AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Really? You swear?”
I shook my head and kneeled next to her bed. “How could I marry someone who’s guaranteed not to almost burn the house down at least once?”
Instinctively, I stroked my thumb over the pathetic Velcro wrap she wore on her injured wrist.
“That’s good to know.” A ghost of a smile lifted her lips. “I’ll sleep better tonight.”
Don’t say that. Don’t say that you lie awake thinking about us too.
Please don’t give me false hope.
If she did that, then my brain would take the idea and run with it wildly, picturing rings on our fingers and smiles on our faces.
Clearing my throat, I pushed down the hope threatening to bloom in my chest. Even so, I settled on the mattress beside her, stretching out my legs, dropping one elbow, and propping my head on my fist so she was forced to look at me. “I like this version of you. The Marigold who doesn’t hate me.”
We would go back to normal tomorrow. She would forget this, and I would miss this look in her eyes. The look full of longing, questions, wonderment. I recognized it, because I’d seen the same look in the mirror hundreds of times.
With a sigh, she rolled onto her back, then scooted up so our faces were only inches apart. “I’ve never been able to hate you. No matter how hard I try.”
My grin was impossible to tame. And I didn’t even bother trying to tamp down the fireworks erupting inside me. “Good to know. I could never hate you either.”
In fact, the more time I spend with you, the more I realize that was never even a possibility.
Marigold’s nose twitched an inch from mine, causing her eyes to scrunch at the corners. “Good.”
I nodded. “Good.”
Silence fell between us, leaving only the sound of an occasional car in the distance as the soundtrack to this moment. But this time, I didn’t mind the silence. Didn’t run away from it. This time, I sank into it. Let it surround me like a warm embrace.
She regarded me, her eyes bright. The assessment was like a sweet caress. She took in every inch of my face. Across my brow, down my cheekbones, over my jaw, to my Adam’s apple. That particular examination had me swallowing audibly. One hand, her good hand, found my jaw. Her palm was warm, and the contact sent an electric current zinging through my veins.
With a hum, she raked her nails over the scruff I hadn’t bothered to clean up. I dropped my arm and pushed against her touch, soaking her in. Her fingers danced across it as she studied me like I was a puzzle she couldn’t quite piece together. She always did love a challenge. I had been more than enough of one for her over the years.
“I like your beard scratchy like this.” She rubbed it harder, as if to emphasize her point.
“I’ll never cut it again.”
She laughed at my response, like she thought I was joking.
I needed to get out of here. For my sanity. I needed to let her rest and re-cement the emotions she usually felt where I was concerned. But selfishly, I liked her like this. All sweet pets, loving eyes, and charming smiles. The girl I used to know. The girl who had belonged to me.
“I’m gonna go,” I said, though I didn’t pull away, didn’t stop her from trailing those fingers through my beard.
“Mm-kay.” Marigold arched, nuzzling into the forearm I’d rested beside her.
“I’m leaving now.”
“See you later.”
I yawned, relishing the warmth and familiarity that had flooded me. “I’m out the front door.”
She yawned back, her eyes shutting. “Drive home safe.”
My world slowly faded into black. “I’ll text you when I get there.”
Ihad been avoiding Liam since the series of unfortunate events at family dinner over the weekend. Those events included falling from a tree and being rushed to the hospital by my ex-husband. The incident when said ex-husband almost stumbled upon the tiny unspoken item in my wallet. The pain pill incident, where I’d practically purred at him. And finally, falling asleep with him beside me. I woke up early the next morning and instantly jackknifed into a sitting position. As my head spun and dread curled in my stomach, I whipped to one side, sure I’d find him asleep between my sheets.
Instead, I was alone, as always, in my cold room. My only company was a water bottle and the two Tylenol on my nightstand. In front of each was a tiny note written in familiar scraggly handwriting.
