Page 44 of It Destroys Me

She chuckled. “He seems like a steak and greens kind of guy.”

“Axel isn’t?” I could tell how ripped he was. His cords popped out of his forearms too.

“He used to be, but after I came into the picture, he fell in love with food.”

“Doesn’t look like it.”

She chuckled. “I know, right? That shit ain’t fair.”

“Theo told me he eats four thousand calories a day.”

“Now I really want to punch him in the face.”

I laughed. “I couldn’t believe it when he told me, but I’ve seen him do it.” He’d have a big breakfast then come by the gallery and eat an entire sandwich by himself. Then a couple hours later, he would eat again before dinner.

She ladled the red sauce onto a few of the doughs, leaving some plain for Margherita, but for the remaining ones, she grabbed a different pan that contained a white sauce.

“You made two different sauces from scratch?”

“Yep.”

“Wow, I couldn’t even make two different sandwiches.”

“You’ve never cooked?”

“Well, I used to make things for Bolton. But it was mostly casseroles and easy stuff.”

She didn’t flinch at my ex’s name, just returned the pan to the stove then joined me at the counter. “How’s all of that going?”

I released a sigh. “He called me the other day. That was fun.”

“Why did you answer?”

“Blocked number. Thought it was a client.”

She gave a slow nod in understanding. “Sounds like that asshole can’t take a hint.”

“A hint? It could be posted on a billboard, and he still wouldn’t read it.”

She smirked as she grabbed the produce and assembled it on the pizzas before she added a sprinkling of different cheeses. “What did he say?”

“Threatened me to leave Theo. Said it would be worse if I didn’t. You know, a bunch of bullshit.”

“Don’t stress about it,” she said. “Theo will handle it.”

“I know. I just wish he didn’t have to.” It was my problem. I’d fallen in love with a psychopath. His good looks and the sex masked the truth. When I’d signed our marriage certificate, I didn’t realize I’d signed a deal with the devil.

“Did you hang up on him?”

“No. He hung up on me.”

“Oooh, then you must have said something good. Attagirl.”

“Well, I told him I loved Theo.” I hadn’t said it to hurt or provoke Bolton. Like a bird that needed to burst from its cage, the words had exploded out of my chest. I wanted Bolton to move on with his life—and let me move on with mine.

She was just about to finish placing the veggies on the last pizza when she froze, her eyes locked on the dough in front of her. Then she dropped the olives and mushrooms right in the center and quickly pivoted toward me. “You did what now?”

“I know it was stupid.”