AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“That doesn’t sound good.”
“Promise?”
I sigh and it rushes into all the little cracks of our relationship I’ve been feeling today. “Fine. I promise.”
There’s an awkward silence before she says, “I’m going to give you an out from our relationship right now.”
“Why thehellwould I—”
“Hey!” she cuts me off. “No interrupting, remember?”
“Sorry,” I growl, hating this promise I’ve made already.
“As I was saying, I want to give you an out. All day I’ve been thinking and realizing our entire relationship is unfair to you. You did this as a service to me and my career, and I’m so grateful, and the last thing I want is for you to feel stuck.”
I have to clench my teeth together to keep from interrupting.
“We fulfilled our honeymoon obligation and will be out of thepublic eye for the most part while everyone expects you to focus on training camp and preseason. If you need to pretend that everything that happened in Cancún was just a fever dream—I’m willing to do that for you. Because I put my career first all those years ago, and I won’t fault you for doing the same for yours now if you need to.”
I wait a beat after she’s stopped talking to answer. “You finished?”
“Yes. I think so.”
“Okay. My answer ishell no.”
“But, Derek—”
“No, listen. Because there’s one thing you said that was completely wrong.” The gates at the front of my neighborhood open when I flash my key card at the receiver. “I didn’t go on the honeymoon with you as a favor. I stayed married to you because I’m selfish and I was glad to find any excuse I could to be near you as much as possible. So no…I don’t want an out.Do you?”
I pull into my driveway and that’s when I notice Nora’s car parked in the guest parking space. But I don’t see her anywhere. “Wait.You’re here?” I ask.
“I used your door code to get in. I’ll see you upstairs,” she says before hanging up.
Knowing she’s here has me racing into the house and taking the steps two at a time. I fly into my bedroom but then stop short at the threshold when I spot her sitting on the edge of my bed. She’s still wearing the same clothes from this morning, that huge yellow smiley face tee and leggings…but now her hair is piled up in a cute bun that makes my heart stop.
“Hi,” she says, with a soft smile, but then I notice she’s holding something. A big cardboard box. And suddenly this feels too much like the day she broke up with me.
Derek pockets his phone, and when he spots the box on my lap, his steps slow. He looks hesitant to get near me and I know exactly why.
“No,” I say firmly, trying to put him out of his misery as quickly as possible. “I don’t want an out. I want the opposite of an out. I want an in but I needed to make sure of what you needed first.”
His brows furrow as he takes in the box once again. “I’m confused.”
I stand and set the box on the bed. “I realized something at work today.”
Derek’s mouth is tight as he leans a shoulder against the doorframe and crosses his arms. Unwilling to take a single step into this room with me and this cardboard box.
“I spent the entire day doing what I love,” I say. “Sending strategically worded emails. Reviewing contracts. Playing word chess with your team’s executives. I basically sat at my desk and didn’t surface for air until everyone else had already cleared the building and I was there all alone. And that’s when I realized it…” I pause and Derek’sbrows pinch together. “It didn’t fulfill me quite like it used to. Instead, I opened my phone and saw the pictures you sent of what your friends did for us at the hospital and my heart ached.”
The glue holding him in place loosens at my words. He pushes off the doorjamb and strides toward me. “I’m sorry, Nora. I didn’t mean for it to—”
I hold up my hand and he freezes. “I mean my heart ached because I wish I had gone with you. It ached because I realized I’ve apparently entered a new season of my life where my career isn’t all I need anymore, and I keep trying to live as if it is. I need and want you, Derek. I need and want a life with you. With friends. With better balance to my day.”
I pause and Derek lets me take a minute to gather my thoughts before I continue. “Back then, I wasn’t ready for us. But now—you’re so good for me. You’ve championed me and sacrificed for me and reminded me what it’s like to have fun. And I want to be good for you too.”
“You are…” he says, inching closer, filling my body with that sweet, warm anticipation I’ve become addicted to. “You always have been.”
“Then I want to be goodtogethertoo. I don’t want our past to dictate our future. I don’t want to be so scared of making the same mistakes as before that we hold back honesty from each other now.” I notice his hand flex at his side, and it makes me realize I struck a chord. I wasn’t the only one feeling insecure today.
