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Never in her wildest dreams had she ever imagined she’d be faced with her marriage in tatters, and suspicion and distrust toward the man she’d loved. His infidelity changed everything she’d believed about her marriage and her husband. Glancing around the garage, Aidan’s tools hanging over his workbench, she couldn’t help but wonder what else he might have done while working out here on a Saturday afternoon, who he might have called, knowing he wouldn’t be overheard.
If she needed any proof of how much her marriage was in trouble, she had only to look at what happened a few hours ago. The Aidan she knew would never have allowed her to leave Spartanburg, not without following her, if only to say goodbye and to reassure her that he would miss her. She was so accustomed to his presence in her life that she felt empty…drained.
She grabbed her overnight bag from the backseat and started toward the door leading into the house. Just as she unlocked it, she heard her brother’s truck pull into the driveway. Relief flooded her. She raced out to him. “I’m so glad to see you, Lucas,” she said, wrapping her arms around his neck and hugging him close.
“That husband of yours needs his butt kicked,” he said, patting her shoulders as she clung to him. He wiped her hair from her face as he put his arm around her waist and walked with her into the house. “I’m glad you got home safely.”
“Me, too,” she said, watching as he put her overnight bag on the floor by the cupboard and moved to the counter where he ran water and filled the coffeepot. She watched her brother, her affection for him lifting her spirits. He was the best brother anyone could have wished for. Leaning against the counter as he moved about her kitchen, finding cups and getting cream out of the fridge, she unwound a little. Whatever came next, her brother would be here for her.
“Sis, despite how dumb Aidan is behaving, it’s going to be okay,” he said, pouring two cups of coffee and passing one to her. “Things seem pretty awful right now, but you and Aidan have been through lots of stuff together. This won’t be any different.” He put cream and sugar in his cup and offered her both.
“Just cream for me,” she said.
“You’ve given up sugar in your coffee?” he asked.
“Yeah. I saw a program on the ill effects of too much sugar and decided to cut back,” she said distractedly as she placed her hands firmly around her cup, sipping slowly.
Lucas’s gaze assessed her. “You’ve had a rotten time of it, haven’t you?”
Her hands began to shake at his words. The cup clattered onto the counter, coffee spilling over the edge. “I don’t know what to do.”
“I’m so sorry, sis,” Lucas said, his voice filled with sorrow. “What can I do?”
“Help me understand what is going on.”
“I’m still convinced that Aidan will come to his senses and realize what a total jerk he’s been.”
“But that doesn’t change how awful I feel, how mixed up I am,” Grace said as she edged onto one of the navy-blue leather stools at the kitchen island. She’d put so many hours of planning into this space when they were remodeling their home.
The off-white cabinetry had been suggested by the interior decorator and she’d loved the look of it. Aidan had insisted on an extra-large fridge with lots of freezer space so he could buy whatever amounts he needed for the meals he liked to cook. Unable to stop her eyes from moving from one beautiful part of her kitchen to the other, a flood of memories overtook her. “Remember the time Aidan cooked all those ribs for the staff, using both ovens? And the huge mess afterward?” she said.
“I do. He invited the whole office and did most of the work. It was a great party, and everyone appreciated being here.”
