The Passion Pact

Chapter Thirteen

Talia became a recluse.

Okay, that was an exaggeration. She was busy with work, hadn't been sleeping much, her stomach hadn't settled and she didn't feel like pinning on a smile and being the life and soul of the party until it did. No big deal. It wouldn't be the first time she'd disappeared. 

Her friends wouldn't have a problem with it. Though, she suspected they might be a smidge miffed she hadn't answered any of their calls or messages. Not that there were many. Which, to be honest, rankled a tad.

The notion of a lifelong love affair with herself was becoming more appealing by the day. She was self-sufficient and financially stable, liked her own company, could be fucking hilarious when drunk. What wasn't to love? She could live her life whatever way she pleased. And when she was ready to paint the town again, her friends should be up for another cocktail night at the drop of a hat. 

In fact, one of those was probably overdue.

Okay, fine. The silence was getting to her.

Since all it took was a single glance at a glass of wine to make her stomach bubble, she withdrew a bottle of still water from the fridge before flopping down on the sofa with her phone to remind the rest of the crew she was still alive.

"A & M Designs, Avery Buchanan speaking, how may I -"

"Do you ever check the screen of your phone before you answer it?"

"You called my work number. I never check the screen on it."

"I called you on your work number because you're always at work. Seriously, you need to get a life. I've mentioned that a time or two."

"I have a life. Lately it's been interrupting my work quite a bit. Hence the need to catch up..."

Talia wrinkled her nose with distaste. She hated when Avery used that tone. It was like she was trying to explain a simple concept to a very small child who couldn't talk yet.

Snuggling down deeper into the cushions, she pulled the neck of the hoodie she was wearing up over her chin. It was a well-worn item of clothing she adopted when Aaron left it behind after a rare sleepover at her place and it still had a feint hint of his aftershave. 

Funny how that didn't make her feel nauseous when everything else seemed to these days.

"On that subject," she continued, "How about interrupting it some more on Friday night? Girls' night out on the town to celebrate my newfound freedom..."

There was a brief pause. "You signed the papers?"

"Yup, done and dusted and in the hands of my attorney. Just waiting on the decree. We can have a party when it arrives."

"How did Aaron take it?"

"He'll survive. And I'm fine, thanks for asking."

Avery sighed. "Of course, you're fine. You knew this was coming. I doubt very much Aaron did. He was crazy about you. And he put up with a lot."

Oh, good, another lecture. "You were the ones who wanted me to cut him loose."

"Because it wasn't fair to keep stringing him along," Avery countered with a hint of what could almost have been mistaken for irritation.

"I wasn't stringing him along," Talia argued. "It's not my fault he convinced himself it was something it wasn't."

"He's a good man. They're not easy to find. I just hope you don't regret this one day."

Please. If she regretted anything, it was telling her friends she got married in the first place. Not that it was easy to miss the ring. She wondered if Aaron would keep it for his next bride, then swiftly dismissed the idea. He wouldn't do anything that crass. Avery was right. He was a good guy. She wondered if he'd opened his eyes and had sex with Mickey yet...