Total pages in book: 113
Estimated words: 106298 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 531(@200wpm)___ 425(@250wpm)___ 354(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 106298 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 531(@200wpm)___ 425(@250wpm)___ 354(@300wpm)
“What did he text us about?” I’m already pulling my phone from my back pocket, but dread is kicking in. My heart starts thundering in my chest when I touch the screen to see a missed call from a client, which I knew about, but beneath is a buried message chain.
“It wasn’t to us. It was to you. You left your phone in the car when you got the ice cream.”
Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fucking hell.
She sits on the bed, her body leaning on the suitcase as if she needs the support. “I can explain,” I start as I tap on his name.
“I’m sure you can, Baylor,” she replies with no argument, but it doesn’t sound like there’s room for the truth either. “Or should I say bet?”
I read both of his messages and then look back at her. My feet want to move, but I hold myself back, thinking that this is about respecting her space and not me right now. When a tear dangles from her chin, I whisper, “I’m sorry.”
She nods and pushes herself up like this is the last of her energy left. Flipping open the suitcase, she whispers, “I bet.”
Fuck me.
“I know you’re hurt, Lauralee.” I take a step closer, not wanting to creep up on her, but I can’t stand the distance.
Turning around, she huffs. “You know because you’re the one who hurt me.”
“I did.”
“Knowingly.” She drops her head into her hands and starts crying, her sobs muffled, but the ache is heard. It’s fucking torture to see her in pain, but especially because I caused it. Did I really think this would end any other way? I’m so fucking stupid. When she lifts her head, her brown eyes shine with gold and those beautiful flecks of green in the evening sun streaming through the window. “I fell in love, but I was nothing more than a bet to you.”
“I love you. That is real. When you said it felt real last night. It feels fucking real to me, too. I didn’t even know I had a soul until you came along.”
“But you decided mine wasn’t worth the vows you spoke.” Putting her hands on her hips, she looks down at the carpeted floor and shakes her head again. When she looks up, she says, “I don’t know how to get a divorce since this is new to me.” She laughs without humor in it. “Twenty-four hours. Must be some kind of record.”
“We don’t have to make any rash decisions. Nothing has to be decided right this second. Please. Let’s—”
“The worst part is that I don’t even know if I can afford a divorce, but let me make one thing clear. You and I are through.”
The words are sharp, cutting right into my chest and severing my heart. Like my soul, it didn’t come to life until I fell in love with her. That confession won’t help, and other words don’t come, the ones that would make this right as she hurries to pack and abandon my life. Losing her is the last thing I want. I can’t.
She grabs three dresses from the closet, pulling them from the hanger. “I was naive. I didn’t know what I was getting into. That’s what I get for following my heart instead of my head.” Throwing the dresses in the suitcase and fisting her hands at her sides, she yells, “I married you because I loved you. If I didn’t . . .” She sucks in a harsh breath. “This wouldn’t—” She shuts her mouth abruptly, grabs a small bag from the nightstand, and tosses it on top of her clothes.
I brace myself for the response before daring to ask the question. “This wouldn’t what, Lauralee?”
“This wouldn’t hurt so much.” She sinks onto the bed, her feet barely reaching the floor. “I trusted you had changed. You haven’t.”
I walk to the far side of the bed and sit. I’ve never felt worse in my life. “If I could change this—”
“You can’t. It’s done, and we’re over.”
With our backs to each other, I tell her the truth because I may never get another chance to. “I made the bet because I had already won it.”
That sits in the air between us like a dark cloud keeping us apart. I look down at the wedding ring on my finger. Nothing ever felt right until I was wearing it.
The bed shifts from her side, causing me to look back over my shoulder. My eyes meet hers, and she asks, “How?”
None of this is going to help my case, but I can’t lie to her now that it’s out in the open. “Tagger was catching onto me being gone and coming home early. He was digging for information, figuring I was seeing someone.” I blow out a breath but keep going. “We had already had sex but agreed we weren’t ready to share our relationship. That’s when he bet me my mom’s car that someone as incredible as you would never give me the time of day. But Lauralee, we had already had sex. I knew I’d win, but the win wasn’t going to come out until we decided to go public.”