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“You know. He has a... He’s... You’ve met him. He’s quite...”
“What are you saying?”
“He and I are very different,” Charity said. “I thought you kind of knew that. He likes to go out and... He treats relationships quite casually.”
His brows lifted. “You’re telling me that he engages in casual sex?”
“He used to,” she said, feeling awkward now. “But he doesn’t anymore. He’s trying to be serious. I’m...helping him.”
Byron’s expression became very careful. “Well, that’s very kind of you.”
“He asked me because you and I have such a great, compatible relationship. He thought that I might be able to give him some insight into what a marriage-minded woman is looking for in a husband.”
Byron smiled then. “Well. That is indeed you living right up to your name. Charitable.”
Charity laughed. “I want him to be happy. Anyway, when we get married I’ll feel better to know he’s taken care of.”
But for some reason it made her heart feel sore.
“We all want that for our friends,” he said. “Have you thought any more about whether or not you want to move to Virginia?”
She winced. “I was hoping that you might like it here enough to want to stay.”
“Maybe,” he said. “I have a feeling I’m going to try to convince you to come with me.”
Her stomach shook slightly. “I guess we’ll see what happens.”
After dinner she made tea and took some scones out of the pantry. She hunted down her lemon curd and extremely hard-won clotted cream—she’d had to order it online—while Byron set up the board game.
They battled it out for train routes and talked about all the late nights their group had spent playing elaborate board games back at school.
“The Risk game that wouldn’t end was something,” he said.
“If bysomethingyou meannearly violent, yes.”
He won all three rounds of Ticket to Ride, but she was sure she’d figured out the strategy by the last game and was confident she’d get him next time.
“I won’t stay too late,” he said, helping her clear the dishes from the table.
She reached across the space and hugged him, lingering this time. He smelled familiar and he reminded her of a happier time. When she’d been at school and she’d been carefree. When her dad had been home waiting for her with the porch light on.
“It’s so good to see you,” she said.
He patted her back and then he did something he hadn’t done before. He dropped a kiss on her head. “It’s good to see you, too.”
After he was gone she sat still, analyzing the evening. It was so good to see Byron. He made her feel...happy. But it was a simple feeling. Comfort, warmth, familiarity. And it brought her back to the jagged, complicated things she’d been feeling with Lachlan over the past few days. How different it was when she parted from him. The past few days she had felt a lot. Sad. Jittery. Sick.
And she did her best not to think about him walking in and finding her in that T-shirt, which wasn’t even pajamas, but nobody was supposed to be there.
You should feel more for your fiancé. Surely.
What was more? She felt for Byron. She cared for him. She wanted cozy dinners and game nights with someone who reminded her of brighter days.
She didn’t want sharp, jittery and sad.
She wanted Byron. It was that simple.
It was okay for life to be simple.
