“Dammit, Tripp. How do you always do that?”
“Do what?” I peppered a path of kisses along her jaw.
“Bring my spiraling to a screeching halt witha few simple words.”
I hummed against her skin. “Couldn’t really tell you. Comes naturally. It’s like something inside me knows to give you exactly what you need when you need it.”
“Then I guess it’s lucky I married you.” Warmth spread through my chest at the smile in her voice.
“No, I think this time, I’m the lucky one.”
Chapter 17
Penny
“Yousureyoudon’twant me to come with you?”
Wiping my sweaty palms on my jeans, I shook my head. “It’s probably better if you don’t.”
Tripp offered his hand to help me down from the passenger seat of his pickup. “I’ll be right here if you need me.”
“Thanks.” I squeezed his bicep and stepped around him.
My fingers curled around the diamond ring in my palm as I approached the ranch-style house that, for a time, I’d thought would become my home. Nerves rose to the surface as I climbed the porch steps and rang the doorbell.
The deadbolt turned, and my muscles tensed as the door was pulled open.
Even though I was unbelievably happy to be with Tripp, deep down, I carried the shame of walking out on Jake without warning. On our wedding day.
A sad smile curved on Jake’s lips as he leaned against the doorframe. “Hey. Heard you were back.”
Shifting on my feet, I hung my head. “Yeah.” The prongs holding the diamond onto the gold band dug into my skin, reminding me why I’d come here.
Opening my fist, I held it out to him. “This belongs to you.”
He sighed, plucking the ring from my hand.
“I’m sorry, Jake. It wasn’t right how I left, but I just—” My words cut off as my throat tightened at the mere thought of losing Tripp.
“I always knew you were hung up on someone. Figured that’s why we didn’t work out the first go around. But until your birthday party, I didn’t realize it was him.” He jerked his chin over my shoulder, and I peeked to find Tripp leaning against his truck, arms folded.
“It wasn’t fair to you that I made it down the aisle before I ended things. But it would have been even less fair had we gone through with the marriage, and I spent a lifetime by your side, in love with another man. You deserved better than that.”
A humorless laugh spilled from Jake’s lips as his fingers toyed with the engagement ring he’d given me. “I guess it’s true what they say: if it seems too good to be true, it probably is.”
Guilt flooded my system. Jake was a good guy, and though he wasn’t the right guy for me, there was no excuse for how I’d treated him.
“For what it’s worth, I think you’ll make a great husband for some girl,” I offered.
“Ishea good husband?”
My eyes widened before snapping up to meet his. “What?”
He brought my left hand into view, the modest engagement ring and wedding band combo catching the light.
“Oh, right.” I’d almost forgotten that I now wore a shining symbol of my recent change in marital status everywhere I went.
“Are you happy?” Jake’s voice came out strained.
