I was used to that from our marriage. However, there was a high likelihood that many of those consultations running long were times he was fucking nurses.

I said nothing.

The waitress came with waters and Conrad ordered a coffee.

Before she went away, Conrad looked at me and stated, “You’ve been here before. Do you know what you want? Because I do.”

He wanted this to go fast.

I was in agreement.

I turned and ordered immediately, “Lobster and steak Oscar. Steak, medium rare. Salad rather than potatoes. But I’d like the roll.”

Her eyes got a little big because that was a lot for lunch but I just smiled because it was the most expensive thing on the menu.

“For you?” she asked Conrad.

“The lobster chowder. Bowl. Salad. No roll,” Conrad ordered.

Still healthy.

Quite boring.

Mine sounded tons better.

She slid away and Conrad looked to me. “You look well.”

God, he was going to try to be polite.

But I knew I looked well.

I looked better than that.

I looked amazing.

Alyssa still did my hair and it still looked marvelous. I got weekly manicures and bi-monthly pedicures. And right then I was wearing gray cords that had a silvery sheen, spike-heeled Jimmy Choo ankle booties with ink-blue suede at the front and black leather at the heel and a black loose-fitting cashmere sweater with a deep V that showed a hint of cleavage that I’d cinched at my waist with a magnificent draping belt.

He couldn’t see my bottom half, of course, but it didn’t matter. I knew it was there. I knew it was fabulous. And I knew he’d fucked up letting go of all the magnificence of me.

Even if he never understood that, which, frankly if he didn’t was even worse for him.

I didn’t return the compliment.

“I’m sure you don’t have a lot of time so perhaps we can begin?” I suggested.

“I had my secretary clear a few afternoon appointments,” he told me.

Perhaps he didn’t want this to go fast, which was surprising.

I still did.

“Okay then, I’ll say I don’t have a lot of time because Lawr is in town and I’d like to spend time with him while he is. So can we begin?”

His jaw went hard as he turned his head and looked out the window.

The waitress came with his coffee and he didn’t say thank you or even look her way.

I thanked her for him and was about to prompt him when his attention came back to me.

“I’ve thought about it and I’ve decided not to move to Austin.”

I was annoyed for me. Him in Texas would be a good thing.

I was happy for my kids. They’d get over being upset with him and they needed their dad close. They also needed lives where they weren’t getting on a plane and flying across country every three weeks.

“I think that’s the right decision,” I told him.