“Did you bring the paperwork? Are you going to sign now?”
“Didn’t you get a good look at me? Where would I hide divorce papers? Feel free to try to find them though.” She winked at me.
“I’ll pass.”
“Shame.” Miranda flipped her blonde bob and reached for the wine menu. “I’ll sign when I get home. No rush.”
“So, none of this is necessary?” I glared at her and started to stand up.
“Sit down, Landon. Have some wine with me. Relax. I’ll sign your precious papers. Just…” Her soulful eyes looked up into mine. “Just…let it be like old times for one night.”
I didn’t relax. I just stared back at her blankly. She ignored my expression and ordered a vintage bottle of her favorite French wine. She was through a glass of wine by the time we ordered our food. I had a glass in front of me, but I’d only had a sip. What I really wanted was some of Austin’s whiskey. I should have stolen his flask to get through this evening.
“So,” Miranda said once the waiter disappeared with our orders. She twirled the stem of her wine glass around in her hand and smiled at me.
“So?”
“I’m ready to get pregnant now.”
My mouth dropped open in shock. Of all the things I had thought she would say, that hadn’t been one of them. “You what?”
“Pregnant, silly. I think we should try again.”
I shook my head and blinked rapidly. “Um…no.”
“Well, that’s why you’re divorcing me, right? Because I lost the first one and then jokingly said that I didn’t want any kids.”
“That’s not—”
“God, I get it, Landon,” she said. “I mean, I understand where you’re coming from. You want a big family. You come from a big family. I didn’t think it was that serious. I didn’t think you’d want to walk away just because I was scared.”
“That is not what I’m doing.”
Her eyes were bright. “Then, let’s figure this out. I know I’ve been moody the last year. I know I haven’t been my best me with you, but that doesn’t mean we give up. We can try harder. We can try for another baby. Just…don’t leave me.”
“Miranda, you cannot do this right now.”
“Do what?” she asked. “Try to save our marriage?”
“Our marriage is in the process of being dissolved. I’m here so that you’ll make it official,” I told her as calmly as I could. “The last thing I want is have a baby with you.”
“That isn’t what you said a couple months ago! You were yelling at me because of some throw away statement I made.”
“Throw away…” I closed my eyes and breathed calmly through my nose. “It’s more than one statement. This is bigger than that. But I am not changing my mind.”
“Is it Emery?”
“How many times do I have to tell you that Emery is with Jensen, and I have no feelings for her?”
“Another time I guess because I don’t believe it. It’s something else.”
“I can’t believe I even have to say this because you already know why I’m divorcing you. But do I need to tell you again?”
Miranda downed the rest of her glass of wine. Clearly, this wasn’t going as she’d planned. “Fine. Tell me again. Because I think you’re making a huge mistake.”
“I’m divorcing you because what we have is broken,” I told her, clasping my hands together in front of me. “We are two different people, and it has taken me years to realize that.”
“This is insane, Landon. I’ve given you everything. I moved to Tampa for you where I knew absolutely no one. I quit my job for you so that I could support you while you golfed. I gave up holidays with my family in Augusta to be here in this desert wasteland with your family who hates me. I’ve dealt with golf fans and cling-ons and all of that bullshit. You think I ruined your life, Landon? Look a little closer.”
I almost laughed, except she really believed what she said. She was utterly delusional, and there was nothing I could say that would change her mind. She would never see that she had done all those things of her own free will to get access to my money. That she had been one of those golf fans and cling-ons, and I hadn’t realized it at the time. That her quitting her job was because she hadn’t wanted to work while I was on Tour…so she could go to all the lavish parties and act like a celebrity.
No matter what I said at this point, it wouldn’t make a difference. It only proved my point.
“The answer is no,” I told her as our food appeared.
“No to what?” she spat, shoving her salad away from her.
“Everything. We’re here for you to sign the paperwork. That’s it.”
“You’re not even going to consider?”
“I don’t have to. This is over, Miranda.”
“Then, I change my terms,” she said at once.
Oh, Plan B. This should be good.
“You can’t change the terms. You said dinner. That’s it.”
“Well, if you really think that we’re never getting back together, then this won’t even matter.”
I cocked my head to the side. I really didn’t even want to know. “No.”
“One more thing, and then I’m out of your life forever…just like you want.”
“What? What thing?”
She smiled and leaned forward, exposing more of her cleavage. “Make love to me one more time.”
I gaped at her and then burst into laughter. I couldn’t help myself. It was so…outrageous. Of course she wanted to fuck again. Probably somewhere in her sick, demented head, she thought that, by having sex once more, I would magically change my mind. That I’d realize she was still the perfect woman for me, and we’d end up together.
Or worse, she’d try to get pregnant and get me on the hook forever.
I shook my head in disgust and pulled out my wallet. I threw a hundred dollars down for the meal and tossed another hundred at her. “For the good time I’ll be missing.”
She gaped at me. “Landon!”
“The answer is no,” I said as I stood. “Actually, the answer is fuck no. I’d rather see you in court than sit here another minute.”
“Landon, wait!”
As I exited the restaurant, I chuckled at myself for how stupid I’d been for coming. Everyone was right. She wasn’t going to sign the papers just because I had gone to dinner with her. It had been worth a try but worth nothing more than that.
I tried Heidi’s number when I got back to the car, but she didn’t answer. I revved the Mercedes and peeled out of the parking lot, on my way to her apartment. I didn’t care if Emery was there. I needed to see Heidi. I needed to get the slime of that dinner off my body. It was a mistake to go, and while I had known that deep down, I had wanted it all to be over so fucking bad.
And fuck Miranda and her fucking stipulations. She didn’t get to put stipulations on this divorce. She’d had plenty of time to fix our marriage. It had been falling apart for a year. I’d defended her to everyone, and then I’d just realized they were all right.
I was almost to Heidi’s apartment when I got a text from her.