Page 49 of Secrets on Ice

“Of course you do, you designed it.”

“I designed the whole house,” she says, waving her hand.

“I know and it looks good.”

She looks at me. “That sounded painful to say.”

“It was.”

She throws a pillow at me. I catch it and drop it into an empty box.

“Keep?”

“Obviously.”

I start taking clothes from the closet while she sorts through the dresser. Most of her things go into boxes without hesitation until she reaches the top drawer.

She freezes.

“What?” I ask her.

She pulls out a small velvet box. “My wedding jewelry. I put it away in a safe place so that I could save it and give it to my daughter.” Her breath hitches in her throat.

“Hey.” I rush over and give her a hug.

“I’m not going to have a daughter now.” She hiccups through her tears.

“Yes, you will,” I reassure her.

“It’s all right for you, but I’m in my mid-thirties. My eggs are dying.” She full on starts bawling, and I just hug her tightly.

“It’s going to be okay.”

“No, it’s not,” she cries, “my time has run out. He took my good years.”

I continue to hug her tightly as she cries. I feel for her, she’s always wanted to have kids, and now that fucking jack ass has wasted her time.

“Cass, don’t cry. Please, he’s not worth your tears. You’re going to be a mom one day, and I know you’re going to be the best mom to that kid.”

She looks up at me through her tear-soaked lashes. “Or I’m going to be the fun aunt to your kids.” She sniffles.

“With whom?”

“Probably some random puck bunny.”

“Do not wish that on me ever,” I warn her, which gets a small smile.

She’s still holding the jewelry box. “Keep, because you never know.”

I nod and put it carefully into the box beside me.

Then she reaches deeper into the drawer and pulls out a stack of cards tied together with ribbon.

“What are those?”

“Cards and notes Trevor left me over the years.” She unties the ribbon and opens the first one. Her eyes move across the words, then she opens another, and another.

“Do you want me to leave?”