It sounds like she’s thoroughly plotted our path forward. All of this would have been nice to hear yesterday. Even with my thoughts still full of Euan, I waver. I picture a future withTheresa where we listen to each other instead of trying to guess what the other person wants. Maybe part of the problem is that I never told hermyneeds either. If I tell her, and she still ignores them, we can always break up again. Do I really know that this relationship can’t work if I don’t give it one last earnest try?
The real question is: do I even want to fix our relationship? If not, there’s no reason to waste either of our time. Right now, my head is too muddled and confused to decide either way. “I’ll think about it.”
For a moment, she seems shocked I didn’t immediately agree. Then she smiles with her lips but not her eyes. “Alright, it’s getting late.”
She finally releases my hands and it’s a relief not to be touching her any longer. Which probably does not bode well for any future relationship.
I follow her to the door and open it while she puts her heels back on. On her way out, she pauses next to me, an expectant smile on her lips. Usually, I can figure out what she wants, but this time I don’t have the energy to try. She’ll either have to tell me or leave disappointed.
When I don’t do anything, she leans forward and brushes her lips against mine. The kiss is light and fits against my mouth oddly: her lips too small, her skin too smooth without the scratchiness of a beard. It’s brief, over almost as soon as it begins, and she’s already pulling away from me.
“We’ll talk more tomorrow,” she promises with a little wave. Then she turns on her heel and strides down the hall, her business here finished.
I scrub at my lips in annoyance. I should have said something, told her off for kissing me when we aren’t officially back together yet.I’ll tell her tomorrow,I think, though I’m not sure I will.
Shit.I almost forgot that tomorrow I’m supposed to visit the County Clerk with Euan to figure out if the marriage isreal. If itisreal, I’ll have to explain the whole situation to Theresa.
Oh god, am I cheating on Euan with her? Or am I cheating on her with Euan? Technically, I’m not in a romantic relationship witheitherof them, yet I feel like I’m betraying themboth.
Would it be weird to text Euan about this new development? I think about his breakup, how hurt he was that Nick texted him rather than talked about their issues in person. It’d be better to wait until tomorrow morning.
I just have to figure out how to explain this new development with my ex-girlfriend to my new husband.
Chapter Ten: Euan
“Theresa wants to get back together.”
I pause a few feet from Alex, frowning at him. That isn’t quite the response I expected to my “Good morning.”
He stares back at me, blue eyes wide and pleading, as if he needs some direction. There are dark marks under his eyes, like he hasn’t slept all night. Today, instead of the suit, he’s wearing a pale blue button-up and gray slacks. The simple attire makes it more obvious that he’s feeling off-kilter because he missed one of the bottom buttons, creating a small fold. My fingers itch to fix it for him but I know the gesture would be overfamiliar.
“Do you want to get back together with her?” I hold my breath, knowing what I want the answer to be: a strong, resoundingno.
He hesitates a beat too long. “I don’t know. My head’s too full of you right now.” A slight flush colors his cheeks and he stammers, “I mean, of the marriage. The scam. That whole … thing.”
“Maybe you’ll understand your mind better once we figure out where we stand.”
“Yeah,” he agrees, though he doesn’t sound convinced.
I gesture for him to lead the way, and we walk to the lot where he’s parked his car. “So, I take it she swooped yesterday.”
“Like a damn hawk sighting a mouse,” he agrees with a grimace.
If you’re grimacing, why even consider getting back together with her?But it’s not my relationship and I have no idea what they talked about.
He doesn’t speak again until we’re settled in the car. “She apologized, actually.”
“Good, you deserved an apology.”
A little furrow forms between his brows as he absorbs my words. Then he nods once, firmly. “I did. I’m happy she apologized.”
Is that enough to take her back?It’s a struggle to swallow the words down. I shouldn’t try to influence his decision. One drunken night of rambling isn’t enough to understand their relationship. I’ve never dated anyone longer than a year. Maybe I’d also be more willing to hold on to something I’d spent so long building up.
And after this week, I won’t be here to help him with the fallout. Influencing him one way or the other wouldn’t be fair when it’s his future, not mine.But if we’re married, it’s my future too.
“What would you do?” He’s not looking at me as he asks the question, his eyes focused on the road. His hands clench the steering wheel so tightly that his knuckles turn white. “If Nick wanted to get back together, would you?”
“It’s not really the same situation,” I reply carefully. “We weren’t getting married, we were just meeting in person for the first time.”
