I want to punch this fucker. Tell me you punched him.”

“No. Sadly, I did not. But this is a familiar story with me. I’m too much. Always have been. Always will be. I’m not interested in changing who I am, because I’ve finally realized that who I am is awesome. And I terrify men. I’m good with that.”

“Stop it right there. You do not terrify all men.”

“Oh please, you’ve been scared of me for years.”

“I’m terrified of how attracted I am to you. That is a fact. But you as a person? If I was truly scared, would I invite you over? Would I go out of my way to hang out with you all the time?”

Nora’s eyes widened, and she immediately turned to stare at the fire. I had gone too far; I had revealed too much. But I wanted her to know. To know how spectacular she was.

“I wish I could tell you I smartened up and dumped him. But he left me. For some tiny, boring society type his parents set him up with. He was fucking me and dating her behind my back. And then he dumped me when they decided to “get serious.” I had assumed he and I had been serious for four years. They are married with kids now.”

“What’s his name?” I growled. “What does he do?”

“Chip Worthington. And I think he’s CEO of GreenerGrass Wealth, the financial services company.”

“Sweet. I’ll buy GreenerGrass and fire his ass.”

She giggled and my heart soared. “Stop it, Luke. That’s not necessary.”

“At least you’re rid of him now.”

“Not exactly. He’s reached out a few times. When he’s in Boston for work. Sends me flirty texts. I had to block him. I’m not interested in helping him cheat on his wife.”

I whipped off my gloves and immediately dug out my phone.

“What are you doing?” she asked, leaning over my chair.

“Texting Astrid.”

“Why?”

“To let her know we’re buying a new company.”

“Oh Jesus, Luke. Did she tell you to stop it and leave her alone?”

“Nope. Look.”

I held up the phone to show her Astrid’s reply which read, “Yippie Ki Yay, Motherfucker.”

“She loves Die Hard ,” I said. “And come on, Astrid is your friend. You know how much she would love to revenge purchase this company and sell it for parts.”

Nora nodded. “It would be like foreplay for her.”

“I don’t think I’ll fire him…” I mused. “I’ll demote him. That is way more humiliating.”

“You are being ridiculous. Do you think throwing money around is going to impress me?”

I took a big gulp of whiskey and stared at her beautiful face in the firelight. “Of course not. Nothing I do impresses you, Nora. I’ve made peace with that fact.”