Page 56 of All Bets are Off

We’re silent on the short drive. When we arrive at the restaurant and put in our orders, though, I look Anna squarely in the face. “What’s this about?”

She’s a pretty girl, with dark blond hair and hazel eyes that look dark blue with the navy blouse she’s wearing. A delicate gold necklace rests against her tanned skin.

“I know we’ve only met a few times. I just really wanted to discuss something with you,” she says.

“And it’s about West?” I ask.

“His concern for your mother is really wearing on him.”

“Did he say that?”

She meets my gaze, and I can immediately see she’s still in love with him. It hasn’t passed my notice that she’s been there every time we visit my mother, and even though West hasn’t encouraged her, I feel sure she wants him back. So, I just wait for her to say what she has to say.

“West thinks he’s in love with you. I think he’s confused.”

Well, that was blunt.

“How is it any of your business?” I ask. I remind myself Anna thinks West and I have been lovers for two years. How can she question us if we’ve lasted this long?

“I don’t doubt you and West are close. But he and I had a perfect relationship.”

“No relationship’s perfect.”

Anna’s cheeks color. “You know what I mean. We had fun, and he got along with all my friends. In bed we made fireworks.”

I manage to keep my expression neutral, but it’s difficult. I watch as she bites her lower lip and lets it go before continuing.

“I was blindsided when he broke things off, or I would have fought for him. The breakup came out of nowhere, and when he told me he was in love with a man, I simply couldn’t believe it. Later, when I had time to think about it, it didn’t take too much for me to conclude that man was you. Only, I’ve never believed it was really love.”

“Fortunately, or relationship isn’t centered around whether you believe in it or not,” I say. Part of me wants to tell her how West made up the whole thing back then just to get away from her, but I don’t particularly want to hurt her. She’s young and, despite what she thinks, she doesn’t understand West. When they dated, he was in it purely to have fun. The sex probably was good, but only because West was flattered to be with a college girl. I have no doubt Anna thought it was a whole lot more.

“You want a second chance with him,” I say. “You think you’re still in love with him. Is that why you suddenly moved here? You did your research, didn’t you? Found out who he’s working for and where.”

“ThinkI love him?” Her eyes widen. “Would I dothisif I wasn’t sure?” She pulls down her blouse, revealing a tattoo on her right breast. It’s a compass with a heart where thewforwestshould be.

I fight the laugh that tries to bubble up my throat. It’s so dramatic, and so damned ridiculous. I can just imagine West’s reaction if I were to come to him with something like that on my body.

“They say you can have those removed,” I offer.

Anna’s face flushes with anger. “I don’t want to have it removed. I’m in love with West, and I know that he loves me, too. He’snotgay. It’s crazy to think he is. If you knew some of the things we’ve done—”

“Have you ever heard of bisexuality?” I interrupt, a hard edge creeping into my voice. She’s beginning to piss me off. “Come on, Anna. You can’t force West to be in love with you when he isn’t.”

We’re interrupted by the waitress, who sets our food in front of us and quickly disappears, probably sensing the tension in the air. I bite into an egg roll while Anna continues to talk.

“You’re so involved with your mother’s condition, do you even see how you’re dragging him down with it? It’s pity he’s feeling for you, not love. If you could take a step back, you’d see—”

“That’s enough,” I interrupt her, dropping the egg roll and standing. Digging money out of my wallet, I toss it onto the table. “Lunch and a cab ride are on me. I suggest you take that step back yourself and realize you’re fighting for a fantasy.” Taking a couple of steps toward the exit, I remember the note in the mailbox and turn back to her. “And stay away from our place of business, or I’ll involve the police.”

I stride out of the restaurant into the bright sunshine, my body thrumming with anger and my hands clenched into tight fists at my sides. I’m surprised I let her get to me like that, but she went too far bringing my mother’s condition into this little love triangle she’s concocted.

On the drive back to the assisted living facility, I work hard to clear my mind of Anna so I can be calm when I visit my mother. When I reach her door, though, the nurse tells me my mother’s still asleep, so I head home to the pile of paperwork awaiting me.

I’ve been at it for a while when someone knocks on the office door. Looking up, I smile when I see Dex.

“Hey. What’s up?” I ask him.

He seems nervous.

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