It felt strange waking up without Sloane beside him. Ben usually got up first, put on a pot of coffee and made breakfast—what little breakfast Sloane was willing to eat. She was always in a hurry. Building her business took so many more hours than if she’d just gone to work for someone else.
Sometimes he wished she had. The sacrifice was costing him a great deal, too. But he was proud of the effort she’d put into A Personal Touch. She had such a talent for making homes and offices—even outdoor spaces—beautiful. And he loved the way her eyes lit up when she was talking about a project that excited her.
Her enthusiasm was contagious. But he feared she’d gotten so caught up in what she wanted to accomplish that they’d lost each other.
He adjusted his pillow as he listened to a lawn mower down the street. Someone was getting an early start, which probably wasn’t making the neighbors very happy. He happened to like the steady buzz of the motor. It reminded him of his childhood when his father would get up early on a Saturday morning to mow—before he was old enough to take over that chore. Once his father died, he’d had to become the man of the house and do a lot of things his father had done, including trying to cover some of his mother’s bills while putting himself through college.
Gazing at the empty pillow beside him, he sighed. Wouldhe be happier with another woman? Someone who wasn’t so engrossed in her career? Someone who was willing to slow down a bit and enjoy life with him? Maybe even have a family?
That was tough to say. It wasn’t until very recently that he’d started having such thoughts. When he’d married Sloane, he’d assumed they’d spend the rest of their lives together like his parents would’ve done had his father not died white-water rafting with some friends. But she wanted different things—more success and money than he craved. He valued quality of life, which meant he wanted to focus on people, spend time with those he loved and have children. That was all he’d ever wanted—a simple life and to be like his father.
Who knew that would turn out to be a problem? But it had. Sloane was drifting away from him, and he didn’t know how to stop what was happening. And if she wasn’t happy with him, he didn’t want to hold her back. People changed, their needs and desires changed and he was a strong believer in letting those around him evolve and pursue what they wanted most. What good did it do to hang on too tightly? That killed any positive emotions, anyway.
Which didn’t mean that splitting up wouldn’t be painful for him. There were moments when the thought of losing Sloane hit him like a right hook. Other times, he could be more philosophical about it. On some level, he understood that after the pain eventually receded, he might be better off, happier for having gone through it, especially if he could fall in love with someone who wanted what he did.
His phone rang. Since it was only seven o’clock, he expected it to be Sloane, and it was.
“Hey, how’s the trip so far?” he asked.
“Good,” she replied. “That pizza place you recommended in Naples was out of this world. Now we’re on the train to Praiano.”
“The pictures I found on the internet of the Amalfi Coast are gorgeous. You’re going to love it.”
“I hope so.”
There was that uncertainty again. He felt bad for her; he also felt bad for himself. “So Charlotte and Julian made it safely, too?”
“Yeah. They’re here with me.”
“Poor Charlotte. What she’s facing wouldn’t be easy.”
“It might be even harder than we thought. The Italian guy who’s been looking after her half sister seems to think she’s taking over from here.”
“They haven’t even met!”
“Exactly.”
He got out of bed and went to the bathroom. “Damn.”
“I don’t know about this,” she said. “I’m afraid we might regret coming here. Maybe Charlotte would’ve been better off in the States, avoiding this whole thing. A week ago, she didn’t even know she had a sister. It shouldn’t beherresponsibility to raise Lilly.”
“Someone’s got to be there for the poor girl,” he pointed out.
“I know. But my first loyalty lies with my best friend. She’s going through a divorce, for God’s sake. To have this happen now...”
“Not the best timing,” he agreed. “Except the divorce is probably the only thing giving Charlotte the opportunity to have her sister as part of her life.”
“And maybe, in the end, she’ll love Lilly more than Cliff. I haven’t met Lilly, either, but I already like her more,” she joked.
He chuckled. He knew how hurt Sloane had been by Charlotte’s defection, but he understood why Charlotte had to choose her husband over her best friend. At least she’d given her marriage everything she had. She wouldn’t—or shouldn’t—have anything to regret there. “I wasn’t a fan, either. But it would betough not to get egotistical and narcissistic in the mind-bender reality that’s become his world. It’s something very few people experience, so it’s hard to say how he should behave.”
“As usual, you’re far too kind,” she said.
Did it bug her that he could always see the opposite perspective? He’d learned over the years that the world was much more nuanced to him than to most people. “Just trying to be fair.”
“I know. Did you get any sleep last night?”
What could he say that would adequately explain how empty the house was without her? How hard it would be to break up? He wanted to let her know how much she meant to him, but he also didn’t want to cling to her if she needed to move on. “It’s strange being here alone. You’ve been gone before, but... I don’t know, this time feels different.”
