Holyshite, it feltso good to say it! My shoulders released ten years’ worth of tension with onelittle word, and I swear I stood taller. The world looked brighter, the colorscame to life, and hell, if I had cracked a window open, a barrage of talkinganimals probably would have congratulated me.
Christine’s jaw fell open. “You want a divorce?Why?”
“Why?” I scoffed. “Oh, gee, I don’t know,Christine. Maybe because we’re both miserable? Maybe because we both hateeverything about each other, aside from our kid?”
“That’s not why.” She shook her head, a smirktwisting the mouth I only kissed on holidays for pictures. “She’s back.”
“What?” I tugged at the hair on the back of myhead, dropping my eyes to the floor.
“Kinsey.”
“How do you know that?”
“Meghan told me.”
That little backstabber.
And there wasn’t any sense in denying it then.“Yeah, she is.”
“And you want a divorce, so you can be withher.” She laughed at that. “You’re so predictable.”
“Knock it off. I’m notaskin’tobe with her. She’s here, because her father is sick.” I clenched my fists atmy sides, fighting off the insatiable temptation to punch her in the face asshe performed another body-consuming eye roll. “I want a divorce, because, Idon’t want to be married to you.”
“You never wanted to be married to me, Pat, butyou never asked for a divorce before either. Admit that you’re only asking menow, this very moment, because of her.”
My eyes closed. Who knew I was so transparent?“Fine.”
“Fine,” she repeated, wiping her hands of me.What was it about women being able to let me go so easily? “I want you outtomorrow.”
“Done.”
I turned to leave and pack my shite when shesaid, “Oh, and Pat?”
“My name isn’t Pat.” I could have floated, Ifelt so light.
She groaned. “Fine.Patrick.”
“Yeah?” I said over my shoulder, flashing hermy best smile.
“She’ll never take you back, you know.You’redamaged goods now, you have baggage, and you’re throwingthis away for nothing.”
“Well, see, that’s the thing, Christine,” I said.“You have to havesomethin’ in the first place, tohave anything to throw away.”
I left the room, and closed the door on shitemarriages and stupid childish mistakes, and I stepped into the next room oflawyers, child support, and tiny apartments.
And in that small, new room, there was awalk-in closet full of hope and possibilities, andas long asshe was back, they were endless.
CHAPTER 13 |
Debts & Knights in ShiningArmor
Our anger wasdissipating with the tellingof his story. I could feel the space it was creating, and it was making roomfor something else. Something that forced me to drop my gaze to his fittedt-shirt and the defined muscles underneath.
“It’sworkin’, isn’t it?”
“What is?” I asked, my voice hoarse with emerging lust andaffection.
“The plan.”
