Filed To Story: The Lingering Kiss of Farewell Novel
“You’re insane Calvin, why on earth divorce a woman you want to be married to?”
“For that very reason, Wil,”
he stated, and put the two sets of papers on the table,
“file that with the judge and file that with HR.”
He stood up and headed out of the office. His plan was simple in his mind, and it would work. He knew that. Though her clauses for divorce made him chuckle, she was trying to make him actually say goodbye to her, and he knew it. Actually, seeing her off on her trip, she was so cute sometimes, it made him shake his head. He didn’t think she understood how cute she was. His wife was beautiful. He’d heard it many times from those around him,
“Your wife is not only beautiful, but smart too. Got yourself a whole package.”
Some of the business people around him told him.
“I know,”
was his usual response unless she was standing next to him, and then he would smile at her, and kiss her temple and
“Perfect she is.”
would come out of him. She’d blush when he said that, just something else that made her cute. It’s why the divorce was on the quiet side. He didn’t want the world around him. All those men looking at her and getting any ideas that they could seduce her into their beds. If she changed her name back to Huxley it would probably be for the best anyway. He packed up his office and headed for his apartment to get ready for Wil’s engagement party at 7pm. He’d not expected to see Rin there. They’d just signed the divorce papers today, but she was standing in the room talking to Wil’s fianc?e, Anabell. Standing there wearing a lovely cocktail dress that fell to her knees. It was a medium shade of purple; a chiffon dress, which was quite simple but elegant at the same time. He knew she had likely called Anabell and asked about the dress code or what colour she herself was going to wear so that Rin wouldn’t be seen to wear anything that would upstage Anabell. She was considerate like that. Played it down but still looked lovely in her dress. Her hair was pulled half up, and slightly curled. She in no way outshone Anabell’s ivory lace dress, which was lovely and elegant, fit for her engagement party as well as a lawyer’s wife. Anabell smiled at him.
“Calvin,”
she greeted him and then smiled at Rin.
“You lucky woman, he’s always so handsome.”
Calvin chuckled softly at her words and walked over, leaned down and murmured in her ear,
“Now don’t let Wil, hear you say that.”
And leaned back to see her giggle a little. She was a lovely woman, but a bit on the cheeky side, was in law school herself, and still had a year to go. She was good for Wil. He’d never seen his friend smile so much in the past year and a half of knowing her. His eyes moved to Rin, and he smiled at her, the way he always did. No one knew about their divorce, and he stepped right up next to her.
“You look lovely.”
He murmured softly.
“Thank you,”
she stated,
“I’ll get you a drink.”
And then she walked away from him. Cal frowned, that wasn’t normal for them, and she always complimented him back. He watched her walk away and asked the bartender for a drink. The man smiled right at her, all charm, and his jaw ticked instantly as he heard that man flirt with his wife.
“Still get jealous after three years of marriage.”
Anabell slipped her hand through his arm, and leaned on him, and he looked down at her, as she smiled at him.
“I hope Wil, will be just like you and still get jealous after we’re married.”
She told him.
“All husbands should get jealous of anyone flirting with their wife, if not, why stay married at all?”
he told her.
“Now where is Wil?”
“He got held up with a judge this afternoon; running late.”
She shook her head.
“Nothing unusual about that.”
He turned at his name,
“Calvin, your drink.”
And he frowned right at Rin. She never used his full name, but he watched her hold out a drink to him, a Whiskey neat. She was also holding two Champaigne flutes in the other hand. He took his drink, and she handed one flute to Anabell.
“Ah, I see Winnie.”
She smiled and walked off to go and talk to another.
“Oh, you’re in the dog house I see.”
Anabell smiled.
“She doesn’t normally leave your side.”
“Appears that way.”
he nodded and sipped his whiskey, as his eyes followed Rin across the room.
“Hey hands off my woman.”
Wil’s voice rang out. He turned and looked at his best friend who was pulling his jacket off by the door. Many laughed, and Anabell slipped her hand from his arm instantly to go and kiss her fianc?e. He watched Wil slide a hand around Anabell’s neck and use his thumb to tilt her face up towards him as his mouth lowered to hers, to kiss her all soft and sensual, uncaring of who saw them.
Rin She wandered around Wil and Anabell’s engagement party at will, and talked to anyone and everyone that said hello to her. She had come to the realisation that, with her and Calvin’s divorce papers signed, and their marriage now over. She no longer had to stand by Calvin’s side, every single moment of the night, and play the loving wife that he’d asked her to play, and she’d accepted the role of three years ago, so she opted not to do so. Though he’d arrived at the party and stepped right up to her like he normally would, when they arrived at any function separately. He’d done, she knew what he had always done for the past three years, fallen into that role he’d given himself without a second thought at all. He’d dropped an arm around her waist and rested his hand on her hip. A full display of them being husband and wife for around them to see. Only they weren’t that anymore. She’d gotten an emailed copy of the signed divorce papers before she’d even left the house to come to Wil and Anabell’s engagement party along with the letter from the judge to state the divorce settlement date; it was all done and dusted. The invite for this party was on the fridge in her house, and she’d nearly forgotten about it. She had read it when getting a drink from the fridge this morning after getting home from Calvin’s office, and she had even debated with herself about attending tonight, but it was addressed to both of them. She also liked Anabell, and they had coffee twice a week, sometimes dinner. So why should she be deprived of seeing her friend being happy at her engagement party? Just to let Calvin be comfortable and not have to see her anymore. This party was large and being held in Wil’s penthouse apartment, which was just as big and plush as Calvin’s was, so they could technically just go in different directions and likely not come across each other at all. Wil, she knew, didn’t want a house or yard, and his apartment was close to his office and the courthouse. Anabell didn’t seem to care either, though this apartment did have four bedrooms; for when they wanted to start a family. She could feel eyes on her as she moved about the party by herself. It was quite annoying to know that he was keeping track of her, when he was the one that had wanted the divorce. She wasn’t keeping track of him, showing him that she was abiding by their divorce. At one point, Anabell had leaned into her and linked an arm with her, much the same way she had done with Calvin earlier, and murmured softly to her,
“What’d he do?”
They were standing out on the balcony, where she’d gone to get away from the feeling of Calvin’s gaze on her and to get some fresh air.