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He’d hurt her. Her feelings, her pride, and her future. He’d made her question herself and everything she’d been doing.
David whirled and shouted, “You can’t live here!”
Everly stepped back until the wall stopped her retreat. Her voice was definitely shaking this time. “I know that. I said I’m packing. I’ll leave.”
“Good. I want you out by the middle of the week. My assistant is flying out to get the house ready to list, and my realtor is ready to put it on the market.” He slammed his hand flat on the counter, punctuating each word. “I. Want. You. Out!”
Everly stood frozen, leaning until her back was flat against the wall behind her. He’d never lashed out at her like that before, and maybe she’d been foolish to underestimate him or speak so harshly.
He took another step toward her, and she pushed against the wall.
“We can look past this,” he said, his tone softer now. “We can still be together.”
Everly didn’t speak. Her mind and heart were in agreement. There was no way she was taking him back, but saying so would probably set him off again.
David straightened his shoulders, putting a little more distance between them. “It was all for show. Going out with Natasha.”
Everly couldn’t imagine what he was trying to show when he was kissing Natasha Franco in public. Did he need to show the world that he didn’t mind sneaking around with a woman who wasn’t his fiancée?
“It was Jaden’s idea. She said it would make me more approachable at the event if I had someone with me.”
Jaden had been David's assistant for years, and Everly doubted there was any truth in what he said. Jaden was kind, and she wouldn’t suggest something that would hurt Everly.
Well, she also hadn’t thought David would do something like that either, but look where that got her.
There had been a logical solution to his “unapproachable” problem. He could have invited Everly to fly out a day earlier than she’d planned. His explanation also didn’t cover the dinner at Pierre’s where Megan had spotted the two together.
Quiet seconds ticked by. David stared at her, obviously waiting for her to acknowledge his explanation.
Finally, Everly spoke. “Can I please have some time to pack my things?”
David’s mouth stretched into a thin line. “Fine, but I’m not leaving.”
Great. Now what? She’d never get anything done with David breathing down her neck. “Ridge is on his way over to help me.”
There. Ridge would be the last person David would want to see.
“So you told him?” he asked.
She hadn’t told Ridge yet, but she planned to call him later. But Blake knew, and he would have told Ridge, probably. “Blake is coming too. And Jess.”
David huffed. “Of course Blake is coming. I should have known he’d be right in the middle of this.”
Everly tilted her head, unsure why David was upset with Blake. “This is your fault, not Blake’s.”
David turned, swiping his hand over the counter. The mason jar of artificial peonies flew across the room and shattered against the wall.
Everly stood frozen, her heart pounding loud enough to be heard in the silence after the crash. Her knees shook, and she felt the tremble running up her body and out into her arms.
Deep breaths swelled David’s broad chest as he looked at the mess of broken glass. “Jaden will be in touch.” Without looking at Everly, he turned and walked out, slamming the door behind him.
When the rumble of his car engine drifted away, Everly slid down the wall, tucking her knees to her chest in the corner of the kitchen. The room held no more cheery comfort. She rested her head on her knees and focused on breathing. When her hands stopped trembling, she remained sitting, praying.
“God, what’s going on? What do I do? I’m scared.” She wiped the moisture from her eyes onto her sleeve. “I hate this. I don’t want a husband who would cheat on me. All of this is scary and not what I’d planned, but…” She rested the back of her head against the wall. “I know You probably just have a different plan for me. I just wish I knew what it was. How do I know what’s right? How am I going to find a new place and move out of here in three days? It’s impossible.”
Her phone rang on the counter. She contemplated letting it ring, but if she didn’t use this excuse to get up off the floor, she might sit there all day.
She stood and leaned over the phone. It was Jaden.
