Page 103 of The Cost of Love

“I don’t want to know, but whatever you did, thank you.” Kissing him once, twice, and maybe a million more times, I smile against his lips.

“Are you okay?” he asks.

“I think so.”

He nuzzles my nose and then kisses me once more before pulling me back until I’m lying on top of him. Running his hands up and down my back, he soothes me until I start to feel sleep calling my name. I fight it, just needing a few more minutes with him.

“You make my life so much better. I don’t ever want to live without you,” I say.

“You never have to,” he promises.

I finally let myself see an entire future with him. One where we are married, living together, and basking in our passions. We’ll be the family we deserve, and have the lives we only dreamed about. In that life, I see nothing but happiness. I see everything with him.

It’s such a nice vision that it lulls me to sleep, where I can continue to dream good dreams.

Chapter 40

Alex

The noise of the bar matches the busyness of my mind. Thoughts race around as I try to chase down the ones I want to voice to my best friend. After everything that has happened these last few months, things have definitely shifted my perspective, and I want his advice on it all. I know now more than I ever have before what matters, and that leaves me with one last major decision.

I look to check the time just as my phone starts to ring. It’s my mother again, so I hit ignore. Every day, she has called, and a few times she has shown up at the office, but I let security know not to allow her up. Now the only way she has access to me is through my sister, who at this point has yet to bring up the subject. I meant what I said on Christmas, and I can’t let her talk to me and get in my head again.

Still, she doesn’t stop, and I don't have the heart to block her, so I put my phone away as Carter walks up.

“Sorry, traffic was a nightmare, and I got stuck on a call right at five. I hope you ordered me a drink.” He throws his jacket and briefcase down.

“No worries, I haven’t been here long.” I point to the dirty gin martini waiting for him.

He takes a hearty sip and then sits.

“So, update me,” he says.

I try to summarize everything since Christmas, including telling him about paying off Chanice’s mother. His face stays neutral the whole time. Once I’m done, he takes another long sip and sits back.

“First, congratulations on finally cutting your mom off. It’s about time. Second, I would have done the same thing about Chanice’s mother, but are you sure she won’t blackmail you?”

“I set it up through a private lotto group. She took a picture with a big check and was announced as the winner. She can’t tie the money back to me.”

He smiles his approval.

“So what now? You live happily ever after?”

“Depends.” Now it’s my turn to take a long pull of my drink. “I have the board meeting tomorrow for our six-month check-in, and I have to decide what to do.”

“Hmm,” he says while leaning back.

I search for the meaning of that one syllable on his face, but nothing is written in the lines of his forehead. Finally, I have to ask.

“What do you think?”

“Well,” he says while folding his fingers together. “I think you already know what you want to do.”

I do know, but maybe I need some sort of reassurance from someone who is from the same world.

“Would you do it?” I ask him.

“Alex, we aren’t the same.” He rubs a hand down his face, and despite how our work ages us, he looks younger than our thirty years.