Page 120 of Last Fall

He pulled his gaze away from me and swept it up Mariah. She bristled as if she also felt the cold that surrounded him. “Just an orange juice to start. It’s entirely too early foralcohol.”

“Says you,” the man across the aisle mumbled into his now empty glass. “I’ll have another whenever you get a chance.Norush.”

I wanted to give that man a thumbs-up just for disagreeing with Tony but I didn’t dare invite any more attention than I was alreadyinfor.

“And you, Zoe. Ready for anotherchampagne?”

“Oh no. I’ve barely started the first.” I blurted out, realizing that on top of terror, I was also frantically grasping at how to behave around Tony. Old instincts to behave a certain way kicked in like hearing a song from high school and instantly feeling seventeenagain.

Mariah shot me a funny look before she moved off to make Tony’s orange juice. Maybe she could see my fear. I hoped she could. I didn’t want to be so good at masking how Tony made me feel that anyone thought our relationship was normal everagain.

Five years of my life wasted with this man. So many more could have been wasted if I’d stayed. I could still be there with him in Houston. I might be his wife by now. No life outside of his. No freedom.Nowill.

No books in my name. Nomovie.

A little rush of courage filled my chest thinking of who I’d become since leaving him. Making that choice, taking control of my life, had been the smartest thing I’deverdone.

“Headed to LA?” heasked.

“Obviously,” Ishotback.

I took a second to really look at him now that I wasn’t in shock. He was impeccably dressed, as always. Expensive blue pinstripe suit, black Italian loafers, Breitling watch. His chiseled jaw was cleanly shaven, showing off the cleft in his chin. His perfect head of dark hair was now shot through with a few streaks of gray. The perfect kind. At thetemples.

Everything about Tony was alwaysperfect.

Except for the all the darkness he hidinside.

“How’s life inTampa?”

That question gave me pause. It was so certain. As if heknewI lived in Tampa. Being on a flight out of the airport didn’t guarantee I lived there. I could be visiting, or on a connecting flight. What made him so certain Ilivedhere?

Had he checked uponme?

I didn’t want to give him any more information than necessary so instead of answering I asked my own question. “How’s life inHouston?”

“Not much haschanged.”

There was something...suggestive...about that reply. As if he was a breath away from adding,It’s all right where you left it, waiting for you tocomehome.

The need to lose my breakfast struck meagain.

Mariah arrived with his orange juice just as the plane began its jostling trip to the runway. “Do either of you need anything else? I’ll be back around aftertakeoff.”

I could use one escape plan, please.“No thank you,” I mumbledinstead.

How much could I simply ignore him? We were on a plane. How much trouble could he possibly make if I put on my headphones andignoredhim?

Not much. Not if he wanted to avoidscandal.

It was as if he could sense my plans because the bastard actually reached out andtouched my leg.“Imissyou.”

I picked up his hand and deposited back on his side of the seat. “I don’t missyou,Tony.”

“You didn’t even say goodbye. Youjustleft.”

“I left a note.” One paragraph saying I would no longer be abused and to never follow me. Oh, and I left his ring with the note. “I felt a clean break would be easier on bothofus.”

He snorted. “You always were selfish. It was easier onyou.It was cowardly to abandon me like that. Do you realize the position you put me? How many people I had to explain your suddendisappearanceto?”

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