“I think we should walk,” Beatrice said, allowing a teasing tone to enter her voice as she added, “if it's not too far for you.”
“I’d follow you anywhere,” he said, offering his arm.
She didn’t want to take his arm. She wanted to walk through town holding her husband’s hand, so instead of taking his arm, she reached for his hand.
Alexander’s eyes widened, but he allowed her to take his hand, his fingers lacing between hers again as if they belonged there. She began walking and he followed, looking around town as if he’d never seen it before.
“You don’t know where we’re going, do you?” she asked with a grin.
He shook his head. “I haven’t the slightest clue, but I trust you.”
Warmth bloomed in Beatrice’s chest at his words. He trusted her.
A cold breeze whistled through the slushy streets, but Beatrice felt warm and safe with Alexander. The melancholy that had overtaken her while getting her things disappeared. She was on her way to the café, to one of her favorite places, with her husband for the first time. She couldn’t be sad anymore.
Things were only going to get better from here.
Inspiration struck and Beatrice turned to Alexander, who raised an eyebrow at her. “Do you want to stop in the library?” she asked, her heart begging to visit the place that meant the world to her. She needed to see if it had fallen apart without her, or if Eugenia had risen to the task.
“I hoped you would take me there,” he said, the words melting her heart.
“You could have asked,” she teased, if only to avoid him noticing how much it affected her.
“I wasn’t sure if you would be glad to visit or if it would make you sad, and I didn’t want to put you through too many emotions in one day,” he said.
Beatrice took a deep breath. He had spared a thought for her emotions?
“I appreciate that,” she said, “but I want to show you, and I do want to check in with Eugenia,” she admitted with a grin. “I'll be honest, I don't know how she's going to handle this job. I want to make sure that all is well before we leave her there for the long term. And we're not far from the library—it's only across the way from the café.”
“Which must be why you spent so much time there,” her husband said.
Beatrice grinned. “Yes, that’s part of it. When my father was not in town, it was much easier to go to the café for a meal rather than make my own at home. And since I had a more than generous salary, I was able to do so far more often than I probably should have.”
“I am glad that you had the café and Thea,” he said, “and I'm very glad that you were not alone.”
“I am too,” Beatrice admitted. “It would have been very lonely without her.”
Walking through the streets that had been her home for so long felt so surreal now that she no longer lived here. Everything was familiar, the people were familiar, even—
She grimaced as one particular person came into focus, walking toward her with purpose.
“Not him,” she said with a groan. “How did he find me?”
“Who is it?” Alexander asked, as if he was ready to whisk her away if he needed to.
“It's Roan,” she said with a sigh. “My father must have told him I was here when he left.”
“You don't have to say anything,” Alexander said. “I will take care of it.”
Beatrice smiled. “Thank you for being sweet, but I can handle it.”
She took a deep breath as Roan drew near. She hadn’t wanted to do this today, but apparently, it was the day for her to see all the people she didn’t want to deal with.
“I can take care of it if you want,” Alexander said once again, looking down at her in concern.
Beatrice shook her head. “It will be okay,” she said. “I just need to speak with him.”
Not that she wanted to, but she had to tell him that she was married, and he no longer had any reason to be interested in her.
