He inclined his head.“Very well.I’ll see you tomorrow morning.”
Tavish opened the door and gestured for her to go first, then followed her from the back room to the shop.Keegan was making coffee and there were two other people in line, so Mairi hurried to help the customers.She deliberately didn’t look at him as he left the store.
When the last customer was helped, Keegan laid down a folder on the counter in front of her.
“Is that—”
“Yep.”
The solidarity hand Keegan placed on her shoulder gave her the emotional support she needed as she opened the folder and read the settlement agreement.He had signed everywhere he was supposed to, and she noticed he made sure she received nothing monetarily from him.Not that she wanted his money.She had her own inheritance from when her gran died shortly after their crappy wedding.With nothing keeping her in Scotland, she had come to America.
“Before you sign that, are you sure this is what you want to do?It seems like he wants you.Maybe he’s seen the light of how wonderful finding your moon-fated mate can be.You can move back to Scotland and become a titled Lady.”
“I’ve never wanted any of that.Besides, you don’t understand.”
“Then explain to me, why you wouldn’t jump at the chance to be with him.”
Mairi sighed and hung her head for a moment.“He hates being a wolf.”
“What?”Keegan asked, eyebrows shooting up.“What does that mean?”
“He doesn’t like shifting,” she elaborated.“Hates that side of his dual personality.How am I supposed to take that?If he hates himself, then he hates me on a fundamental, biological level.”
“How do you know he doesn’t like being a wolf?”
“There was a holiday party I attended with Gran, and he was there.Not for fun or anything, of course, but for business.That’s all he ever cared about.This was right after our grandmothers told us we were going to wed one another.”This part always broke her heart.“You see, we knew each other in childhood and I always pretended he was my husband, so when the opportunity came to marry him for real, I jumped at the chance.”
“What happened?”
“I went in search of him at the party,” she whispered, clearing her throat so it wasn’t thick.“To reconnect.To reminisce.Only, when I tracked him down, I had to listen to the vitriol in his voice as he talked about me.”
“He hated you?”
“He hated shifting, being a wolf, and ...aye, me.Basically accused me of marrying him for his title and wealth.”
“That is so not you.”
“The things he said were awful,” she muttered.“He disliked being a shifter.Disliked that I was a shifter, and he swore he’d never have pups to pass along what he considered a birth defect.I didn’t understand how he could hate the other half of us.”
“Wow,” Keegan said.“I never would’ve guessed Cute Boy was an asshole.If that’s the case, then you need to do the right thing and sign those papers.Life is too short.”
“Aye.”She reached for the folder, opened it, and skimmed over the document.“I get nothing in the divorce.Not that I want anything.”
“You going to sign it?”
“I don’t know,” she replied.“He said he’s changed his mind and wants to explore our mate bond.But what if...”
Mairi fell silent as she stared at the divorce agreement.
“You don’t believe him?”
“I’m afraid to hope.”She reached for a pen and tried to ignore how her hand shook.“He broke my heart so thoroughly, I don’t think I’d be able to survive a repeat.Maybe it would be best if I did sign this document.”
Keegan took hold of her hand.“Will you be okay not having pups?”
“I ...I...”she whispered, blinking back her tears.“I wanted pups.How could the High Luna give me someone like him?He’s a selfish man, and I hate him.”
“Then I hate him, too.”
