There’s a beat of stunned silence before he exhales sharply and rakes a hand through his wet hair. “Jesus, Dee. You really think I’m falling for Macy?”
“I don’t know what to think anymore.”
“I’m not doing this.” He turns and hurls his coffee mug down onto the counter. It shatters on impact, ceramic fragments skidding across the surface. Coffee splashes everywhere. “I’m not doing this shit with you again.” Then he storms out of the kitchen.
The front door slams shut so hard it rattles the frame.
I sit frozen for a second, the echo of his exit pulsing through me. Then, slowly, I rest my head in my hands. Silent tears slip down my cheeks and land on the table.
He didn’t say no.
He didn’t tell me I was wrong.
But he didn’t say yes either.
I stay like that for a long time, my breath shaky, heart pounding, wondering what the hell just happened. Wondering if I lost him the second Macy walked through our door.
But then something shifts.
A whisper of a memory. I once thoughtto be without him would be the annihilation of me…
That still rings true.
But maybe what’s worse is giving up without a fight.
I lift my head, wiping my cheeks with the backs of my hands. I think of Anna. Of her faith in me. I think of Colt’s smile when he’s truly present. Of the man who saiduntil the end of time.
I love him too much to let this fall apart without trying.
Tonight is his birthday. I’ll cook his favorite meal. I’ll wear the lingerie from our wedding night and remind him of what we share. Remind him who he married, and why.
A spark ignites in my chest.
Not desperation this time.
Determination.
I’m not going down without a fight.
Chapter Thirty-Two
DEE
For the last two hours, I’ve been pouring my heart into Colt’s favorite dinner, making sure everything’s perfect. He left early for Macy’s and said he’d only be a couple of hours, so I’ve been holding onto the hope he’ll be home by five.
It’s four-thirty now. I race upstairs to change into the lingerie I wore on our wedding night—white and blue lace, delicate but sexy, with the garter and heels to match. As I descend the stairs, I feel more alive than I have in days.
There’s still fight left in me.
Colt ismine, and I won’t lose him without a battle.
If Macy thinks she can swoop in and rewrite our story, she’s in for a rude awakening. I didn’t come this far to let go now.
Back in the kitchen, I check on dinner. The aroma is mouthwatering, and everything’s on track. I set the table with a crisp cloth, soft lighting from the candles, and even Colt’s favorite chocolates in a dish. I went down to the cellar earlier and picked out a vintage bottle of wine, letting it breathe just in time for us to share a glass.
Everything’s ready.
All that’s left to do… is wait.
