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“Not that I can tell. Now I know why he pressured me for them all the time.”
“Thank god,” he breathes out. “You need to send those messages to yourself. Is that tablet for both of you, or is it a work tablet?”
“It’s a shared device. We both used it equally, although it was technically his first.”
“Good. Then you have every right to read and save whatever is on it. Send every incriminating thing you can find to your email. That way, you’ll have evidence of his infidelity for the divorce.”
I bite my lip to counter the heartache spearing through my chest. The second I saw him with someone else, the love I had for him died, and I won’t ever want anything to do with Chris again, but it still hurts to be put into this position.
After I get all the evidence emailed to myself, I write a note for Chris and put it on the coffee maker. It’s the only place in this house where he’ll see it with certainty.
Chris,
I’ve left and won’t be coming back. You’ll finally be free to do whatever you want, not that it’s stopped you before.
-K
Gray stands by the garage door, a steady presence counterbalancing my inner turmoil.
“I’m ready,” I say with finality.
He nods, opening the door for me to walk out ahead of him. I get into the passenger seat of my car. There’s no point in trying to argue about who’s driving first. I won’t be able to focus on the road while my thoughts are spinning around like the Mad Hatter’s teacups.
Was Chris always like this? Was he always such a disgusting human being?
Not when we were in college. I have no doubt that he loved me back then. When we found out about the baby, we were both over the moon to be parents. Neither of us was really ready to have a kid at that point, but we were excited nonetheless.
Even after we lost our first baby, we leaned on each other to get through the overwhelming grief. It was hard, and it took time, but we did it together.
I think each subsequent miscarriage drove a wedge deeper between us until we were no longer the people we were before. I sought solace from within, and he must’ve sought it in other women. I never believed he’d stoop to the level of disgusting behavior I saw in those text messages though.
Chris isn’t the man I married anymore, and that hurts just as much as catching him having an affair. How could I have been blind to the vile person he became? Was I so lost in my own issues that I stopped seeing who he was? I can’t deny that I checked out of our marriage at the end. He’s not the only one at fault, even if I’ve never cheated on him.
Part of me knew he no longer saw me as the same woman he married. He was too distant and uninterested, but I was too hopeful that we could find our way back to each other to see our marriage for the lost cause it was.
As each mile takes me further from Seattle, the weight of my marriage troubles lifts off my shoulders. I’m going home to the people who never stopped loving me. I’ll have Mom and Jacob back in my life as well as Gray’s friends, who have made it clear they’re happy to bring me into their circle.
The few times I’ve gone home for a visit, they’ve welcomed me with open arms. I’m certain they’ll do the same once I tell them I’m staying. I’m also sure they won’t hesitate to share their indignation over what Chris did.
And then there’s Gray himself.
I look over at the man who’s been a constant in my life since before I can remember. With one tattooed arm stretched out, his grip firm on the steering wheel, and the other resting on his lap, he looks more handsome than any man has a right to look. I’ve always thought he was the most attractive guy I’ve ever met. And that includes my husb—ex-husband, which always made me feel guilty.
Grayson is so laid back and full of confidence that it only amplifies his already gorgeous face. Add in that he’s got muscles for days and can rock a cowboy hat like no other, and it’s game over.
He catches me staring. “What?”
I shake my head. “Nothing. Just grateful that I have you in my life.”
His soft smile is full of love. “I wouldn’t want to be anywhere else.”
“Do you want to listen to my audiobook? I just started this one about an all-female vigilante justice organization.”
Grayson raises his eyebrows. “Vigilante justice, huh? Did you decide to dive into the dark romance genre?”
I laugh. “I wouldn’t call it dark. Maybe a smidge grey.”
“Cue it up, Ladybug.”