I clutch the pillow tighter to my chest, staring at the man I love more than anything. “I don’t believe you.”
His face crumples. “Honey?—”
“Don’t.” My voice breaks, but I force myself to keep going. “Don’t call me that right now.”
He looks like he wants to reach for me, but I step back before he can. “You don’t get to touch me after that,” I tell him.
Pain flashes across his face, but I can’t let myself care. My chest feels like it’s caving in. God, is this what it feels like when your heart is breaking?
“I need a minute,” I say. Then I turn and walk into the bathroom, shutting the door before he can stop me.
The second I’m alone, I press my hands to the counter and stare at myself in the mirror. Last night, I thought maybe we were finding our way back to each other. This morning, I’m not even sure my husband wants the life we’ve been trying to build. And the worst part is, I still don’t know why.
CHAPTER 9
PENN
I fucked up.
And I don’t mean I forgot to take the trash out. I mean I literally fucked up. I look over at my silent, drawn wife in the passenger seat. She’s tense with her shoulders pulled up, her hands bound together in her lap, and her lips pursed. I would give anything to take back my reaction, but there's no way I’ll be able to erase it.
I reach for Aria, but at the last minute, I drop my hand to the console between us. “Aria.”
She shakes her head stiffly. “I don’t want to talk about it.”
It’s not only the words that break me; it's the sound of her voice. It’s as if she’s given up. “We should probably…”
She turns in her seat, her eyes piercing daggers at me. “I said I don’t want to talk about it. You had your say. I heard you loud and clear. You don’t want to have kids with me.”
She turns back in her seat and looks out the front window again. “I mean, I can’t even begin to act like I understand. We’remarried, and since the beginning we’ve talked about having kids… having a family… and you’ve changed your mind.”
“I didn’t—” I start, but she doesn’t let me finish.
She holds her hand up. “Stop. If we keep talking about this, I’m going to cry, and the last thing I need is to fall apart in front of your family.”
“Our family. They’re our family, Aria, and you know it.”
She nods. “Yeah, they’re our family, but I’ve kept this hidden from them. All our troubles and how you’ve been pulling away from me, I’ve tried to keep that all away from them.” She takes a deep breath and lets it out. “And if I go in there crying, everyone is going to know.” She leans her head back on the seat. “I should have just stayed home and skipped this.”
I shake my head. “No, you shouldn’t have. Everyone in the family is going to be there, and you’re part of this family. You belong there as much as I do.”
She opens her mouth and then closes it quickly. She looks out the passenger side window, and I know it’s useless to try and talk to her now. She’s not listening and doesn’t want to hear anything I have to say. Fuck, can I blame her? I don’t even want to be around me.
We get across town, and I’m driving up the gravel driveway to Ozzy’s ranch. We’re late, and everyone else is already here. It seems they’re all waiting on us. I can see Aria sit up a little straighter, pulling her shoulders back and pasting a smile to her face. She wasn’t kidding. She really has been hiding our troubles from the family.
I park next to Guy’s SUV. “Looks like Guy was able to make it.”
She just hums her agreement.
I undo my seatbelt. “You ready for this?”
Without looking at me, she reaches for the door. “As ready as I’m going to be.”
She gets out before I can go around and open the door for her. We meet at the front of the car and walk up to the front porch where everyone is gathered.
Zach is standing behind Skyler with his hands on her shoulders, and the second he sees us, his eyes narrow on me. I don’t blame him. He’s protective of his wife, and Skyler is looking at Aria like she knows something is wrong.
Which, of course, she does. Everyone probably does.
