She pinched her nose, rolling her shoulders before meeting my eyes again. “I hate fucking up, but I did. And Laney, I’m sorry.”
“Thank you,” I said, taking my time. She had dropped a lot of information on me, and while I appreciated her directness, it didn’t change all that much. “It’s brave of you to meet with me to say all this. Truly. I appreciate it. I like you, Petra. I think you’re good to Connor at work and a solid human. I still remember you brought me, like, ten soups that weekend I was sick.”
“Connor said you hadn’t eaten in days.”
That reminded me of my sore stomach, but I brushed the thought away.
“I’m going to be honest with you.”
She bristled. “Please, let me have it.”
I snorted. “I’m not angry at you or upset. I really admire your honesty, but Connor is a grown man. He made his choices on his own. I’m sure he told you we’re working on our marriage this month—”
“He told me that, and when I offered to help, he told me absolutely not. That he needed to win you back on his own.” She half smiled. “Because that man is very much in love with you.”
My face heated. “He is. Love isn’t always enough, and that’s what we’re figuring out.” I stared around the coffee shop, the weight growing in my core at how badly I wanted to stay in my hometown. I wanted to be happy with Connor and stay here, but I knew those options were not likely to happen.
“He’s making changes.” Petra lowered her voice, her tone sharp again. “Has he… told you about them?”
I flinched. “No.”
She nodded, anoh shitexpression on her face flashing for a second.
“Then he has his reasons. Probably wants to surprise you, so pretend you didn’t hear this, please.”
“Sure.” I forced a smile, hating that they had another secret together. She was probably right, that he was planning to surprise me, but it didn’t make the sting feel any better. I’d tried asking about work three times, and every time he brushed it off, saying we’d talk later. When he was ready.
“I don’t have a lot of girlfriends. I’m too brash, too cold, and I never text back. But I’d like to… maybe not be friends, but could we…” Petra trailed off, her cheeks a bright red now. “Grab a drink every month or so?”
My heart clenched. She really was a lot like Connor. He didn’t have a lot of friends either. He kept to himself, but I had broken through his walls. It was very clear the two of them had a solid friendship and working relationship because they were carbon copies of each other. I saw that now, even more clearly.If she truly was like him, then life outside of work had to be tough.
“Yes. We can grab a drink once a month.”
Her entire body relaxed as she smiled. This time, her face changed entirely. “Thank you. That means a lot, Laney. Wow. I didn’t realize how nervous I was.”
I chuckled. I liked seeing her genuine feelings and not the robot she usually was. “I had no idea what today was about, but I like how it’s going now.”
“You matter to me. Not only as my boss’s wife, but as a person, as the person who makes Connor happiest. I should’ve made more of an effort before, but as I said… I was focused on the wrong things. Next year, my priorities will be different.”
“Cheers to that.” I held up my tea, and she clinked it. Then she asked me a question that almost had me falling out of my chair.
“Now, can you tell me about this Matt Heathen character? He was very flirty and nice last night. There is no way a human being can be that nice…”
The rest of the day, I edited photos from the last two weeks, posted them on my website, created some social media posts, and kept chuckling at the thought of Petra and Matt. They were complete opposites, but it somehow made sense.
Small-town life didn’t fit Petra, but if she ever gave it a chance, then Matt would be perfect for her.
“Laney, your man is at the door!” My mom’s voice rang up the stairs.
Butterflies exploded inside me. I wore my favorite jeans and an old plaid shirt that Connor had given me. It hung loosely, but I loved the feel of the fabric. My hair was curled, up in a high pony, and I felt cute. I felt good.
Dancing down the stairs, I stopped and wiped my palms on my legs before opening the door. Connor stood there, his wide grin matching my own, and we both moved toward each other at the same time. He picked me up, crushing his mouth against mine in a deep, soul-crushing kiss.
How could I miss him when I had seen him yesterday?
“Hi, baby,” he murmured against my lips, without breaking our embrace or our kiss. “Missed you.”
Despite our entire history, I blushed. Giggling, I slid down his body, my hands lingering on his shoulders as I found my footing. His eyes danced today; his posture seemed lighter.
