I resisted the urge to fidget or shift on my feet as that fear nearly choked me. “You’re letting me go?”
“I don’t want to,” he said honestly, “and I’d rather not because you’re good at what you do.”
I didn’t flush under his praise—I already knew I was good. Besides, there was an obviousbutcoming.
“But I need the old Monroe back, and that’s only if you still want to be there.”
My lips parted to tell him there was nowhere else I wanted to be, only to shut. Even if Briggs separated Gray and me on every future detail, I’d still be near Gray every day. I’d still have to see him and know that—even if our wedding hadn’t been planned or rational or any of those things—he still hadn’t waited twenty-four hours before slipping into someone else’s bed.
My heart wrenched at the reminder.
It felt like my soul shattered at the realization that this part of my life needed to come to an end, and there was nothing I could do to force back the tears filling my eyes. “It’d be better for Shadow if I left.”
Briggs was silent for a while as he playfully took Kaia’s bunny from her before offering it back. When he spoke, disappointment filled each word. “I don’t agree, but I won’t keep you somewhere that’s hurting you.” When I nodded and took a step back, he added, “Do me a favor.” Turning that hardened, terrifying stare on me, he said, “Take two weeks. Do whatever—go wherever. If, at the end, you still feel the same, I’ll help you get a job anywhere you want.”
I knew if I opened my mouth, I’d take back everything I’d just said and tell him I’d figure out a way to make it work, because I didn’t want a life outside of Shadow.
I didn’t want a life away from Hudson Gray...
Emotions really were complicated and completely useless.
So, instead of saying anything at all, I just gave a small nod of thanks and turned to leave.
“And consider telling Gray what you told me,” Briggs called after me.
I faltered for agonizing seconds before continuing toward where I’d parked.
I’m fairly certain I already did...I just can’t remember the night.
But even as I tried convincing myself that it would be best to separate myself from Shadow and Hudson Gray forever, I found myself scrambling for my phone when it chimed just after I made it into my Jeep Wrangler.
My pulse raced and my fingers trembled because, no matter what I tried making myself believe, I wanted nothing more than for the message to be from the infuriating man who held my shattered heart in his hands.
Every part of me deflated when I finally saw the message waiting for me. A message I’d gotten more times than I could count over the past six months.
Too Nice Neighbor Davis
Hey Mallory. I know you’ve been busy, but I was wondering...if you’re not doing anything tonight, could I take you to dinner?
I mentally chastised myself for the foolish hope still lingering in my veins and wondered what it said about me that I’d spent so many months avoiding a perfectly nice, normal guy, all because I was hopelessly in love with a man who’d never done anythingmore than obnoxiously flirt with me the way he did with every other woman.
My thumbs moved over the screen, tapping out my usual response, only to stop as I remembered the confident way Wren had spoken, as if she’dknownshe’d get Gray to come to her.
With aching slowness, I deleted every letter. After what felt like an eternity of warring over what I was about to do, I sent a short response, then dropped my phone into the cup holder as if it’d burned me.
Ignoring the instant regret and ache spearing my chest, I hurried to get out of the parking lot and away from Pearson Farms. The last thing I wanted was to be anywhere near Wren Pearson. But as I drove through the charming town of Huntley, I found myself turning onto its now-familiar main street.
Huntley Square boasted multiple blocks of boutiques, local restaurants, cafés, and other stores that screamed small town Texas with its brick roads and the old buildings that had been carefully and beautifully maintained. The street came to a dead end, leading into a large square filled with food trucks, tables for people to gather at, and a stage for live music. All throughout the aged oak trees surrounding the square, café lights were strung, completing the adorable, cozy vibe.
I loved living in Dallas, but there was just something about this street that called to me whenever I came into town—which was much more often now that Briggs and Thatch had both moved out here.
Climbing out of my Jeep once I finally found a place to park, I headed for the coffee shop near the front of the street and nearly walked right back out of it when I practically bowled over our administrative assistant—Thatch’s new wife—Chloe.
“Oh! Sorry, gosh—Mallory!” she exclaimed excitedly, her face lighting up like I was her favorite person in the world, when we hardly ever spoke. “Hi. How are you? What are you doing inHuntley? I mean, not that you shouldn’t be here,” she hurried to backtrack, her cheeks reddening. “I’m just surprised to see you. Happy, of course, but surprised.”
“Someone new. Someone who wasn’t you.”
I forced Gray’s words from my mind, but that didn’t stop me from taking in Chloe and comparing us, as I often did.
