Divorcepapers. He didn’t even have to open it to know what they were.
Therewas also a letter from the legal firm, Fletcher and Williams, addressed toDeclan.
Confirmationthat he’d fulfilled the conditions of his great uncle’s will.
Ashtore open the letter addressed to both of them, his stomach in knots. They weredefinitely divorce papers, neatly pre-filled by the company Declan had found tomake it as mess-free as possible.
Allthey needed was a signature from each of them.
Ashran his finger along the line where he was supposed to sign, biting his lip.
Hedidn’t want a divorce, but Declan did. Declan had started the process on the daythey’d gotten married. This was never supposed to work out in the long term.
Recentevents probably didn’t change that. Ash had slept with a lot of people hehadn’t ended up married to.
Declanwas different, but only to Ash. This had been an experiment for him, and now hehad the world’s most definitive way out of it.
Notthat Ash wanted to stay married to him if that wasn’t what Declan wanted. Andwhy would he? He had what they came for.
HewaspayingAsh to do this. They weren’t like partners at all. Declan wasemploying him.
AndAsh had let himself get caught up in the fantasy until reality had sent him aharsh slap by way of USPS.
Footstepstold him Declan was up.
Hecleared his throat, forcing himself not to tear up by taking deep breaths. Hewasn’t going to cry about this. Wasn’t going to guilt Declan into keeping himjust because they’d had a little fun.
Noone else had ever wanted to keep him. Why should Declan?
“Mail,for you and for both of us,” Ash said, shoving the papers over to Declan’s sideof the tiny kitchen table with more force than was probably necessary.
“Divorcepapers,” Declan said.
Ashsearched his face for any hint that he might not want to sign them, but he wastoo close to this to really read Declan. He’d have to rely on what hedid.
“Andwhat I assume is confirmation that the store is yours now,” Ash said. “I’llsign the papers.”
“Oh,”Declan said. “There’s no rush. It’s not like divorces are in limited supply oranything, and it’ll take ninety days anyway.”
“Idon’t want you stuck with me any longer than you have to be,” Ash said.
Itwas cruel. It was a cruel thing to say about himself, and a cruel thing toimply Declan would think. He knew that as soon as the words were out.
Allthe same, Declan wasn’t exactly rushing to reassure him that he wasn’t stuckwith him, or that he wanted Ash to stick around.
He’dbeen trying to learn how to run the place. Ash had taught him everything heknew.
Itwasn’t until now that it occurred to him that it was so Declan could do itwithout him.
Whichwas stupid, because he’dknownthis was temporary. Declan had said so amillion times in the beginning.
Thatwas probably why he’d felt so safe experimenting with Ash. Even if it wentwrong and ruined their friendship, he knew Ash was leaving.
“Oh,well… if that’s how you feel, then…” Declan shrugged. “There’s still no rush.Nothing’s official until the papers are filed.”
“Ifyou wanna sign them now, I can file them this afternoon,” Ash offered.
Maybeit would be kinder to just give Declan the divorce he’d wanted since thebeginning and forget about it.
