Page 23 of Mismatched

Looking pleased, Brad directs us toward the registers and we wander back to the front of the store.

“I think this is a smart move,” I tell her. “Even if someone does find your apartment—which they won’t—you won’t have to interact. You’ll be safe inside. But you’ll have evidence if you need it.”

“Yeah, I feel so much better,” Caprice says in a flat voice.

I stop her before we enter the check-out. “Offer still stands—we have an air mattress and an extra room. You can stay with us if you need to.”

She wrinkles her nose. “Thanks, but no thanks. Especially with you two doing the second honeymoon thing lately.” She greets the person at the desk and taps her card “People get so pissed at me for ‘ruining’ their relationships. Why can’t I get any credit for the one marriage I saved?”

And just like that, the pit in my stomach opens wide again. I swallow hard and glance away. Caprice grabs her receipt but takes a long look at my face as we head for the exit.

“Uh-oh . . . Did something happen?”

“I think the second honeymoon’s over.” I sigh. “Not sure there’s going to be a third.”

“He did not go back on that site,” she snarls.

I shake my head, focusing on the heat rising from the pavement as we cross the parking lot. At least the sun is starting to go down. “No. He didn’t.”

“What, then?” she asks, clearly bewildered. “Did he catch you alone with your rabbit?”

I glare, offended by her insinuation, but she stares at me unapologetically. I stab my key fob to unlock my Toyota. “He wants a baby.”

Caprice tilts her head like a clockwork doll as I duck into the car to start the AC, trying not to think about the cold look on Anton’s face when he suggested kids were non-negotiable.

“Okay, catch me up,” she says, sliding into the passenger seat, directing the air vents toward her face. “I’m clearly missing some details.”

So, I fill her in. On everything I can think of. How our relationship seemed to shift after my mother-in-law’s death. How absent Anton’s been, especially in bed. Until my sister came to visit with her baby—when boom, he suddenly couldn’t keep his hands off me. As long as I agreed to conceive immediately.

“But how can he—” Caprice starts, then seems to reconsider. “Actually, let’s back up. Weren’t you guys going to do some kind of therapy?”

“Yes,” I say, not meeting her eyes. Technically, we’ve been seeing a sex therapist. But I can’t bring myself to discuss those details out loud. Even to Caprice.

My phone starts ringing and I glance down to see Seth’s name lighting up the screen.

“Sorry. It’s my brother-in-law. I should take this.” I swipe to answer, putting him on speaker as I shift the car into gear to drive back to Caprice’s apartment. “Hey Seth, everything okay?”

I ask the question out of habit, even now that Sharon’s gone. But my stomach drops as it occurs to me—maybe he’s spoken to Anton. We’ve been avoiding each other for days. Would he make some kind of decision about our relationship and use his brother to deliver the news?

“Just calling to see if you admit defeat,” Seth says. “Since you never answered my last text.”

I let out a low, relieved breath. I should’ve known. “I have a rebuttal,” I say. “I happen to be driving or I’d one-up you right now.”

“Sure,” he answers breezily. “You take all the time you need. After all, there are no shortcuts to any place worth going.”

My eyes widen. “You did not just zing me live on the phone.”

He chuckles. “Sorry, that wasn’t fair. I had it memorized from my high school guidance counselor’s office.”

“I’m going to need to up my game before you get here.” I laugh. Caprice gives me a questioning look, but I’m not sure how to explain our competitive motivational quotes, so I just shrug. “How’s the house sale going?”

“Actually, just went under contract,” Seth says.

“Are you serious?” I shriek. “Didn’t you just list it? That’s fantastic! When will you move?”

“The first people who saw it loved it, and even better, could afford it. I might be in Denver by next month if all goes well.”

“Thank goodness,” I breathe, realizing a moment too late that I have said this out loud. “Um, I know Anton will be excited to help you find a place here.”

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