My heart races.
“Every time I bring up counseling, you—”
“Just fucking drop it!”
His voice booms, ricocheting off the walls of our bedroom, shaking me to my core. I’m frozen, unable to move or speak.
“Damn it! Every fucking day, you say the same shit. Like, give it a fucking rest already!”
He sits up in bed, trying his best to mask that he’s in pain, but I hear the breath hiss between his teeth as he clutches his shoulder. He stands and walks toward our closet. I’m still shocked and silent when the closet light turns on. He’s rustling through his things for a bit before he finally returns in a t-shirt and jeans. No longer shirtless in his boxers. He tosses a pairof sneakers to the floor before sitting on the edge of the bed, unlacing them.
“Where are you going?” My voice trembles, but I don’t even think he notices. Hell, I’m not sure he hears me atallthese days.
“Out,” is all he says.
My hands tremble. I push myself upright until I’m sitting against the headboard, staring at the back of his head as he slips into his shoes. A flash of my parents flickers in my head, and I hate what this feels like.
History repeating itself.
No, there’s no addiction, no infidelity, but the distance mounting between us feels all too familiar.
West stands, no other explanation given as he walks out of our bedroom. A few minutes later, I hear him speeding down our driveway, and for the first time since saying I’d be his girl, since he swept me off my feet and made me his wife…
I’m relieved he’s gone.
Chapter Thirteen
Blue
Thank God for Lexi. She’s the only reason I’m sane right now.
Within a couple hours of West leaving, she facetimed me, not caring that it’s almost two in the morning. She was up, saw me posting on social media, and hit me up to ask if I wanted to chat. She didn’t lead by asking what’s wrong or why I’m up at this unholy hour. She’s just been here for me, making me laugh, holding the phone when I run out of things to say.
“So… ready to tell me why you’re so tight?”
A laugh slips. “Um… tight?”
“You know, tense, stressed. I see it all over your face, hear it in your voice. What’s up?”
My silence probably confirms what she’s thinking, but I’m not sure I’m emotionally stable enough to answer. I mean, how do you tell someone that you and your husband can only communicate if you’re arguing, and he just walked out on you?
“Well?” Lexi presses.
I sigh into the phone, sprawling out across my bed. “The injury’s been tough on West, and we were already dealing withenoughdrama, so… yeah, we kind of exploded at each other tonight.”
“Shit. I’m so sorry you guys are going through a rough patch.”
A rough patch.
Understatement.
“It just feels like I’m fighting an uphill battle, Lex. And most days, I’m not totally sure he’s fighting atall.”
She’s quiet, and there’s a distant look in her eyes. She’s no stranger to relationship issues—with a Golden, no less—so it’s possible she feels this more deeply than anyone else could.
“Well, I don’t have the answers to fix any of this for you, but for what it’s worth, I believe in you two. I mean, you guys are the most solid married couple I know, aside from my mom and Benny.”
Her words bring a smile to my face, and I wish I felt like they were true. West and I have felt anythingbutsolid these days.
