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‘That’s not…’ His eyes burn with intensity, but I can’t read them. I can’t read him. But I can read a contract.
‘Mr Farrier,’ I call out, my voice as broken as I feel.
The lawyer scrambles in.
Eyes on Thomas, I ask, ‘Is my compensation residence move-in ready?’ From the corner of my eye I see him glance at Thomas.
Not breaking eye contact, Thomas gives a small slow nod. His face inscrutable.
‘Uh, yes. It’s a lovely fully furnished, two-bedroom in Greenwich.’
‘I'd like to move in today please.’
26
THOMAS
‘Hello, Thomas.’
‘Jesus.’ I’m scared back a step when I’m greeted by my mother, calling out from the kitchen under the pendant light over the island.
Shrugging out of my overcoat, I drape it over the banister, a sign of my exhaustion, before joining my mother in the kitchen. ‘I thought you had a date.’
‘Who wants to go on a date when their son has managed to make a complete cluster-fuck of their life?’
Vulgarity out of Emily Elizabeth Moore’s mouth would pull anyone up short. I pause reaching for a high ball glass. ‘I take it you talked to Alice.’
‘Yes.’ She takes a sip of her wine.
I grab a bottle of Scotch from the liquor cabinet. ‘She made her choice.’
‘Oh?’ She scrutinizes me over the rim of her glass.
I pour more than I should, and drink almost all of it. ‘I don’t even know how this all started.’
‘With you following her around the store like a lost puppy?’
I cough on my next sip. ‘What?’
She tilts her head, considering. ‘Maybe not a puppy. You’re too old for that. Perhaps circling her like a vulture is better.’
‘Jesus, no.’ Ignoring the rare burn of embarrassment for having been so obvious about my interest in Alice, I pour more Scotch in my glass. ‘I meant the marriage. For all we know Alice and I are married, but the paperwork is under a bed somewhere.’
She stares at me, as if only just realizing something. ‘You really didn’t know?’
I frown at my mother’s amused tone. ‘Know what?’
‘Liz put those rings on you as a joke.’
I glance at the amber liquid, wondering exactly how much I’ve had.
‘I honestly thought you knew.’ She lifts her glass, then puts it back down. ‘I mean, after this afternoon when Alice came back and moved out, I realized she didn’t know, but when she mentioned the contract I thought you did.’
‘I’m going to need you to explain.’ I take another deep swallow.
My tone has Mother releasing her glass to adjust her diamond bracelets. ‘Well, don’t get mad. I’m sure there’s an explanation to why she didn’t tell you.’
‘Mother.’
