Page 92 of Married to the Frenemy

They still are.

I wasn’t sure how she’d take the news. I figured she might be somewhat upset.

I never could have anticipated she’d tell me she loved me.

And how did I respond?

I pretended those three words didn’t shatter my entire world.

But what was I supposed to do? Say them back?

She deserves better.

“You give up the vineyard, the place that’s been your life for the past decade, so that Haley doesn’t have to deal with that asshole, then when she tells you she loves you, you blow her off?”

“What did you expect me to do?” I shoot back, taking a sip of my pale ale. It tastes bitter, and not because I’m too much of a wine snob to enjoy a cold beer once in a while.

I have a feeling even the most highly praised wine will also taste bitter right now.

Everything will.

“Here’s a novel thought.”

He relaxes into the booth, scanning the bustling brewery to make sure everything’s under control. It doesn’t escape my notice that his eyes settle on Abbey, his new runaway bride bartender, a bit longer than necessary. But I don’t have time to call him out on it before he continues his relentless badgering.

“You could have told her how you feel about her. You can’t even sit there and tell me you don’t feel the same way. That it didn’t kill you to walk away from her.”

“She’s better off without me,” I snip out, bringing my beer to my lips and hoping he takes the hint I’m in no mood to talk about this.

Then again, if I really didn’t want to talk about it, I wouldn’t have come here. But where else could I go?

I couldn’t stay at the house, not with Haley and Maggie there.

Haley’s probably getting her ready for bed. Was tonight a bath night? I think it might have been. If that’s the case, Maggie probably has her bucket of bath toys next to the tub as she concocts extravagant stories in her head with her wild imagination. Then she’ll beg Haley to read four books instead of her normal three because she’s been extra good and deserves an extra book. At first, Haley will refuse, but eventually she’ll compromise by saying if she’s still awake by the time she finishes the third book, she’ll read her one more.

If I were there, that’s around the time I’d peek my head in and see Maggie fast asleep against Haley as they relax in the chaise lounge. Haley would attempt to pick her up, but I’d intervene.

Even when it wasn’t my night to read, I still liked carrying her over to her bed and putting her in it, brushing a kiss to her innocent face as she slept.

I’ll never get to do that again.

I remind myself it’s for the better.

Just like I have since I walked away from Haley today.

And pushed her out of my life all those years ago.

“Are you still stuck on that?” Jude retorts, yanking me out of my thoughts.

“What? She is. She always has been.”

“Why do you think that?”

“Because it’s true,” I bark out, my voice carrying over the rock music playing through the sound system.

A few patrons look our way and I temper my anger.

“Because it’s true,” I repeat, this time softer. “In case you’ve forgotten, it’s my fault she almost died right before she left for college. She was stuck in a hospital for weeks because of me. Then had to have a live-in nurse teach her how to fucking walk again. Do you have any idea how much it kills me every time I’ve made love to her, only to see that damn scar running from her hip to her knee? All. Because. Of me. I couldn’t control my anger. And she paid the price. She would have paid the price again if I didn’t withdraw my offer. This time, it wasn’t just Haley’s life I fucked up. I could have fucked up Maggie’s life, too. This asshole may have withdrawn his petition today, but he can try again later. I’d rather not be the cause of it again.”

---