He dropped his shirt on the floor. “I only lost twelve pounds, Cherry.” He unbuttoned his pants.
“Are you taking a semaglutide?” She was still whispering.
He lowered his eyebrows. “No. Hey...” He kicked his pants away and got into bed. He pulled Cherry close, scooping her up, jostling her into his arms. “I’m not keeping secrets from you.”
“A whole year went by,” she said. “You got a stylist.”
“I was fucking depressed,” he said. “That’s my secret.”
“Me, too.”
“Here...” Tom rolled her onto her back again. “Let me cheer you up.”
“I missed you,” she said.
He kissed the top of her breast—then pulled her bra strap down her shoulder and left it just so. He was art-directing her cleavage.
“Like this,” she said. “I missed you.”
Tom looked up, and their eyes met. “Cherry, I...” He raised himself up onto his knees, between her legs. Away from her.
“Where are you going?”
He rested back on his calves. His cock was springing up under his boxer briefs. He was rubbing his face. “I think I’m trying to say something.”
She lifted up on her elbows, concerned. “Say what?”
Tom dropped his hands. “I know we’re not... back. I know we’re still kind of broken. I want to keep coming home, Cherry. I want to keep making it better.”
She nodded. There were tears in her eyes. (She wasn’t sure which kind yet.)
Tom seemed to be waiting for her to say something. He looked worried. He looked turned on still. He looked like he’d lostat leasttwenty pounds.
Cherry dropped onto her back and reached for him. “So come home.”
Cherry took Tom to the airport.
Well, he drove.
She could hardly find anything to say in the car, her mouth was so full of dread. She wasn’t sure what she was afraid of...
She didn’t think that Tom would cheat on her or change his mind.But they were going through the same motions that had driven them apart. Tom was going to be gone for sixteen days.
“Will you come pick me up when I get back?” he asked. “If you’re not at work?”
“I’ll come pick you up no matter what.”
It wasn’t a special promise. She’d always taken Tom to the airport. She’d always picked him up. She’d always hugged him tight when she got out of the car to let him drive home. It hadn’t protected them.
Chapter 68
Cherry sent a text message to all four of her sisters, telling them that she and Tom were back together; that she was happy about it; and that she wouldn’t be taking questions at this time.
“Thank God!!”Joy said.“I didn’t trust that other guy. He was too pretty.”
“Tom!”Faith said.“I was rooting for him all along.”
“Obviously,”Hope said.“You were both googly-eyed at Christmas.”
