“For sixty days.”
Her eyes widen slightly. “Sixty?”
“I need time,” I say, more quietly now. “Time to figure out if I can forgive you.”
The word feels foreign in my mouth. Forgive her. For something I never imagined she was capable of.
“Logan,” she starts carefully, stepping toward me. “We should talk first. There are things you don’t know about that day.”
“Stop,” I say sharply holding up a hand. “Just… stop.”
She freezes.
“I need this, okay?” My voice drops, rougher now. “If you don’t want me to leave, then give me sixty days.”
Her throat works as she swallows.
“And what happens after that?” she asks, barely above a whisper.
I don’t soften it.
“After that, we either go back to marriage counseling… or we separate for real.”
Silence falls between us.
Her face goes pale, but she nods once, like she’s accepting terms in a contract.
“Sixty days,” she repeats.
I nod.
I get up to leave, already dreading the car ride home where the neighbor’s fifteen-year-old is watching the boys.
Jess’s quiet voice stops me in my tracks.
“Just… don’t end us.”
The words are small. Scared.
I close my eyes for a second and force myself to say what needs to be said.
“Jess… you cheated on me.”
She flinches.
“I know you’re sorry,” I continue, my chest tight, “but you still did it. And then you lied about it.”
Her eyes fill, but she doesn’t interrupt.
“That’s not something I can just forget,” I finish quietly. “And right now… I can’t promise you anything either.”
Chapter Twelve
Jess
I’m not going to lie.
I don’t think I can do this.
