* * *
Jess didn’t circlethe conversation back to whatever had preoccupied Brent as they left the outfitters store. There was another deep and meaningful conversation they needed to have this afternoon, which wasn’t the best timing perhaps, but Evan’s dinner invitation had pressed her hand.
When they got back to her house, Brent put his bakery purchases in the kitchen, and she went up to her office to get a brown envelope she’d been ignoring for far too long.
Downstairs, she found him stretched out on her couch. Watching her as she entered the room, his face soft.
Taking a deep breath, she handed it to him.
“What’s this?” But the way his gaze darted to her lawyer’s address stamp on the top right and stayed there told her he already knew, and her heart hurt.
“Paperwork for the divorce.”
“Oh.”
“I want to talk about it.” Her voice cracked, and his face tightened up.
“Okay.” He swung his legs around so he was sitting up, making room for her next to him. He took a deep breath. “What do you want to talk about?”
“You. Me. Us. Before we… I mean, what we…what anusmight look like.”
“I thought you wanted to keep things casual. Date people.”
She swallowed hard. “I’ve been thinking about that. Dating people.”
“I know.” He gave her a sad smile. “It’s okay. You get to live your life.”
“I don’t want to date other people,” she blurted out. “Other than you, and Evan. Two people is plenty for me, maybe more than I can handle, except I need you both in different ways. I need you to explore something with him, too, because I hate that I’ve made stood between you and what you want all these years—”
“That’s not it,” he interrupted. “That’s not it. I don’t need to be with another man to know I’m bisexual, babe. I don’t. If you’re having second thoughts about tonight, we’ll call it off.”
She shook her head. “Not about tonight.”
“Then what?”
“I think we need—if you want—a new commitment. You and me. I hate that I have these papers in my house. You are my husband, even if we don’t live together. Even if we see other people. I love you, and I’m tired of trying to get over that love when it fills my entire being. Trying not to love you is like trying to drain the lifeblood out of me. It just doesn’t work. You’re my best friend, and one of my most favourite people, and when you hold me everything feels right in this world. I don’t want to give that up. Not unless you want to be done with me.”
“Never,” he whispered, crashing into her, wrapping her in a tight hug. Against her hair, she felt him exhale roughly. “I love you too. I will forever. You know that.”
“No matter what happens,” she whispered.
“We’re not going on a life or death mission.” He laughed quietly. “Are we?”
“No.” She kissed his neck, breathing in the smell of his skin.
“Jess…”
She slid backwards, pulling him on top of her. “Kiss me.”
“Always.” He stretched out, giving her his weight, his mouth, his endless attention, and the envelope fell to the floor.
* * *
They arrivedEvan’s house promptly at six, holding hands. He opened the door, dropped his gaze to their fingers tangled together, and grinned. “Welcome,” he said warmly.
Jess stepped forward and gave him a hug. He dropped a kiss on her cheek, and her heart fluttered.
Then he reached for Brent, and the feeling inside her shifted to asoaring, a strongyesreaction as he wrapped an arm around her husband.
