I got your note. I’m not going to push you. I promise I’m not. I love you, and I always will.
I hit send and then type another text to her, telling her what needs to be said even though I don’t want to say it.
You deserve happiness, Aria. I hope you find it.
Then I drive to the hospital and try to focus on the emergency at hand.
CHAPTER 12
ARIA
I have two hours between patients, so I’m sitting in the hospital cafeteria eating a sandwich. Well, I’m pretending to eat a sandwich. Mostly, I’m looking at apartments, rereading the text from Penn, and hoping for just a glimpse of him. Heck, even if he decided to have another lunch with Nurse Jenner, I wouldn’t mind. That’s how pathetic I am right now.
I just need to see him.
I close the apartment listings on my phone and open our text thread again.
You deserve happiness, Aria. I hope you find it.
I read it for probably the hundredth time, and it still makes no sense. What does that even mean? I was happy with him. At least, I was until I started feeling like he didn’t want to have kids with me anymore.
I set my phone down and stare at the sandwich in front of me. It’s been a few days since I left, and the only thing I’veaccomplished is taking over Cathy’s couch and trying to figure out what the hell has happened to my marriage. I don’t know why, but I thought for sure he was going to come for me. I thought he would come home, find my note, and then tear across town to bring me home. The fact that he didn’t do any of those things made me hurt even more. It seems like he’s just completely let me go. Heck, he’s encouraging me to go out and find happiness without him.
I pick up my phone again and open the apartment listings, even though the thought of signing a lease somewhere makes my stomach hurt. I can’t imagine living without Penn, and if Penn and I are not together, can I even stay in Whiskey Run? I know I would see him, and there’s no doubt my heart would break every time I did.
I close the app and press my fingers to my eyes. I can’t do this.
“Aria.”
My whole body freezes. I hold in a gasp and look up to find Penn standing a few feet away in his white coat. I don’t say anything, just stare at him. His hair is mussed, and it looks like he hasn’t shaved in days. His eyes are locked on me, and there’s no hiding the hurt on his face.
“Can I sit?” he asks.
I nod because I don’t trust myself to speak.
He drops into the chair across from me, but he doesn’t say anything at first. He just looks at me, taking me in like he hasn’t seen me in months instead of a few days.
He tilts his head to the side. “You look tired,” he says softly.
I let out a humorless laugh. “You always did know how to compliment a woman.”
His mouth twitches, but the smile doesn’t last. “I didn’t mean it like that.”
I nod. “I know.”
His gaze drops to my barely touched sandwich. “Are you eating?”
I lift my shoulders. “I’m trying.”
“Good.”
The single word is so Penn that it almost breaks me. He wants to check my pulse and make sure I’ve slept and I’m eating. Maybe that should annoy me, but it doesn’t. I miss being cared for and loved by him.
“How have you been?” he asks.
I lift one shoulder. “Fine.”
His jaw tightens. “Don’t do that.”
