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Then Lennon ran up to me and wrapped her arms around my neck, and the cage I’d built around my heart burst wide open again.

“So don’t guilt her for wanting to finish school, Easton. Just support her, like you said you want to. Trust me, you’ll get a lot further with her if you do.”

“Yeah, if she’ll let me,” I counter, grumbling under my breath as I pull a book from the shelf and read the blurb on the back.

Nora taps her chin in thought. “You know what? I have an idea.”

“Okay…”

She takes the book from my hand and places it back on the shelf. “I know a pregnancy book I can order for you that is tailored to partners, but I think another way to figure out what Lennon might need is to ask other women who’ve been pregnant.”

“All right.”

“I have a mom’s group that comes in every Tuesday morning at eleven. Any chance you could ditch work for an hour or two and stop by?”

“Fuck.” I reach up and adjust my hat. “I mean, I might, but I’m the one in charge of the job at the college, Nora. I begged for this, and if I take off any more time, I’m afraid my boss is gonna question it.”

She places her hands on her hips. “Wasn’t part of your reasoning for wanting to work closer to home that you could be there for your family?” she asks, arching a brow as she emphasizes the last word.

“Well, yeah…”

“Then tell your boss that. You need the time to do some research, which is all in the name of your family, am I right?”

I arch a brow right back at her. “Did Lennon tell you that detail?”

“She might have let it slip.” Nora grins before rolling her eyes. “Look, you might think that your justification is solid, but I’m not a fool, Easton.”

“What do you mean?”

“I mean, I’ve seen the way you look at my sister. Your face could be pictured under the definition of yearning in the dictionary. And I swear, the way you looked at her when you moved her out of my parents’ house was so obvious, I’m surprised my mom didn’t say anything to you right then.”

Fuck.

“You’re in love with her,” Nora states so casually that I can only blink at her in response. “I know you thought you were slick, but come on, Easton. Why else would you marry her? I know you wanted to help her with health care, but you could have just offered to pay for her insurance. You didn’t need to marry her…”

“Nora…” I start, but my words fall away.

She’s right.

I am in love with Lennon.

I always have been, no matter how hard I fought it.

And now, it’s so freaking clear.

That’s why I’m fucking angry.

Because I want her in every way that this marriage entails and there’s a pathetically small chance she’ll ever feel the same.

I reach up to pinch the bridge of my nose, preparing to reply, but Nora holds up her hand, cutting me off. “Your secret is safe with me, but if you want to win her over and make this marriage real, you know better than anyone that Lennon doesn’t respond to words. She responds to actions.”

Fuck. She’s right. I could talk to Lennon until I’m blue in the face. In fact, I’ve tried to reason with her so many times about her choices and look where that’s gotten me.

Nora has a point. My actions will speak far louder than anything I could say.

I’d stay married to Lennon in a heartbeat.

The more important question is…could Lennon ever want that too?