She wasn't sure why she was so bothered by his comment. She didn't want to be the topic of gossip. There was nothing going on between them except a one-sided crush. Truthfully she had other things to think about. She intended to tell her parents about the divorce, but each time she sat with them she couldn't find the words. On Saturday, she walked with Megan on the beach.

"Please don't tell anyone, not even Peter." Megan nodded. "I saw a lawyer last week."

"Are you sure? That was the biggest mistake I ever made."

"I know now we were never right. He kept me away from my home and he doesn't want a baby, but also he doesn't love me. He loves someone else."

"You're sure? Even if his new love doesn't work out, you wouldn't want him?"

"No, absolutely not."

After she heard Alex mention David, she called her former mentor. He insisted they get together. It was perfect because she was feeling uncomfortable about the birthday party, especially after her last conversation with Alex. She arrived at the party early, saw the twins and helped Megan. She left as the house filled up with guests.

When Alex came in, she took in the way he looked and stopped herself from wondering if he smelled as good as he had on Friday. Luckily he was busy talking with his poker friends, so she left without speaking to him. She said goodbye to Megan and her mother and walked home. When David arrived, she was ready.

"Look at you all grown up and making a name for yourself!" He greeted her. She hugged her father and climbed into David's car. "I want to hear all about your glamorous life in the Big Apple."

"I'm not sure how glamorous it is. I spend most of my time working."

"So modest, I stalk you and know there are gorgeous pictures of you all over the internet. The stunning Dixons, the famous designers of the wealthy New York society," he said dramatically.

"There are not nearly as many of those parties as you imagine. I'm far more likely to be studying paint swatches at midnight than dancing."

"How did you find yourself working with that fine specimen, Alex Goodwin?"

"The house is for one of my clients. I love that I could come home."

"He's a dream to work with. So good at what he does," David said with a flare.

"Sounds to me like you're in love with the man." Jen laughed. She had no issue with David's homosexuality because he never deceived her by pretending to be something he wasn't.

"He has done remarkably well for himself after he was sent adrift on his own."

"What are you talking about?"

"I shouldn't say anything, but one day he was his stepfather's protégé and the next day, he was on his own. The rumors were flying, but he survived it and rose to the top."

Jen didn't know what to say, but suddenly his comment about rumors on Friday didn't seem so harsh.

"He's good at what he does."

"He is, but oh if only I were his type."

He swooned.

Jen knew that feeling. David took her for an early dinner or was it a late lunch? At his request, she took out her laptop and shared her portfolio of work with him. He oohed and aahed and made comments.

With her second glass of wine, she asked, "Could you tell me why a gay man would marry a woman?"

"Oh, that's not an easy one. They're typically fooling themselves or their family or the world or all of the above. Why do you ask?"

She tried to look nonchalant. "Just curious."

He studied her. "I think there is a reason. Jen, you can tell me," he said, concerned.

"No one knows it's... It's a nightmare."

"No! Oh, my sweet how awful. I should have known he was too beautiful. What are you going to do?"

"Divorce and try to work together. If I can't, then I don't know. He's involved with my assistant. It's all very humiliating."

"You can come work with me anytime you want. It's not New York, but you could work with yummy Alex again."

She laughed. "He is yummy."

"You're his type. Lucky you!"

Everyone reminded her just how attractive Alex was, as if she needed the reminder. If someone mentioned to him the same about her, he'd just chastise them for starting rumors.

David dropped her at the Jetport with plenty of time for her flight and Avery was waiting for her when she arrived back at the apartment.

"I'm glad you're back. Unfortunately, I leave in the morning. I could be gone all week or longer. So tell me about your weekend. How's your builder?"

"He's not my builder."

"What happened?"

"Nothing. We worked together on Friday." She omitted their shopping trip and the way he looked on Sunday and the information that David shared.

What did Alex do to be sent out on his own?

On Monday, his curiosity got the best of him, so he asked Rick when she had left.

"She went off with David that she used to work with."

He was the one who mentioned David to her. Hank worked with David a lot, could she have met his stepfather? By the end of the day on Monday, he had one piece of information to share, that he could easily text. Instead, he took a deep breath and called her.

She answered, "Hey."

He told himself not to say anything, but he blurted out. "You disappeared yesterday."

"I made last-minute plans with David. He's in love with you, by the way." She teased.

He chuckled. "Definitely not my type. What else was he saying about me?"

"He said you've been successful since starting your own business. I didn't know your stepfather is in the business."

He was concerned about what she knew. "Did you meet him when you worked with David?"

"I don't remember. I don't think so. Are you close to your family?"

"Yes, although I don't make time for them. I'm closer to my stepfather than my father. My father's wife never liked us kids." He wondered why he always opened up to her.

She asked him questions about when his parents divorced and when his mother married. He told her about his little step brothers.

"Have you ever come to New York to see your brother?"

"Only for his law school graduation. I'm always too busy, although maybe I will some weekend. We could get a drink." It was as if he were speaking a fantasy out loud.

"I thought you were concerned about rumors."

"I don't mean alone. I could meet your husband." He cringed as he said it.

"Things are complicated with Sterling. Besides, he wouldn't want to meet you, but my friend Avery would love to."

"What does complicated mean?" he wanted to know her story.

"Complicated is when you're in the process of divorce, but you're still business partners."

Her words caused a flip in his belly. It didn't matter if she would be single, she still lived in New York. How could he date someone four states away?

"Does anyone know about your marital problems?"

"Avery... And Megan knows a little. I almost told my parents, but didn't. I'm not sure why I told you."

"I'm glad you did. I'm sorry you're unhappy though." He wondered if his words were true.

"I'll be alright. Did you call for a reason?"

"What? Oh right. I scheduled a tentative date of May fifteenth for completion."

"That's just a little over a month away. You still have a lot to do."

He laughed. "I told you I'm good."

Laughing, she said, "Goodnight Alex."

He was an idiot. Just because she talked about divorce didn't mean she would really go through with it. Did she even like him? She didn't seem to mind his phone calls. How much did she know about the reason he left Hank? David could have heard rumors because there were enough floating around. The Point didn't have a monopoly on gossip.