Page 22 of The Billionaire's Wife

“What’s normal, anyway?” I managed a tight smile. “I feel like I read somewhere it’s just a setting on the clothes dryer.”

“Is this because of the papers?”

“The papers? Oh.” The divorce papers. I shook my head. “No. Of course not. That would be ridiculous.”

I needed to shut up. Immediately. I clamped my lips together.

At least he didn’t call me a liar out loud, but I was pretty sure that was what he was doing in his mind.

“Honestly, I’m surprised you hadn’t sent them to me already.”

“I didn’t know where you were, remember?” His eyebrows lifted.

I scowled. “I don’t honestly believe that would have stopped you. Be honest—you kept tabs.”

He shrugged. “Here and there.”

I nodded. And yet he’d never reached out. Not even one time. He hadn’t asked for me to come back. He hadn’t looked for an explanation. He’d probably just made a note in a file and went on about his day. So yeah, he could go on and on to me about how he’d been in love and blah blah blah, but his actions painted a much different picture.

And that realization steeled my determination. “So. Like I said, I’ll get out of your hair. I’m sorry—really sorry—for all the problems I’ve caused you. I hope…”

I let that trail off. I didn’t know how to finish it. There were a lot of things I hoped, but not a single one of them was worth giving voice to.

I turned and went back to the guest room. I wasn’t going to call it my room even in my head. It was too easy to like the idea of having space in Tristan’s place. Or in his head. Or heart.

It didn’t take long to toss everything back into my suitcase and close it. I gave the room one more quick scan. My fingers itched to strip the bed and offer to put on new sheets, but it was just one more way to prolong doing what I knew was the right move.

Leaving the first time had been hard.

Leaving tonight made that first exit feel easy.

I swallowed, but the lump in my throat didn’t budge. I grabbed the handle of my suitcase and dragged it across the room. I wasn’t going to look back.

I was halfway down the hall when Tristan appeared. “You don’t have to do this.”

I didn’t stop. “I think I do. I never should have come.”

“Faith.”

I shook my head and turned the corner at the end of the hall, heading for the front door. “Goodbye, Tristan.”

Of course the fact that he kept his condo locked put a hiccup in my plan to sail breezily through the door. I finally handled the locks and stepped into the hall. When I turned to pull the door shut behind me, Tristan was there.

I bit my lip.

He reached out and gently touched my arm.

I jolted. It was as if he’d burned me.

Tristan’s face fell. He shoved his hands in his pockets. “I’ll keep working on the FBI angle. If you change your mind, you know where to find me.”

I couldn’t speak.

I just turned and made my way to the elevators.

The soft click of the door closing behind me echoed loudly in my ears. Something about it seemed harsh and final.

Which was as it should be. Tristan had always deserved better than me.

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