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“Craig?” she murmurs.
“Who?” I ask, lost as shit.
“That’s… he’s my ex-husband.”
ELEVEN
Vivica
Of all the small towns in South Dakota—across the country coast-to-coast—Craig Gibson is standing on the sidewalk of Ironhaven’s Main Street.
My hand’s still in Rhett’s, but the rest of me has malfunctioned. My brain has frozen like a computer suddenly infected by a bad virus, and for once, I’m out of things to say.
There’s not a single word ready on my tongue.
It’s the same feeling I’d had the moment Craig told me he wanted a divorce. That he’d fallen out of love with me.
It’s intense enough that I lose any concept of the past and present. I’m trapped in both all at once.
Time’s treated him well. He’s still in excellent shape for a fifty-three-year-old man, sporting his usual thick, tidy beard and crisp dress shirt.
His brown eyes gleam, the same shade as cider in the fall.
A sharp shiver travels down my spine, a thousand memories of looking into those same eyes passing through me.
There was once a time when I merely glanced at Craig and felt so overwhelmingly in love, I thought we’d last forever.
…’Til death do we part.
How it’s possible I can so acutely remember the heartbreak and the feelings of being in love at the same time, I don’t know.
But I do actually; the reminder that I’m both women deep down and always will be is just another mindfucking layer.
I blink rapidly and realize it’s only been a second or two since he’s called my name. It’s only felt like time has sped by.
“Craig…” I stammer out. “What are you… how did you…?”
“Wow, Vivica,” he whistles. His arms open wide and his gaze sweeps over me. “You look incredible.”
“I… thanks… but… what…?”
He lets out a low-bellied laugh. “Cat got your tongue? That’s a first! But I can’t blame you for being surprised. What are the chances I’d be here of all places?”
“You read my mind,” I say slowly.
“Real-estate conference in Rapid City. Wrapped up early so I figured I’d do some driving. See some of the smaller towns in the area. I knew you’d gone to the Midwest, but you never told me specifically where. Crazy it happened to be here.”
“Small world after all...”
“It sure is, isn’t it? But I can’t say I’m complaining.” His gaze travels over me yet again, the gleam only growing brighter. “You’re wearing your hair short. It suits you. And you look healthy, Viv. You look really good.”
Viv.
The old term of endearment further mindfucks me.
A throat clears from beside me, and I flinch in place, my mind landing on Rhett. My hand’s gone limp in his despite the occasional squeeze he gives me.
“Oh, sorry—Craig, this is Rhett, a ranch hand at Silver Creek. Rhett, this is Craig. My… er, ex-husband.”
