She had another pot boiling and I saw the packet of pasta on the counter.

I entered the room, alerting her to my presence, and she spun around with a smile. “You know I was just thinking, I don’t have a clue what you like or don’t like. I’m assuming you love pasta. I love it.”

“I like pasta,” I said, taking a seat, being careful not to pull the stitches. Tonight would hurt like a motherfucker, but tomorrow, I’d have no choice but to go back out there.

Aurora winced as she watched me. “Do you need to talk about it?”

“No.”

“Oh, well, Cara called a couple of hours ago,” she said.

I tensed up. “She did?”

“Yeah, she wanted to go out to lunch. At first, she said you wouldn’t mind, but then I recalled what you said about me going out or being alone with her again.” Aurora turned toward me. “Lunch would be safe, right?”

“Why do you want to go to lunch with her?”

She shrugged but her face went bright red. That was not the sign of a woman who didn’t know why she didn’t want to go.

“I just, I like her, and I think she’s nice.”

“Cara’s not nice,” I said. I didn’t want my wife going to lunch with Cara.

“Oh, fine.”

“Why didn’t it work out with that other woman?” I clicked my fingers, trying to figure out who she was.

“Bethany?”

“That’s her. I can talk to her. Andrei is visiting. I’m sure Bethany would love to have lunch with you.”

“No thank you.”

The smile on her lips faded. “Why not? Weren’t you constantly going out with each other? Having dinner dates?”

“It didn’t work out, and I don’t want to talk about it. I’ll let Cara know I can’t go.”

I didn’t like how she instantly closed off from me. There was something going on and I wasn’t sure what.

Glaring at her back, I locked my fingers together and waited.

She drained the pasta and served me some food before finally showing me attention.

“Where do you want to eat?” she asked.

“Dinner table, and you will join me.”

I got to my feet, spun on my heel, and went to the table, taking my seat at the head.

Aurora put my food in front of me and I ordered her to sit.

“Is there anything you want? Wine? Beer? Vodka?”

She’d never offered me vodka, and it made me smile.

“Sit.”

She lowered her ass into the seat and her gaze was averted from mine.

I picked up my fork, speared a piece of pasta, and put it in my mouth. An explosion of flavor hit my tongue. There was tomato and a hint of spice that made my mouth water for more. I took a couple more mouthfuls. “This is really good.”

She relaxed a little.

“What happened between you and Bethany?” I didn’t care. I kept on telling myself I didn’t care about the petty squabbles of women, but something gnawed at me. Something I was clearly missing about what went down, and I didn’t like not knowing.