Page 40 of Trick of Light

“I always planned to,” Rod said. “I just never met someone.”

His eyes glowed as he gazed at her. It was as though he was confirming what they both knew—that they would have married one another, given the chance.

After a pause, Bethany added, “My husband and I are taking a break right now.”

Rod looked deflated. “I’m so sorry to hear that.” He paused. “Do you mind if I ask what happened?”

“I don’t mind.” How could she? She’d previously told Rod every single thought in her mind. They’d been two halves of the same whole.

“I do still love Nick,” Bethany said tentatively. “We’ve been married for fifteen years and have three children. We’ve been through so much. But I can’t help but think there’s a lack of respect on his side.”

Rod’s eyes widened.

“As you said, Nick was passed over for the position his father had held for decades,” Bethany continued, “and I was named top surgeon. That was probably the first day of the end of my marriage. Until then, Nick could pretend, at least, that he was a better surgeon than me or that we were equal. But now that the scales have tipped in my favor, he hasn’t looked at me the same way. It’s been proof of something for me. That he always saw me as less than. That he never thought I would truly amount to anything.”

Bethany was getting carried away, speaking too quickly. She gasped for breath and touched her chest.

“It’s okay,” Rod assured her. His nourishing and deep voice brought her back to earth.

After Bethany regained her breath, she gave Rod a soft smile. “I’m sorry about that.”

“Don’t worry. I can’t imagine how you’re feeling,” Rod said.

“Life comes at you fast.”

Rod laughed. “I’m sure you’ll see him. When we go to Savannah next week, I mean.”

Bethany’s heart thrummed. “We haven’t spoken at all since I got here. I don’t know what he thinks about any of this. I don’t even know if he misses the kids.” Her voice cracked.

Rod tilted his head. “Do you think you owe it to yourself to see him again? To hash this out? I mean, you say you still love him.”

Bethany was silent and thoughtful. She sipped her tea.

“People get divorced all the time,” Rod said. “But I know how terrible it can feel to make a rash decision and not be able to go back on it.”

Bethany raised her eyes to meet his. She understood what he was referring to almost immediately. They were both remembering their breakup all those years ago—when Bethany’s stress and depression had cratered between them. It had been rash. It had been too soon. They hadn’t been able to go back.

“Thank you for the advice,” Bethany said, surprised by how genuinely she meant it.

She didn’t want to throw away her marriage as rashly as she’d thrown away her relationship with Rod. She’d regretted that for years. Maybe she still did.

After they finished their coffee and tore apart the chocolate chip cookie, they walked along the boardwalk for a while. Rod had his hands in his pockets and his shoulders slung back as he told her a story from ten years ago, when Renee had still been a teenager, and he’d been in over his head.

“I’m at the very beginning of that chaos,” Bethany yelped. “Maddie and Tommy are thirteen.”

“Uh-oh,” Rod said. “You frightened?”

“Should I be?”

Rod’s eyes glinted. “Buckle up, Bethy. You’re in teenager territory now.”

“Ugh.”

“What are they like?” Rod asked, his face open.

Bethany thought for a moment. “They’re all very smart.”

“No surprise there.”

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