Page 150 of Perfect Satisfaction

Angie regards me contemplatively. “What has Sula told you about Joshua?”

“That they’ve never slept together.”

At that, Angie bursts into hysterical laughter. “Good god, I hope not. That would be worse than me and Becks.” At my confusion, she confides, “Ward made all kinds of assumptions about me and Beckett Miller.”

“Youand Beckett?”

“Ridiculous, of course, but he didn’t know about my past. Not until I told him.”

“It’s not ridiculous. I know I’ve written Beckett has exceptionally good taste.”

We’re silent for a while before she asks, “Why?”

“Why what?”

“Why not just tell Sula?”

It’s time to let go of what I’ve been holding inside for so long. “She thinks I’ve betrayed her, and for the longest time, I thought the same.” I let out an enormous breath. “Liza came to me in tears after Sula had just left me. What was I supposed to think?”

“Arek, Shakespeare could not have written you and Sula’s love story more tragically.” The compassion in her voice chokes me up.

“There’s been no one else, Angie. It’s only been Sula since the night I met her.”

I find a single tear rolling down her face.

My words rush out, words I wish my wife would believe. “If I could go back, I’d...”

“Change what? By changing a single thing, you change her. Is that what you want? To change her?”

My head bows as I absorb that insight. “No. I want her as strong as she is today, but I need her to love me as she used to.”

She cuffs me on the arm before imparting some wisdom. “Things happen in our lives—some we desperately want to change and some we never want to end. The good, the bad, and even love happens when it’s supposed to. We have no control over it.”

I think about her words for long moments, applying it to my situation with Sula. Was all of this meant so we could find our forever? “How is it I’m surrounded by women who are wiser in their worst pain than a foolish man at his strongest?”

“Great question.” Sula’s voice interrupts us.

Angie stands and moves around the bench, certain of her welcome.

The emotional gratification on Sula’s face is astounding as she sinks into Angie’s embrace. The two exchange words low enough that I can’t hear. When Sula turns an expression of naked vulnerability in my direction, it’s all I can do to swear not to put it there ever again.

But I need to find some way to erase the boundaries I forced between us.

Angie steps back and I hear, “Ward’s here. I’ll be fine.”

“Thank you. You will never know how much I love you.”

Angie’s gaze flits over and meets mine. Whatever she sees causes a wide smile to crease her lovely features. “Yes, I do. We’ll talk back at home. And think about what I said.”

Again, I’m on the receiving end of a strong woman’s expression of vulnerability. “I will.”

Angie presses a kiss to Sula’s cheek. Then, to my shock, she touches my shoulder briefly before saying, “This time, I accept.”

I try not to fall to my knees to kiss the hem of her dress slacks. Angie’s lips twitch and with a reminder for Sula to call her, she’s gone, leaving me alone with my wife.

CHAPTERSEVENTY-SIX

Brendan Blake is back in the recording studio, this time with Beckett Miller. When questioned, he explained he’s contributing to a charity album to raise awareness for blood disorders.