“Yes?”
“I really thought you’d be excited.”
She didn’t say anything, and her silence was answer enough.
I opened the door, and the warm air in the garage hit me like a wall. I stepped out, and the door shut behind me with the softest click that sounded like a vault being locked.
Chapter Forty
Mazzy
Therewasnobettermedicine than holding a tiny, sleeping baby. Lucky for me, Shira had been more than willing to let me borrow baby Ruby during our lunch date. She got to be hands-free so she could eat a meal in peace, and I got much-needed baby snuggles.
She looked at me across the table, her fork dangling, a tired but serene smile curving her lips.
“Are you ready to talk about it?”
Tucking Ruby into the crook of my arm, I picked up my water glass. “What do you know?”
“I know about New Zealand.”
I nodded. “He’s going to go.”
“He hasn’t signed the contract yet. It isn’t official. But”—she speared a tomato with her fork—“it is a really amazing opportunity. Most rugby players dream of playing for the Warriors.”
“That’s what he said.”
In the days since Ben had dropped the bomb, we hadn’t talked about it. We hadn’t spoken much at all. He’d been around, like always, soaking up as much time with Katty as he could.
That made me sad.
To be fair, everything made me sad.
I didn’t know what to say to him anymore. I’d considered going, I really had, but I couldn’t seem to make myself believe it was the right move. If we’d been together longer, if he hadn’t shut down when his mother had reappeared, if he hadn’t said what he had to me…
Well, there was no sense in getting caught up in the “ifs.” This was our situation now. Ben wanted to go. I didn’t.
It wasn’t even that I didn’t want to go, really. It was giving everything up—all I’d built around me, the security of my job and my little family—for amaybe.
Maybeit would work out.
Maybewe’d be happy.
MaybeI could find another job I loved just as much and pausing school wouldn’t kill my momentum.
MaybeBen would never shut down on me again.
Shira swallowed and dabbed her mouth with her napkin. “He also told his brothers he said he’d take Katty.”
I raised my brows. “I’m surprised he admitted that.”
“Me too. I think he wanted them to tell him how stupid he was, and they did, in spades. Even Adrian, one of the most guarded, mistrusting men I’ve ever known, verbally slapped him for going there. Believe me, Ben knows he was wrong, and if he forgets, his brothers will remind him without hesitation.” Her faint smile faded. “Roman had a meeting with Louise.”
“Oh?” Shifting Ruby, I leaned forward. This was a surprise. “How was it?”
“Well, she really is dying. She brought her medical records so Roman wouldn’t think she was manipulating them. Though I’m not sure anyone doubted her. One look, and…”
Our eyes met, and we shared the same bleak expression. “Yeah.”
