AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Great, it will be wonderful to have the gang back together.” He looks to Cash. “It was good to see you, James. Tell Carter I said hello. Good luck finding a mate; if there is one thing this girl is good at, it’s that.” He turns back to me and winks, and I want to sink farther into my seat. Way to make it obvious that we slept together.
When Jonathan is gone, I meet Cash’s eyes, ready to tell him everything. But he doesn’t even look at me. Instead, he picks up his wine glass with a hard movement and brings it to his lips, gulping the entire glass in one sip. He sets it down and looks back to his plate.
“Cash,” I say, trying to reach my hand out to him.
He pulls back and holds his hand up to stop me from speaking.“Please don’t.” His voice is clipped, and he still hasn’t looked at me.
“But you—” I try again.
“I said don’t.”
I close my eyes and nod. I just need to give him a moment. It’s a lot to process. Jonathan, my divorce, the lies that I told.
The waiter returns to clear our plates and Cash asks for the check. I try to slip the company card out and Cash gives me a scathing look.
“Can I please say something?” I beg.
Cash finally meets my eyes. “There is nothing left to say. You told me you were married. You are clearly getting a divorce. If you wanted something real with me, you would have told me that, so I guess it was all one-sided after all. And I appear to be just one of many men you string along.” I wince at his insult. That’s not who I am and he knows that. But he is so lost in his anger he doesn’t even see my reaction. “It’s fine. I don’t play sloppy seconds to husbands or Jonathan Hanson.” His mouth twists in disgust. “Fuck, I thought you were different,” he mutters almost under his breath. Then he looks back up at me, and it’s like the mask is back in place again. “This will be our last date, Grace. Send me a list of the women you have when you’re ready, and aside from that, I don’t think we have anything left to say to one another.”
Cash signs the check, stands up, and leaves before I can wrap my head around the insults he just hurled at me.
I don’t know what I expected from him once he found out I was getting a divorce, but that certainly wasn’t it.
Chapter 13
Grace
Saturday morning I wake up and stare at the ceiling. It’s my first Saturday by myself. The first Saturday of my new life. For the last ten years I’ve woken up beside someone. At least most Saturdays. Whether it was in my apartment with Tessa right out of college, or my first apartment with Steven when we were engaged, or the house after we were married. Even last weekend I woke up next to Cash.
And although I would love to live in an alternate reality where he was the one I met first all those years ago—or even now but under the right circumstances—I’m glad that today I am doing this on my own. Standing on my own two feet—or lying on my own butt I guess is more appropriate. Either way, a sense of pride fills me. I can do this.
I refuse to remind myself of the disaster that was last night. It’s impossible to live a life of regret. In the end every decision I have made has been done with the utmost care and dignity that I can muster under the circumstances. If Cash can’t understand that or doesn’t even want to give me the opportunity to clarify, then quite frankly, it’s not my obligation to make him understand.
I was never a woman who lived in my husband’s shadow so it’s not like I don’t know what to do with myself today. I always did what I wanted. Made a pot of coffee, added the sweet cream and cinnamon, sipped it while scrolling through TikToks, and relaxed in whatever way I felt necessary.
None of that changes now that I’m on my own because I always lived my life for me. That is certainly something I can be proud of. Maybe not changing myself for my husband’s whims cost me my marriage. But, in all honesty, what kind of marriage was it if that’s what was required to keep him happy? If he needs a woman to be at his beck and call, to hang on his every word, and sit at home pining for him, well then I’m not the woman for him.
Slipping on my royal-blue cashmere robe, I laugh to myself. Steven didn’t understand why I loved this thing. It feels like a soft hug, but it certainly isn’t the sexiest thing to wear around the house.
I tie it around my waist and squeeze my arms around myself.
A soft hug is extra necessary this morning.
My new apartment already feels like home. I’m still sleeping in the guest bedroom, but when I get around to it later today I will buy new pillows and sheets for the master bed and move my stuff into the bigger room. Marion already emptied the closets, a fact I missed when I came to stay here at the beginning of the week. It appears she set this plan in motion before I went to Florida. Who knows how long she’s known something was wrong with Steven.
Now that word is spreading enough to have reached Jonathan, I will have to let her know the truth. But not today. Today I am going to focus on enjoying the beautiful summer weather in Boston.
Marion’s apartment…my apartment…has a large living room with high ceilings. Two windows bookend a fireplace and there is a wall that is just bookshelves, filled with books in all different colors. I was surprised to find them filled with romance novels. Apparently, my boss and mentor has quite the fetish for all things sexy. I guess it explains how she and Asher have kept their spark all these years and also why she’s so focused on the happily ever after.
Or maybe she loves her job because she’s always loved romance novels. Kind of like the chicken and the egg argument. Which came first?
I laugh to myself as I skim my fingers across the spines of the books and select one to curl up with on the soft gray couch as I sip my cup of coffee under a blanket. There’s plenty of time to enjoy the summer day. For now, I’ll just get lost in a good book.
I refill my coffee three times, and by the time I look up from my book to check the clock I see it’s after lunchtime. I’m not disappointed in the slightest. It’s not a waste of time. Instead, I feel refreshed. And a bit annoyed at the characters who keep causing their own problems.
Just talk to him! I want to scream at the female. She’s not a china doll; stop trying to control her every move, I chastise the man.
Romances are so funny and yet addicting in that way.
