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“What about?” I try to keep my voice casual.
“Just promise me, you won’t shut down.” Her hands are on either side of her thighs, her ankles crossed. She’s in joggers and a sweatshirt.
“Okay,” I say, bracing for the news, feeling bile rush up my throat. She’s going to tell me she wants to explore her possibilities outside of Willowbrook.
“I need to know where this is going with us.”
My eyebrows draw down. “That’s the question?”
Her shoulders deflate, and she moves her hands into her lap, fiddling with them. I wrap the towel around my waist and walk over to her.
“Yes. I want to know what’s going on. We’re married but not really.”
“We’re married,” I say.
“But—”
“I thought we were going through the motions, moving forward at our own pace. I’m not sure why we have to create a detailed plan.” A forced laugh leaves my lips.
She doesn’t return it.
Clearly, that was the wrong answer on my part.
“We can’t just keep pretending.” She slides off the counter as I’m about to touch her.
“Who’s pretending?” I circle around, following her out of the bathroom.
“Our wedding wasn’t real, Jude. Sure, we’re together, but what do you want for our future?”
“Why don’t you tell me the real question you’re asking?” I grab my sweats and a T-shirt out of the drawer.
“Excuse me?” She sits on the bed, her legs crossed, her eyes barely meeting mine.
“What do you want?”
She throws her hands in the air. “You’re going to throw the question back at me?”
“You’re not acting yourself. Ever since Melody?—”
“Melody has nothing to do with this. It’s a simple question, Jude. What. Do. You. Want?”
I shake my head. “I want you to be happy.”
“What else?”
“Am I supposed to want something else?”
She stands from the bed. “No, I guess not. Dinner’s ready. I’m going on a walk around the lake.”
She jogs down the steps, and the front door shuts behind her before I have one leg into my sweats.
I have no idea what she’s looking for, but I’m fairly sure it’s not me or Willowbrook.
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Sadie
I’m not in the mood to go to The Hidden Cave, but it’s Lottie’s birthday and probably one of the last nights we can be outside on the patio until the spring.
