“Do you want me to stick around?” Todd asks as he stows away my mic and readies the equipment to be picked up by the crew later.

“No, I’m fine. I’ll be leaving right behind you.”

I turn around as he walks away.

“This is going to be interesting,” I hear Todd say from the doorway and I spin around to find Amy standing there next to him. “I’ll be outside,” Todd says.

I nod and watch wordlessly as Amy steps inside, closing the door behind her. She’s changed her hair since the last time I saw her in the restaurant several months ago, but otherwise, she’s the same.

She’ll never change. It took me too long to figure that out.

“Amy.”

“Hello, Simon,” she says and sends me a soft smile. “I sat in on your little class today. It was wonderful.”

My teeth clench. Little class.

I simply cross my arms over my chest and wait for her to continue.

“Violet was right, you’ve really done very well for yourself over the past year or so, and I wanted to stop by to say congratulations.”

“Thanks. There’s the door.”

“Simon, I know I was horrible.” She rushes forward and lays a hand on my arm, which I flick off. “I’m so sorry for what happened with Alex. I was just lonely, and you were working all the time and—”

“Are you telling me that it’s my fault that you had an affair with my business partner?” I ask, interrupting her.

“No, of course not,” she says. Her eyes are shrewd. She knows this tactic isn’t going to win me over. “It was all my fault, and I’m so sorry. I’ve been in therapy again, and I really think it’s working this time.”

“Good for you.”

“It is good, isn’t it?” She smiles hopefully. “I feel so much better already. And I am really so happy for you. I hear you have a beautiful new flat.”

And here it is.

“I’d love to see it sometime. How can I make all of this up to you, Simon?”

“By walking out that door and never coming back,” I reply, my resolve not slipping a bit as tears fill her eyes as if on cue.

“I deserve for you to be cruel,” she says and wipes a single tear from the corner of her eye. She really is a very good actress. She could be a professional. “I never should have left.”

I shove my hands in my pockets and regard her silently. How in the hell could I have ever compared Charly to her? Charly is nothing like Amy. She’s kind, loving, giving. She’s not self-serving in the least.

I don’t know what I saw at her shop that day, but maybe Todd was right when he said I should have stuck around to actually ask questions like I promised her in the first place.

“I never should have given up on you,” she says when the silence stretches between us.

“I gave up on you,” I reply simply. “And I’m glad I did, Amy.”

Her whole demeanor changes now; her eyes narrow, her shoulders stiffen. She’s not getting what she wants, and now she’s going to fire back.

“Do you think I don’t know all about your little American girlfriend?” she asks and circles the room, watching me. “I know everything.”

“Charly wasn’t a secret,” I reply with a shrug.

“Do you think she’s with you because of your sparkling personality?” she asks with a laugh. “Hardly. You’re handsome, rich, famous. She’s with you so you can pay for her precious little shoe store.”

I cock a brow.

“That’s right, I’ve been there. I wasn’t about to let you go fuck some gold digger in Louisiana without seeing what she was all about for myself. She’s nothing. Her little store is nothing.”

I want to slap her, and I’ve never wanted to slap a woman once in my life.

“You deserve so much better than that. Aren’t you the one out there on a stage, spouting all kinds of advice about going after what you’re worth? Why would you downgrade to such a pathetic little money-grubbing whore?”

“That’s enough.” My voice is steel. She stops pacing and stares at me with wide eyes.

“What did you say?”

“You heard me. You know what, Amy? I don’t know if she’s a money-grubbing whore.” I shrug one shoulder, as if it’s of no consequence to me. “I really don’t. She might be. But I do know that you are. Now, you want to know how you can make everything up to me? Get the fuck out of this room and don’t ever look back. If I so much as suspect that you’re fucking with my family, friends, or Charly, I will make you regret it for the rest of your life.”

“You’re bloody threatening me!”

“No. I’m telling you how it’s going to be.”

“I should just kill myself.” She stomps her foot like a child and I can’t help but laugh. “This is not funny!”

“You’re right. It’s ridiculous. Goodbye, Amy.” I turn away from her and ignore her completely until she finally stomps away and slams the door behind her.

Seconds later, the door opens again and I spin, ready to threaten to call the cops, but it’s Todd standing there instead of Amy.

“Are you okay?” he asks.

“No.” I shake my head and rub my hand over my mouth. Todd nods and looks toward the door.

“She’s such a bitch, Simon. Don’t let her into your head.”

“I don’t give two shits about Amy,” I reply. “She no longer lives in my head. But I fucked up, mate.”