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The next morning, she awoke before sunrise in the throes of a depression so deep she wondered how she would get through the day alive. It wasn’t the betrayal. Guilt over betraying Alphé wasn’t even an issue. It was the hopelessness of being without Dave.
The need to get herself to church right away obsessed her. Not for confession, but to figure out how she would survive this life if Dave Chastain was never fully hers.
A uniform of yoga pants and a Stanford University t-shirt would have to do, and she grabbed her phone and keys and headed out.
Unusually emotional that morning, she stopped at the votive stand first and lit candles, one for Alphé and four for his children out of guilt, and an additional one for Dave Chastain. There was that pesky tear again, and she brushed it away. The rosary would be just the thing she needed, and she dug in the little pocket meant for house keys for her beloved rosary beads that had belonged to her namesake grandmother, Katarina.
With the three small beads between her fingers, she prayed.Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb.Her head bowed, and she cried again. Beating her thigh with a fist, she shook her head.Stupid, stupid, stupid.
***
On Main Street, headed to the marina, Alphé saw Katrina leaving the church parking lot, and she saw him. He beeped at her, pointing to the curb, and he pulled over. She pulled behind him, her hands shaking, wondering what was going to happen next as he got out of the truck and walked toward her. He didn’t waste a second after they greeted each other.
“Katrina, I’d like to give it a go with Calista,” he said, referring to his widowed sister-in-law, not pulling any punches.
Katrina had wondered in the past if there would be anything between Alphé and Calista, and her gut had been correct. He continued.
“I love you. I don’t love her. But I want a wife. I want things to calm down, and I don’t know how else to do it.”
She nodded at him, the relief indescribable. But there was some pain and a minor annoyance.
“I’m tired of the drama myself.”
“It will get worse, I’m afraid. So much going on with my ex. I’m sorry.”
“Don’t be. We had a good run.”
“I’d better get to the boat.” He looked down into her car. “I’m going to miss those long legs.”
She just laughed, the memory of them around Dave Chastain’s waist when he had her up against the bedroom wall the night before vivid.
“Goodbye, Alphé.”
He grinned at her and walked away. She watched him leave; then checked the time. It was too early to call Maggie, but she needed to talk about what Alphé had done since she couldn’t reveal what had happened with Dave.
She made a U-turn and headed back to Creole Cottage, and when she arrived, Dave Chastain was standing on her porch. Her heart banged in her chest. Past the house, into the garage, his car was already there.
She climbed out; he had come around to the side to wait for her.
“You could have used the keypad.”
“I just got here,” he said. “I’ll tell you about it when we get inside.”
She unlocked the side door. “Is everything okay?”
“Yes. I’m not going back.”
“Dave, it’s premature to break up with someone you were planning on marrying after one night.”
The love they had for each other was already unmistakable, their looks saying it all.
“It’s been longer than that.”
“Yes.” She put her keys and rosary on the counter and they embraced; all the tension left their bodies. “Aren’t you exhausted?”
“I’m tired. Can I move in with you?”
“Yes,” she said.
