“I didn’t sign the annulment papers.”
His entire body goes rigid, like he’s just taken a hit he didn’t see coming.
“What do you mean you didn’t sign them?” His voice is dangerously calm now.
“I mean… I didn’t sign them.”
“There was a deadline.”
“I know.”
His eyes flash. “You know.”
“I was going to,” I rush. “I just—”
“You just what?”
“I couldn’t.”
The word slips out before I can stop it.
His nostrils flare. “You couldn’t.”
“I needed time.”
“You had time.”
“I know.”
He runs a hand through his hair, pacing once across the living room like he’s on the verge of combusting. “Tell me you’re joking.”
“I’m not.”
“Tell me you mailed them late and this is just some processing delay.”
“I didn’t mail them at all.”
He stops pacing.
Slowly turns toward me.
“And the deadline?”
My voice drops. “It passed.”
For a second there’s nothing.
No movement. Nosound.
Then Jake explodes.
“Are you kidding me?” His voice ricochets off the high ceilings. “You let the deadline pass?”
“I didn’t mean to—”
“That wasn’t a suggestion, Talia. It was a legal deadline.”
“I know that!”
