Page 123 of When We Were Us

My brow furrowed. "Your building?"

I thought back to the listing board in the lobby and I didn’t remember any doctors listed.

"The one next door to our corporate offices," he explained. "I finally moved some of the executives over there, and we're discussing a daycare center on the floor below."

My head snapped up, eyes wide. "Really?"

Oliver's lips curved into a smile. "You were right. I did some research, and it would make sense to have a daycare center for our employees. Our profits are high enough, and we can ask the employees for a small deduction. It would be far less than what they pay for daycare, I'm sure."

"You're wonderful," I breathed, warmth spreading through me.

He shook his head slightly. "It wasn't my idea, it was yours. So thank yourself."

Oliver gently guided my head back to his chest, and I resumed circles around his nipple.

"You're a tease, Mrs. Fox," he murmured, his voice low and husky.

I chuckled softly. "I'm usually not, but tonight I'm too sore to accommodate any naughty requests from you."

"That's fine," Oliver replied, his fingers trailing along my arm. "We always have tomorrow."

"You have to work," I reminded him.

"I do, but I won't be doing it in the office."

I propped myself up on one elbow, searching his face. "You're staying home?"

He nodded, a mischievous glint in his eye. "Yes. You can find me right down the hall to meet any of your desires or requests."

"I like the sound of that," I purred, settling back against him.

"Anything you wish," Oliver promised.

I snuggled closer, overwhelmed by emotion. "You're so good to me."

His arm tightened around me. "I have a lot to make up for."

As I yawned and pressed my nose against the scar on Oliver's chest, I realized it didn't affect me as badly as it once had. This was a new chapter in our lives, and I dared to hope that everything from here would go smoothly.

But even as I drifted towards sleep, a nagging thought persisted. I knew I would have to tell my family we were back together, and I wasn't sure what kind of response that would elicit. My mother had been particularly upset by the way Oliver handled the loss of our child.

I suspected this was how he had dealt with the passing of his parents, too. Silently, I prayed that if something catastrophic happened again, he would handle it better. With therapy on the horizon, I allowed myself to believe that it just might be possible.

Chapter 26

"Oliver, how do you feel about what Ryleigh just said?"

Dr. Randall's question hung in the air, heavy with expectation. I shifted in my seat, stealing a glance at Oliver. His jaw was clenched, his eyes fixed on a point somewhere beyond the therapist's shoulder.

We were nestled in the cozy confines of Dr. Randall's office, a space that felt both intimate and intimidating. The relationship therapist, recommended by my own Dr. Snell, was not at all what I had expected.

He was closer to Oliver's age, with a disarming smile that revealed two charming dimples. His eyes, the warm color of freshly brewed coffee, seemed to see right through our carefully constructed facades.

Oliver's voice, when he finally spoke, was tight with tension. "How am I supposed to feel?"

Dr. Randall leaned forward, his elbows resting on his knees. "I can't tell you that. It's for you to decide."

Oliver ran a hand through his hair, a gesture I recognized as a sign of his discomfort. "I feel like a piece of shit," he admitted, his voice barely above a whisper. "When Ryleigh needed me most, I walked away. I couldn't help shutting down."

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