"Did anything happen between you?" I ask.
She swirls the whiskey around in the glass. "Daniel and I spent nearly three years dancing around our attraction, and every time he came to visit, staying away from him became more impossible. Then, the New Year's Eve before we graduated, Ellie had tickets to attend a huge Broadway gala. On the day of the party, she had a stomach bug, so she insisted Daniel take me instead."
"Oh, jeez. Bad idea."
"The worst. The whole night was a test of our loyalty to Ellie and our self-control. Even sitting next to him at dinner was torture. I've never wanted a man so much in my life."
"I'm sure the midnight countdown was interesting, then."
She nods. "It took everything we had to not kiss each other. That was when Daniel told me he was in love with me, and he couldn't go on pretending he wasn't. After I told him I felt the same, he asked me to give him a week to end things with Ellie."
"What did you say?"
She takes a deep breath. "If I’d said yes, I would have betrayed a girl I loved like family. If I’d declined, I would have sacrificed my happiness, as well as Daniel's. So ... I told him I'd think about it." She laughs bitterly. "As it turns out, fate made the decision for us. Three days later, Ellie announced she was pregnant with his child."
"Ohhhhhh, shit."
She exhales a shaky breath. Even after all this time, it's clear the memories still cause her pain. "Daniel did the only thing he could. He asked her to marry him. A few weeks later, Ellie dropped out of drama school and moved back to L.A. to be with him. And the rest, as they say, is history."
Man, I feel so sorry for her, I take a drink on her behalf. "So you didn't keep in contact with them over the years?"
"For a while Ellie and I exchanged letters and phone calls, but it was too hard. Every time I spoke to her, all she talked about was building a life with Daniel, and even though I was happy for her, I couldn't help feeling resentful. Daniel called me just before the baby was due. He was drunk ... told me he was sorry and that he wanted things to be different." She looks down at the fringing on her dress and tries to straighten it. "After that, we saw each other on occasion, usually at events or parties, but we never spoke."
"Damn, that's cold. How could he cut you off like that?"
"It was for the best. I understood that. Daniel was a good man, dedicated to his wife and family. Neither of us wanted to ruin it."
"But now he's divorced. There's nothing keeping you apart."
She laughs. "It doesn't matter. It's too late."
I lean forward. "Bullshit. I saw how he looked at you out there. If you said the word, you could have the life you wanted with him all those years ago. A husband. Children of your own."
"Josh, I'm forty-two. I've given up on all of that."
"Women everywhere are having kids well into their forties. Why shouldn't you?"
She rubs her forehead. "It's not that easy. Daniel was with Ellie for twenty years. They have grown children together. Even if I could get around both of those concepts, which I can't, how would it look if Daniel came straight out of his divorce and started something with me? Ellie used to be my best friend. We may not speak anymore, but it's still a betrayal." She shakes her head, eyes downcast. "Whatever chance we had to be together is dead and gone."
We're both startled when a voice says, "Don't you think I should get a say in that?"
We look up to find Daniel standing in the doorway, and judging from his expression, he's not thrilled about what he just heard.
I move forward on the couch and prepare to stand. "Ahhh, so, that's my cue to leave."
Erika puts out her hands to stop me. "No, Josh, it's fine. Stay where you are."
I'm not sure if she wants me to stick around for moral support or because she doesn't trust herself to be alone with him, but either way, her expression doesn't inspire me to argue. Instead, I lean back and try to be as unobtrusive as possible.
When Eastman stops in front of her, Erika stands to face him. "Daniel, I'm sorry Marco dragged you here. If he'd bothered to ask me—"
He takes her glass and drains the contents before placing it on the table. "It wasn't his idea for me to come here tonight. It was mine."
"Why?"
He glances at me for a second before going back to her with a determined expression. "You know why, Erika. I've been in love with you for nearly half my life, and there hasn't been a single day during that time when I haven't thought of you. The only reason I wasn't here sooner is because Ellie signed the final papers on our divorce tonight at dinner. The second she was done, I came to you. Please don't tell me I'm too late."
He moves closer, and judging from how they both lean toward each other, there's some major league chemistry going on. When he puts his arms around her, she puts her hands on his chest. I'm not sure if she's trying to push him away or draw him closer.