“It…well it was about Matt.”
Liz wasn’t expecting that. “Matt?”
Megan glanced around. “Before I get into detail…how has life been with Matt since you came home?”
Liz was sure she was about to get confirmation that there had have been problems before. Her faithful sister in law was hinting at something. Liz cleared her throat and glanced to look anywhere but at the woman asking her this private question. “Distant.”
Megan nodded and narrowed her eyes at Liz. “Has he kissed you?”
“Not as much as I’d imagined,” Liz admitted. Liz kept her eyes on the stem of her glass, then glanced up at Megan, who’s expression was very unreadable. “But he doesn’t want to overwhelm me,” Liz continued.
“None of us want to do anything to make your condition worse or scare you,” she paused, as if there were an afterthought there. But then just as quickly, Megan had changed her mind. “Tell me more.”
“There isn’t much else. Matt doesn’t have much to say about our life. He didn’t even want to tell me how we met.” Liz paused, she felt guilty for not giving her husband credit where it counted. “But he cares. He worries about me. And he makes delicious meals.”
Megan took a bite of her cannoli. “Sounds like my grandmothers’ caretaker.”
Liz’s instant stare at Megan must have told her that she’d just hit the nail on the head. “Is there something he isn’t telling me?”
Megan’s eyes dilated and she looked down at Liz’s plate. “You’re letting a good pastry go to waste.”
Liz didn’t take her eyes off Megan’s. “Are we leaving?”
“Liz, you need to go home and make your husband stop ignoring you. Challenge him. Make him remember that you are still his wife. Maybe that’s what you need to help you remember.”
* * *
Matt didn’t want to talk much after he’d come home. His complete transformation from earlier that same day was disappointing. She wondered what happened at his parents’ house.
Liz was growing tired of being pushed aside like some estranged family member asking too many questions. Short of glancing at her every once in a while, Matt barely acknowledged Liz that evening.
After Matt came into her bedroom that night to shower in the master bath, Liz decided to test the waters with her so-called husband and slipped on a black silk nighty and freshened up. She dimmed the lights, turned down the bed and waited, anxiously. When the shower shut off, her heart raced. She didn’t have time to panic or back out of her deliberations. She was going through with this. As the door opened, she swallowed and suddenly found it difficult to breathe.
Matt stepped out of the bathroom with his hair raked back and a dark blue towel around his waist. He glanced around the darkened room and then focused on her. His tanned, bare torso glistened in the dim light.
The room was so quiet, she could have sworn he could also hear the loud thumping of her heart.
“What’s going on?” he asked.
“I wanted to ask you the same thing,” she replied, casually. “You haven’t said much since you got home today.” She took two deliberate steps towards him.
Matt’s eyes drifted to the bare floor he stood on. Avoiding hers. “Liz—”
She ignored the evading gesture and reached out to touch his chiseled chest. His body still damp but smooth. Still looking away, he inhaled what sounded like an angry breath, which made her freeze in place. She only gave him a few seconds to do or say something, but when he didn’t, she continued gliding her fingers up to his shoulders and then down his arm. He squeezed his eyes shut and swallowed. Fighting a mystery emotion.
When he finally looked up at her, there was a beat where it seemed as if he was about to give in to her and crush her lips with his.
But instead, he wrapped his fingers around her wrist and gently lowered it to her side.
“Why are you avoiding me?” she whispered.
“I’m not avoiding you.” He walked around her to the dresser. “I’m just giving you—.”
“I don’t want space,” she snapped, annoyed at his pathetic blow off. “I just need to know why…” she watched him and then finally huffed and spun in the other direction. “Forget it.”
Two short beats later, her left arm was being pulled and her waist grabbed from the opposite side. He spun her to face him before she could catch her breath. Their noses barely touching.
He spoke in a low murmur. “That’s the problem, Lizzy. I can’t…” he blinked and swallowed, flipping back from her eyes to her lips.
