Manny’s words remain on a loop in Rett’s mind all day. She can hardly concentrate on anything else but her friend’s ire. She burns dinner and orders takeout from Austin’s favorite Thai restaurant. He doesn’t question it when he comes home; he only kisses her cheek and thanks Rett for thetom yum. The lunchtime fiasco slowly fades to the background the longer she relaxes with Austin. With her fiancé. The man she is set to marry in two months, the one she will spend forever with. No one cantake that from her. He is hers, and she is his. Manny doesn’t know what she’s talking about.
What Rett and Austin have works as it is. There is no need to dredge up the unpleasantness.
So she keeps it to herself as she has since she and Austin met. The niggling ofsomethingdeep in her gut says that maybe Manny was right that day at lunch. The louder voice in her head says Rett is making the best choice for her relationship.
She only hopes that voice is right.
Rett steps into the apartment, sighing heavily as she slides the bolt into place. Anders made her stay late to fix articles, despite the proofing team signing off on them—and the fact that editing isn’t her job. But now it’s after nine, and she’s home. She hopes Austin had a better day. Her lips curve into a tired smile as she hangs her keys on the hook. Maybe he bought a bottle of their favorite wine on his way home from work. He’s always doing small things like that. Always seems to know when she needs a pick-me-up before she even knows it herself. Maybe—
“You were married.”
She jolts, bag thumping to the floor, and whirls to face her fiancé. “What?”
He rises from the armchair, comes closer, and holds out his hand. There in his palm is the silver band she wore so long ago. The small blue gem twinkles merrily in the light. Rett’s words die in her throat. She remembers deliberating: Should she keep it, or should she toss it from her second-story dorm window? She hadn’t needed the reminder of what she was giving up.
Rett ultimately kept the ring, and now that decision is biting her in the ass.
“Austin…”
“Why did you never tell me you were married before?” His breath gusts out of him, unsteady and rapid. “You’ve beenlyingto me, Loretta.”
“I didn’t lie! I just… I didn’t tell you everything.”
“Who was it? Someone from home, right?”
All she can do is nod. Austin is too angry, too hurt, for any more lies and omission of the truth. He clenches his hand into a fist around the ring, shaking as he turns away. Rett twitches when he throws the ring at the wall. It clinks against a picture frame—their engagement photo—before dropping to the hardwood floor.
He doesn’t face her even when he says, “I feel like I don’t even know who you are anymore.”
“Austin, I’m stillme.” She scurries around to stand in front of him. His dark eyes hold thunderstorms, and she raises a hand to cup his cheek. “I’m still Loretta, your Lor. I’m still your fiancée.”
“You’re a stranger!” he shouts as he throws his hands in the air. “You kept something huge from me, Loretta, and you expect me to be okay with this? What else are you hiding?”
“Nothing, I swear.”
“Did you sleep with him while you were back home?”
She gapes—how can he think so little of her?—then shakes her head vehemently. “No. I’d never. I swear, I didn’t. He, well, he kissed me, but that’s all. I told him I’m happy with you and that I love you. He knows there ain’t nothin’ between us any longer.”
Austin stares at her without moving. Without blinking. His lips press into a thin line, and he exhales slowly. Rett swallows against the bile in her throat as he takes a pointed step away from her. It’s the end, she knows it, but she doesn’t want that. She needs Austin.
She needs him to prove to herself that she can love—andkeepthat love.
She needs Austin to love her in a way she hasn’t had since she was eighteen.
God, she’s a horrible person. It’s no wonder Austin is leaving.
“The fact you held onto the ring means the chapter with him isn’t over,” he whispers. “It won’t ever be, because you won’t let it. There’s no room for me in your book.”
“I’ll get rid of the ring, I promise. Please, Austin—”
“Why? So you can hate me?”
He snorts and shoves a hand through his hair. With a heavy sigh, he starts pacing through the living room. She watches him closely; her throat tightens, and her hands tremble violently. Her entire body trembles, washes hot to cold and back again. Her eyes burn.
“Austin. Please don’t do this. I’m—I’m done with him. I’m done with Oak Creek. You’re my future. You’re myhome.”
“Keep his ring, Loretta. Just… Give me mine back.”
