She twisted her sterling-silver bracelet around her wrist. A gift from him for their twenty-fifth anniversary. Before today, she’d only worn it once. “I forgive you for the affair.”
His head jerked toward her. “Really? You do?”
“Yes.” The weight of pain and resentment enclosing her heart started to ease. “I also recognize my part in driving you away.”
“Madge—”
“I know you want to take full responsibility. But that’s not fair. I resented that you could follow your dreams while I had to give up mine. The truth is I don’t regret staying home and raising Harper. Look how she’s turned out.”
The light turned green, and Don drove on, nodding. “Yes,” he said, his voice thick. “She’s amazing.”
“I shouldn’t have been so cold to you all these years,” she said, her chest aching as she admitted the words. “I was punishing you, I think. I wanted you to hurt as much as I did.”
Don didn’t say anything on the rest of the drive home, and she wondered if she’d revealed too much. He pulled into the driveway but didn’t turn off the engine. The headlights reflected off the garage door as he stared straight ahead.
After what seemed like an eternity, he spoke. “I did feel punished, Maddie. I would come home from being gone so long, and all I wanted was to be with my girls. But every time I walked through that door, I felt I’d done something wrong.” He looked at her. “You weren’t happy to see me. Eventually Harper wasn’t all that happy to see me either. After a while I stayed away on purpose.” His chest heaved. “I didn’t believe I was good enough for you, or my daughter.”
Madge hung her head. “I’m sorry,” she said, tears forming in her eyes.
“That feeling of not measuring up wasn’t all about you, though. Some of it’s childhood stuff. I can see that now. Overbearing father, passive mother, among other things. Still, there’s no excuse for what I did. I guess part of me wanted to punish you too. But we’re over that now, aren’t we?”
“Yes.” She reached for his hand. Without hesitation he gently squeezed her fingers.
Fog obscured the car windows. She glanced at their clasped hands. “Do you want to, um... come inside?” Then she met his gaze, butterflies dancing in her stomach the way they had the first time they’d met. “You could also...” She swallowed. “You could stay. The night. If you want to.”
Don paused, staring at the clouded window. “I want to,” he murmured. “I can’t tell you how much I want to.”
“But you won’t.”
He looked at her. “It’s too soon, Maddie. I don’t want to repeat the past. When we do make love again, I want it to be when we’re both ready to commit to our marriage.”
His words pricked her. “Are you saying you have doubts?”
“No.” He held her gaze. “You do.”
She exhaled. She’d said as much, several times. She’d made it clear he had to prove himself to her. What she hadn’t expected was to want him back so quickly.
“You’re right.” She smiled faintly. “And also wise.”
“Thank my counselor.”
“A counselor is only as good as his client,” she said.
“Who told you that?”
“A counselor I once fired.”
He looked surprised. “You went to counseling?”
“Briefly, years ago. The first two sessions were fine, but then he started pointing out my faults, and I didn’t like that.” She stared at her lap. “Maybe if I’d kept up with it, we wouldn’t be where we are right now.”
“Or maybe we would. It’s impossible to know.” Heleaned over and kissed her cheek. “Good night, Maddie,” he whispered. “I’ve only got so much self-restraint.”
She opened the car door. He really was a special man. “Good night, Don.”
He waved and drove away.
Madge turned and looked at the For Sale sign in her yard. She went over and pulled it out of the ground. “We’re off the market,” she said, then headed for the house.
