AllFreeNovel
Share Us
This isn’t how it was supposed to go.
I was supposed to hate him for the entire year, succeed at staying married to him, and get my company back.
It was going to be hard, but I was going to do it.
This place we’ve come to now? I’m beginning to think it might be harder to survive.
Yes, I like that Jameson is more considerate of me now.
Yes, I like that I get to have sex with him.
Yes, I like the ease of being with him.
Yes, I like that I get to spend time with his family.
But him stealing slivers of my heart along the way?
That was not what I signed up for.
I need to remind myself that he’s only in this for what he will get out of it at the end.
And that’s not me.
It’s Bill’s company.
20
Jameson
“How’s Adeline holding up?” Hudson asks after Christmas dinner.
I eye her talking with Mom and Bill as I drink some of my whiskey. “She’s exhausted but hanging in there.” She’s hanging in there better than many others I’ve seen in the same position.
“It was a gutsy move going public like she did.”
It was. Gabriel, who came to Hudson with the information, advised us he could handle the situation for her quietly. The chance would have existed that it could still blow up for her, but knowing Gabriel’s skills, the chance would have been low. However, the thing I’ve come to know about Adeline is that she wouldn’t have wanted the situation handled in that way. I didn’t mention it to her because I know she would have said no.
She’s not only made of grit and determination; she’s held together by the kind of honesty and purity I rarely see.
Bill catches my eye, and after excusing himself from Mom and Adeline, comes our way. Hudson leaves us so we can talk alone.
“Marriage is good for you,” Bill says while watching Adeline laugh at something Hudson says.
“Yes.” He’s watched us closely tonight, still looking for a sign this marriage isn’t what he’s being led to believe it is.
“I’m happy for you, Jameson.”
Something in his voice draws my full attention. The doubt I’ve heard for months appears to have almost disappeared.
“From the moment you came to work with me,” he continues, “I’ve watched you fight against this. Against being happy. You haven’t allowed yourself the chance at it.” He eyes Adeline again. “Adeline makes you happy, and that’s all I’ve wanted for you.”
I look at her.
Bill’s right; she’s brought something into my life I didn’t have before. Even with all her arguing, and fighting to keep that wall up between us, she’s changed my life for the better.
I don’t work as much as I did before.
I look forward to coming home at night.
