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“I guess not. Is that all?” I ask as calmly as I can manage, not bothering to argue. Yet.
Danielle slides the divorce paper toward him. He looks up, his gaze meeting mine. He picks up the pen and places it to the paper, but he pauses.
“Just remember, one day I will get out of here, and no matter where you are, I will finish what I started,” he snarls as he signs his name with a flourish and slides the papers back to Danielle, who promptly places them in her bag and steps back, nodding at me.
That’s all the cue I need.
“Honestly, I’d like to see you try. I may have had a weak moment and tried to end the painyou’vecaused me, but I amnotthat weak woman anymore. I will never allow anyone, especially not you, to touch me in such a way again for as long as I live. I will especially not allow you to try to ruin what I’ve found.”
I pause briefly to allow my words to sink in.
“Though I guess I should thank you for that. Had you not pushed me to see it your way and have a ‘well-rounded life experience,’ I wouldn’t have met Connor.” I repeat his words from our anniversary to him, satisfaction and pride making me stand a little taller.
“You whore! You’re still fucking him?” Andy’s snarl makes me chuckle to myself.
I don’t bother responding, just give Danielle a nod as I walk toward the door. We leave him sitting there, throwing insults after us. I breathe a sigh of relief once we’re back to the waiting room we had been forced to sit in for over an hour before seeing my now ex-husband.
“How do you feel?” Danielle asks as she guides me toward the exit.
“Like I want to go to my man and tell him I’m finally free.” My cheeks hurt from the wide smile that takes over my face. “Let’s get out of here.” I open the passenger side of the car and slide in.
We’re heading down Gilmore Avenue on our way toward the highway when I see a familiar coffee shop. I ask Danielle to pull over so I can grab a quick cup, and if I’m honest, I’d like to see the moose painting at this one. I smile at the memory of the conversation I had with Kayleigh so many months ago.
Danielle parks right in front and allows me to get out and walk inside. I offer to get her a cup, but she declines and says she’s going to check her email while I’m getting coffee. When I walk in, I see Kayleigh behind the counter.
When she sees me, she scoots around quickly and walks toward me, wrapping me in a hug. “I am so happy to see you! We were worried about you.”
I freeze. What does she know?
“Um, thanks?” I pat her back.
She steps back and giggles.
“I’m sorry. Connor has become close with Liam after…everything that’s happened.” I see a small shudder shake her body. “We both have. Connor has made it a point to stop by Mud House daily. Jill manages that location now, and she’s said he has become an honorary opening employee. Always there as she comes in for the day. He scared the shit out of me when I opened for her a while back.”
“Yeah, he didn’t sleep well when I was…” I pause, unsure how to finish my thought. “Healing.”
She simply nods in response, walking back behind the counter to get me a cup of coffee, the peppermint mocha latte that I had before. I love that she has this year-round, not just during the holidays like other coffee places. She crosses thedistance between us, handing me the drink. I try to give her my card to pay, and she raises her brow at me.
“Absolutely not. This one is on me. Don’t be a stranger from now on. I’ll be at my shop in Central Falls at least twice a week. I expect to see you there.” She winks at me.
“Thank you.”
I adore how kind this woman is. I hope Liam knows how lucky he is.
I turn to leave when a beautiful woman comes to a halt behind me. “Whoa there, Silver Fox. I may adore how Kay and Liam met, but it looked painful. I’d rather not experience it myself.”
I hear Kayleigh giggling behind me and turn my head to face her, the question on my face.
“Oh, I’ll tell you all about that when you come visit me tomorrow. Jana, leave Hadley alone.” She rolls her eyes and goes to the next customer waiting in line.
Jana looks me up and down with a devilish smirk before waving her fingers in the air at me to say goodbye. I make my way back to Danielle’s car to find her on the phone with another client. I was in there longer than I anticipated, but she says nothing, just smiles as she takes off for home. I pull my phone out, turning it back on to a flurry of text messages.
Connor:
I miss you already, beautiful.
Kat:
