He took his wife’s hands. “I have no intention of leaving you,” he said adamantly. “You and Violet are my life.”

“I know our marriage hasn’t been . . . complete,” she said. “Since I got sick, since the medication . . . I haven’t felt very sexual.”

“It’s okay.” He gathered his wife in his arms. “You’re all I need, Celeste. You and our daughter.”

“Thank you,” she murmured into his shoulder, and he felt her tears of love and gratitude wet his collar. After a moment, she pulled away and wiped her eyes. “What did you want to talk about?”

“I was worried about you,” he said quickly. “I thought you seemed tense.”

“I knew I couldn’t hide this from you. You know me so well.”

He reached for her hands, took them in his. “Violet will be okay, Celeste. I’ll take care of you both.”

She smiled, her eyes still shiny with emotion, and collapsed back onto his chest. He kissed her hair and stroked her back. She needed him now. She really needed him. It was what he’d wanted all along.

32

The Necklace

By the time Nat met Gabe for lunch on Monday, she’d largely recovered from the trauma of Tag a Sugar Baby. While she’d wanted to spend the weekend with her lover, his absence had given her time to process and handle the situation. She’d smoothed things over with a call to her mom, who hadn’t really understood the concept of the mean-spirited page anyway. And she’d convinced herself that people her age had short memories. By the time she started third year, everyone would have forgotten. And if they hadn’t . . . ?

It was on a solo walk on the High Line that she’d realized her options. She could drop out of school. Her relationship with Gabe hadn’t diluted her passion for art, but it had dampened her enthusiasm for higher education. It felt traditional and confining. With Gabe’s support, she could rent a warehouse space and explore art on her own terms. She had two years of lessons under her belt, a solid foundation upon which to develop her skills, to hone her artistic viewpoint, find her signature style. Becoming a children’s book illustrator suddenly seemed pedestrian, evidence of her cautious, small-town thinking. She could envision herself as a legitimate artist now, with gallery showings, selling pieces to collectors and celebrities. With Gabe’s money and connections, she could thrive as an artist.

They were now seated in a bustling Italian restaurant not far from Gabe’s office. He’d been so eager to see her that he’d suggested they meet for lunch, couldn’t even wait for their standing dinner date. Happily, she’d agreed. When she’d arrived at the busy eatery, dressed in a formfitting shift dress and wedge heels, he’d planted a chaste kiss on her cheek. He probably had colleagues, even clients in the restaurant. She knew enough to play it cool.

Gabe looked handsome but a little tired as they ordered. He got the pasta with clams. She, the cannelloni. He ordered them a bottle of white wine, even though it was the middle of the day. But the reunion felt celebratory, in a way. Nat’s school was finished. Violet would be graduating in a month. It felt like they were poised on the precipice of a new chapter.