Page 26 of The Forever Game

But all I can see is a dejected frown.

He stands there before me in all his naked glory, and that awesome moment we shared on the couch turns to dust as he glances at me doing paperwork, then shuffles past the table. “I’m going to bed.”

His footsteps retreating up to our loft room say the rest for him.

You left me after we had epic sex.

You’re putting work above me yet again.

I close my eyes, swearing under my breath and trying to negotiate how to figure out this shit show.

I’m trying so fucking hard to make everything work and failing around every corner. I can’t help wondering if something is about to break…

I glance at the dark stairwell, a shudder running through me because I’m terrified that it might be the one thing that’s most important to me.

MAY

CHAPTER10

CAROLINE

Tammy and Baxter’s wedding is just over a month away, and I’m feeling like a whale already. I have no idea what I’m going to wear to the event… or if I even want to go.

Of course you want to go!

But Rachel will be there, and I don’t want things to be awkward. I’m already starting to waddle, and the thought of trying to dress up nice for a wedding with this big belly…

You were bigger than this when you and Casey got married.

Ugh, I so don’t need a lecture from my brain right now.

I’m hot and tired and flustered.

The boys have been dynamite today. Thankfully, Troy is napping right now and Billy is quietly playing downstairs. When Troy first went down for his nap, Billy decided that playing drums on the pots would be a great idea, but I put a quick stop to that. Thankeverythinghe didn’t wake his little brother and I’ve had a small reprieve this afternoon. I even let Billy watch TV, but he only lasted about thirty minutes before getting bored, so I should really go down and check on him.

I have my fingers crossed that he’s building a racetrack or fire station with his blocks.

“Please let that be true,” I whisper, tears suddenly burning my eyes.

I have no idea what’s got me so emotional today, but I seem to be tearing up at the drop of a hat.

Because you want to go to Casey’s game and you can’t.

I’ll be lucky if the boys will give me a chance to watch it on TV. The house is always chaos around dinner/bath time, and there’s no way I’ll get to keep an eye on the game. I’m gutted. Casey’s been having the best season, and his team made it all the way through to the second round of the Stanley Cup playoffs. They’re losing the series three to one, so there’s a chance this is his last game of the season, and I desperately want to go and support him, but my parents are out of town and Jolie, who was all lined up to babysit, bailed this morning. It was a work emergency, so I couldn’t be mad at her, but still…

Totally bummed out.

I would ask the neighbor, but Mrs. Mattley is getting on now, and I only ever ask her to babysit once the boys are already settled for the night.

There’s no way I’ll make the game, and I just have to get over my disappointment and be okay with it. I’ll leave the TV on so that anytime I walk through the living room, I can catch a glimpse of the action. I might even see if Billy can play “Spot Daddy” for a minute.

My phone starts ringing and I slip it out of my pocket, a smile tugging at my lips when I see who’s calling.

“Hey, Lani.”

“Ugh, you’re not going to believe it!”

I pick Billy’s dirty sweater off the floor and dump it into the hamper. “Asher thwarted your proposal plan again, huh?”

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