I tugged mine out of my pocket and handed it over. "The code's seven four five two two three."
"Just like that? Do you give your passcode out to everyone who asks to use your phone?"
I got close enough to her that I could smell her perfume as I leaned to whisper in her ear. "Nope. Just to my wife." I could feel her shiver.
I forced myself to step back before I escalated things to a point of no return. I wanted her again but not until I convinced her to stay with me forever.
When I glanced down at her hand, I noticed she wasn't wearing her wedding band. I took her hand and rubbed the spot where the ring should be sitting. "Have you worn it since you woke up that morning?"
She shook her head but looked at my hand as well. "Have you?"
With our hands still linked, I dug under my shirt with the other and yanked a chain out until it fell heavy against my chest. "I wear it next to my heart every damn day until you're ready for it to be on my finger again."
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
MOLLY
"Molly, wait up," Elle hollered for me from the parking lot the next day at school. I stopped and waited for her to catch up. "Did I just see Parker dropping you off at work?"
"Mhmm." I continued to walk toward the front of the school without waiting to see if my best friend was following me.
"Is that all you're going to give me?" It was clear as day Elle was frustrated with my lack of response.
I sighed and stopped so I could turn around and face her. "My car broke down yesterday, and Parker saved me. He insisted on driving me again this morning since my car isn't ready yet."
"Does that mean he slept over because his house is clear across the city from yours?"
I thought about our conversation last night.
"I can either spend the night here,or you can pack a bag and spend it at my place. Either way I'm driving you to work in the morning. Personally I would prefer to stay here so that we can have more time together in the morning."
It was sad how quickly I agreed to him.
"Yes, he slept over, but he slept on the couch," I hissed.
"And the ring?" Elle glanced down to where I wore my wedding band on my left hand. "This is the first time you've worn it since I picked you up at the airport. Did something change that I'm not aware of?"
Yeah, something changed. Parker proved to me we could have a future together but I didn't tell my best friend that.
"Can we just get inside? I haven't had enough caffeine yet to fully start my day."
"Fine, but we're talking about this at lunch." Elle pointed her finger in my chest, then walked into the school without a second glance back.
"I wouldn't expect anything less," I grumbled before walking in behind her.
The morning classes flew by much faster than I would've liked. It probably had something to do with the fact that I wasn't ready to talk to Elle about Parker. Which was strange because she was usually the first person I wanted to tell everything to.
I dragged my ass to the teachers’ lounge to find Elle waiting impatiently for me.
"Were you trying to hide from me? You know damn well I would've marched to your classroom and cornered you if it came to that."
"I know." I dropped my ass into the chair next to hers at our small table. "That's the only reason I'm here."
"What the hell?" Elle looked like I had slapped her across the face. "Since when don't we share everything with one another?"
My head fell heavily into my hands. "I know, I know. I'm just trying to figure this out myself. This is new territory for me, and I'm feeling out of sorts."
I sighed when Elle's hand came to rest on my shoulder. "If it's bothering you that much, then I'll back off. I just want you to be happy, and, if I'm being honest, seeing that ring on your finger again got me really excited."
