The Art of Three Read online

  “So I’m gathering you don’t want space,” Nerea said eventually. There was a tinge of reluctance to her voice, embarrassment maybe at giving up the fight, but Callum was happy to match her in detente.

  “No. Not at all,” he said, not caring how pathetic he sounded.

  “Are you done with Jamie already?” she asked cautiously.

  “He’s asleep in our bed right now. I’m up on the balcony,” Callum admitted. It was good policy to be honest. “But I miss you, Nerea. We never get to spend enough time together. If you’re going to come to London, stay with me.”

  “And Jamie?”

  “Is someone with his own apartment.” Callum may have been smitten, but he had to acknowledge Jamie was also someone with his own life to balance with whatever they were doing.

  “That’s not what I meant.”

  “I know.” She was too good at getting Callum to say things he didn’t feel ready to say yet. She always had been. “I like him enough I should probably figure out how to date him,” he said softly.

  “Really?” she asked.

  “Really. And on top of the already long list of things I would like, I would like you to meet him. And not while you’re hiding out at our daughter’s house.”

  “This is serious then.”

  “Maybe. Maybe not. Also, you’re driving Leigh mad.”

  Nerea, to his relief, laughed. “I suppose I should have expected that. It seemed like the perfect solution.”

  “Occasionally I come through with better ideas.”

  “Very occasionally.”

  “I do miss you,” Callum said. “And love you. Rather desperately.” Callum stood and leaned on the railing on the balcony though he hardly saw the traffic and bustle of London below; His thoughts were all with Nerea.

  “And I you. I’m sorry I misread the situation.”

  “And I’m sorry we’re both revisiting the fact than I was an arse about Antonio. Truly. But next time ask before you want to give me that much space, because I’ll always say no.”

  “Callum.”

  “It’s true.”

  “Point taken. How does my showing up in two weeks sound?”

  “It sounds perfect.”

  “Done. Now, tell me about Jamie,” Nerea said.

  “I thought you were going to make food?”

  “I can work and listen to you at the same time. And I like hearing about what makes you happy.”

  Callum could hear the smile in her voice. “Nerea, you’ll laugh, but I swear, you’re going to absolutely adore him.”

  Chapter 9 - Nerea gets yet another surprise

  “Dad mentioned you talked to Antonio?” Devon said as Nerea passed her a dish to dry.

  “Was that a question or a statement?” Nerea asked. Devon’s fiancé, Miguel was doing his level best not to be noticed as he busied himself carrying plates from table to sink to be washed. Nerea assumed he’d stop being intimidated by her eventually, but it didn’t seem likely to happen soon. He’d only gotten more twitchy around her since he and Devon had gotten engaged. It reminded her of how Callum had behaved around her own mother, thirty years ago.

  Devon sighed. “How’s he doing?”

  “Your father or Antonio?”

  “Antonio. Dad is fine, because he was feeling apologetic about Antonio again. Which doesn’t change the fact that he was a prick.”

  “Language,” Nerea admonished gently because it was her maternal duty. Weddings were emotional events, and small wonder that this one was reopening old wounds for so many people. Devon had been the most attached to Tonio of all the girls when they’d been little. She’d resented Callum’s absences and his returns the most, and she blamed her father, then and later, for being the disruptive force that removed Tonio from their lives. Leigh had always been Callum’s daughter and, like him, ready and eager to forgive any failure of attention or emotional outburst. Piper had been too young at the time to form any opinion.

  “Antonio’s well,” Nerea went on. “He’d like to see you, I’m sure, before the wedding. If you have time.”

  Devon nodded shortly. “I know. We already have plans to meet for coffee next week.”

  “Then why did you ask how he was?” Nerea handed her another clean dish.

  “It’s been a while since he and I have really talked, making plans for coffee aside. And because I wanted to see if you and he were okay.”

  Nerea wasn’t thrilled by all the back channel fretting going on over Tonio, but at least everyone was trying to be aware of the emotions involved.

  Once cleanup was done, they moved on to wedding logistics. They spread planning materials over the kitchen table. Nerea doodled out ideas for the invitation design while Devon and Miguel debated the merits of having the reception in the church hall versus at the house.

  Devon looked over at Nerea’s sketches and took a deep breath. “I need to tell you something.”

  Nerea was forty percent sure the next words out of Devon’s mouth were going to be I’m pregnant.

  What she actually said was, “I’d like to change what people call me.”

  Nerea had no response prepared for that. “Say again?”

  “Obviously the invitations need our full names,” Devon waved a hand at Nerea’s doodles. “But, Miguel calls me Margarita. His family calls me Margarita. I think I’d like for everyone to call me that from now on.”

  Nerea’s eyebrows hit her hairline. “Even our family?”

  “Yes. That’s why I’m telling you this.”

  Miguel looked like he’d rather dissolve through the floor than be present for the rest of this conversation. Nerea tried to gather her thoughts. This was hardly anything dire, but the hesitance in her daughter’s voice had made her uncomfortable. As she looked for more words, her mobile rang. She glanced at it: Callum and his eternally ridiculous timing. It could have felt ominous, but after their conversation the other night, him reaching out, for whatever reason, made her feel hopeful that he could bring a steady presence to this odd moment.

  “Hello darling,” she said as she picked up. “Guess what?”

  “I couldn’t possibly,” Callum said after a moment’s hesitation.

  “Our daughter wants to change her name.”

  “Oh.” A beat. “Which daughter?”

  “Devon.”

  “She’s getting married. Isn’t that what married people do?”

  “Not in Spain,” Nerea reminded him, as if he could have forgotten. It had caused a scandal with his family upon their own marriage. Nerea had never particularly grown more fond of them for it. “But no, not her last name. Her first name,” she clarified.

  “Oh. Why?”

  She pulled the mobile away from her ear and set it to speakerphone. “Tell your father why, Devon.”

  “I live a Spanish-speaking life, with a Spanish man, in Spain. It’s not complicated.” Devon spoke in slow, condescending English, half to Nerea, half to the mobile Nerea now set on the table between them. “And I’m not changing it. I’d just prefer if you called me Margarita from now on. It’s part of my name anyway, it’s not that big a deal.”

  “Are you changing your last name?” Callum asked, annoyed, in Spanish.

  As Devon stuck to English, Nerea marveled at the capacity of both her husband and her daughter to use their bilingualism in a passive-aggressive battle of wills. “We don’t do that here. You know that, and even if you didn’t, Mother just reminded you.”

  Callum merely said, “Huh.”

  “Was there something you needed?” Nerea prodded.

  “Ah, no, not particularly. But Jamie’s asleep, and I thought maybe you and I could...talk?” The flirtation in his voice was all too clear.

  Devon put her head in her hands and moaned. Miguel patted her on the shoulder. Nerea rolled her eyes at the two of them.

  “Callum,” Nerea said.

  “Yes?” Callum sounded so hopeful it was absurd.

  “You do know Devon — sorry, Margarita — and Migue
l are still sitting right here and that you are still on speakerphone, don’t you?”

  “Yes?”

  Nerea pushed herself up from the table with a laugh. “All right, I’m leaving the room and taking this call privately. And then you can tell me more about what you’ve done now. Efficiently. Because you’re interrupting wedding planning.”

  “Efficient is no fun. And I didn’t do anything,” Callum protested. “I mean, other than Jamie.”

  Nerea laughed. “First things first,” she said as she headed upstairs to their bedroom. “Are you calling because Leigh complained about me again, or because you want to gossip about your new toy, or because you are insatiable and want phone sex?” She marveled at how little changed after twenty-nine years of marriage and three children. The banter and the fun and the deep, underlying trust and affection had never wavered, practically since the moment they’d met, episodes like Tonio entirely aside. But then, neither she nor Callum were perfect. More importantly, neither of them expected the other to be.

  Chapter 10 - Jamie meets Nerea Espinosa de Los Monteros Nessim

  “Can I talk to you about something?” Callum asked.

  Callum’s words were far too close to we need to talk for Jamie’s comfort. But as he and Callum worked side-by-side in the kitchen at Callum’s flat to prepare dinner, Jamie tried to remain calm. Callum was cooking, a simple pasta with pesto, and Jamie was making salad with lettuce he was now trying not to shred too violently.

  “Of course,” Jamie said as if he weren’t half-sick with worry.

  “Don’t look nervous.” Callum kissed his shoulder as he lifted the pot lid to check on the pasta. “It’s about my wife.”

  “Oh?” Jamie wasn’t sure how that was supposed to make him less nervous.

  “She wants to meet you.”

  “Really? Why?” This was not where Jamie had expected the conversation to go. He wondered if this was better or worse.

  “Because I’m dating you, and you’re important to me, and you’re lovely. I think she’d enjoy seeing you, and I’d like for you to know each other.”

  Hope and relief bubbled in Jamie’s chest, but he had no idea what to say.

  “That is, if you don’t mind?” Callum asked. “Relationships like this are usually easier if all involved are at least acquaintances.”

  Jamie shook his head, probably a little too enthusiastically. “No, I don’t mind. Not at all. I’d like to. It just didn’t occur to me to ask.” Of course, that wasn’t entirely true. It had occurred to Jamie many times, but he hadn’t thought it was his place to invade the privacy of Callum’s marriage that way.

  “Good then.” Callum drained the pasta. Jamie went back to shredding lettuce, feeling as he had the last several weeks: Stunned, overwhelmed, and with no idea what his life had become.

  JAMIE SPENT THE FIRST week leading up to Nerea’s arrival feeling like it was years away and the second in a state of rapidly intensifying anxiety. He was careful to hide that anxiety from Callum, lest the man think he was unable to navigate the reality of the situation. But the stakes were high, and Jamie felt overwhelmed. If he wanted to stay in Callum’s life, he needed to land himself in Callum’s wife’s good graces. He just had no idea how to do that.

  By the day of Nerea’s arrival, Jamie had moved from anxiety to a state of near-panic. He was able to focus when he was working, but only barely. He was far too nervous to eat lunch. During breaks he hid in the makeup trailer and tried to entertain himself with games on his mobile but kept zoning out to think about Nerea’s imminent arrival. What if she didn’t like him? Would she think he was too young? Too awkward? Annoying rather than charming? Clingy?

  He took deep breaths and tried to calm himself before he hyperventilated and passed out on the floor. That would be truly embarrassing. He trusted Callum; Callum had more experience navigating relationship issues like this; and Callum thought Jamie and Nerea should meet. He was, in point of fact, incredibly enthusiastic about it. Besides, Jamie had managed to get this part and make friends on set, so he knew he wasn’t utterly devoid of personal appeal. If Nerea didn’t like him that was something he and Callum would have to deal with together.

  Still, for all his mental preparation, he wasn’t ready when a production assistant showed up with a petite dark-haired woman who made Callum light up like a Christmas tree as he strode over to greet her. Even if Jamie hadn’t recognized her from pictures, it would have been obvious this was Nerea.

  In person she was even lovelier than in photographs. Her bearing was elegant, her long hair was swept up off her shoulders, and her eyes, a pale golden brown and with faint wrinkles at the corners, were bright as she took in her surroundings before her gaze returned to Callum. Jamie’s heart did a strange thing when Callum dipped his head to kiss her. He wasn’t sure how to interpret that feeling, but it didn’t feel like jealousy. It felt like appreciation. And maybe even want. Jamie was still stuck staring when Callum waved him over.

  “Jamie.” Nerea smiled and held out her hand. Jamie was pretty sure he knew how Callum must have felt the first time he met her, because his own ability to make words, much less coherent sentences, was utterly gone. She was too beautiful, too self-possessed, too sparkling with charisma. And she’d only said his name.

  Her eyes fixed on Jamie, warm and curious, as if she were collecting all of Jamie’s secrets simply by looking at him. Jamie was overwhelmed with an almost visceral urge to touch her and a near certainty that he would crack like temperature-shocked glass if he did. He stammered a greeting and reached out to take her hand in his. He did not, to his surprise, break. Nerea’s skin was cool and delicate but slightly rough. He felt a wild impulse to kiss it, like he was some fairy tale knight and she his queen. But he restricted himself to a smile that felt not at all polished or restrained. “Nice to meet you.”

  “And you.” Nerea turned to Callum. “You’re right, he is cuter in person.”

  Jamie made an involuntary noise of dismay.

  Callum laughed. “Get used to it. She’s not going to quit teasing you.”

  “Thanks?” The use of future tense was encouraging, but Jamie still felt off-balance.

  Nerea looked from Jamie to Callum and back. “Did you want to have dinner Friday? The three of us?”

  Jamie was surprised. He knew, from what Callum had said, that the three of them would likely spend time together socially. But while he was still getting used to the situation, Nerea had hit the ground running.

  Jamie stammered. “That would be great,” He wanted to kick himself. Now Callum’s stunning wife probably thought her husband was screwing around with a very pretty fool. Maybe he needed to practice basic conversational skills in the mirror in desperate hopes of not completely messing up the dinner.

  “Excellent.” Nerea clapped her hands together. “I’m sure Callum will collect you after you’re both done with work. But now I should be going. I have to spend an afternoon annoying my eldest daughter over tea. It was lovely to meet you, Jamie.”

  Before he had a chance to react, Nerea kissed him on the cheek, Callum on the lips, and was walking away, heels clicking smartly on the floor.

  Jamie looked at Callum, dimly aware his mouth was hanging open.

  “Don’t worry,” Callum said, his eyes fixed on his wife as she walked away. “I was at least as much of a mess around her for months.”

  THAT NIGHT JAMIE WENT home alone; Callum, presumably, had gone home to his lovely wife. Jamie hadn’t spent much time at his own flat in weeks and felt particularly lonely when he let himself in.

  Despite the late hour, he considered calling friends to see who he could round up for a pint. Then he caught a glimpse of himself in his bathroom mirror; that was not going to work. Not with hickeys scattered across his throat. On set, makeup had the decency not to comment. But in real life his drama school friends would laugh, purr at him to share details, and give him no end of grief.

  But sudden work and incipient fame had made having friends hard
. There wasn’t time to sit around pubs drinking and chatting anymore. Jamie felt terrible about it, but it wasn’t something he knew how to make right. What could he even say about the state of his life now? That there was a guy and that they worked together? But his friends would demand names and details, which was definitely where things would get complicated. What was he supposed to do then? Explain that he was only out drinking with them because his unnamed lover’s wife was in town? Would they believe him if he said she was okay with her husband shagging some random kid? And if they did, how was he supposed to avoid discussing her incredible hotness — especially when Callum and Nerea were probably in bed together right now having wildly attractive sex?

  Jamie made a noise of annoyance at his empty apartment, this ridiculous situation, and his sexual frustration. He was either going to have to get a lot better at compartmentalizing or he was going to have to forgo all unnecessary human contact for a while. Otherwise he was definitely going to ask someone if it was rude to jerk off to thoughts of his lover in bed with his wife.

  He grabbed a beer out of the cupboard and opened it. “Congratulations, Jamie,” he said toasting his empty apartment. “Your life is a mess.”

  ON THE APPOINTED DAY and time, Jamie and Callum arrived at the restaurant where they were due to meet Nerea. The place was dim, with little lighting beyond the candles burning softly on each table. The leather seats and dark wood walls contributed to the gloom and added the edge of sex.

  Nerea was there already at the bar. When she saw them, she slid off her stool with an elegance Jamie hadn’t known existed in real life. She wore a fitted gold dress and her dark hair fell in sleek waves down to the middle of her back.

  “Callum. Jamie,” she said when her husband bent his head to kiss her hello. Jamie looked away so as not to be caught staring. No matter how much advice Callum gave him, every moment seemed to generate a new situation in which he had no idea what was expected of him. He wondered why there wasn’t a handbook for this sort of thing. Like What to Do When You Like to Watch the Guy You’re Sleeping with Kiss His Wife.