Page 103 of After the Vows

I’m a coward. I don’t want to lose what I’ve found with Lucas. My one safe place where the loneliness doesn’t plague me. Where I can forget all about my past.

I crawl out of bed and dress quickly before sneaking out of the house and biking to the brewery. I’ll have some privacy here since the place is still locked up tight.

I sit behind my desk and switch on my computer. Time to do some research. Fingers crossed I won’t have to leave Lucas to secure Natalia’s safe and happy future.

“I found her!” Sophia shouts. “She’s in her office.”

I lift my head off my desk and brush my hair out of my face. I must have fallen asleep.

“Do you have to be loud?”

“Don’t yell at me for being loud. I wasn’t the one who snuck out of my house and freaked my husband out.”

“Lucas is freaked out? Why didn’t he message me?”

I dig my phone out of my bag and notice it’s on silent. I cringe when I see I have two missed calls from Lucas and one from Sophia. “Oops.”

Sophia enters the room and sits in a chair across from me. “What’s going on? Why did you sneak off this morning?”

Maya strolls into the room. “Maybe she was overwhelmed by her love for Lucas and ran.”

I roll my eyes. “My life is not a romantic novel.”

“It’s pretty romantic, though,” Nova says as she joins us.

Paisley pokes her head in the room. Great. The gang’s all here. So much for having privacy this morning.

“Can we stop beating around the bush now?” Paisley asks. “I assume Chloe’s here because Lucas’s ex-wife arrived on the island yesterday and caused a scene.”

“Chloe,” Sophia tsks. “I thought you were done running from Lucas.”

“I’m not running. I’m thinking.”

“About what?”

Nova peers over my shoulder at my computer. “This isn’t good.”

I slam my laptop shut but I’m too late. She already saw my research.

“You’re worried Lucas is going to lose custody of Natalia,” she says.

“Of course, I’m worried. Lucas loves Natalia. He would be devastated to lose her.”

Paisley taps her toes. “But this isn’t why you’re at the brewery before the office opens.”

I duck my chin and study my fingernails. “Yes, it is.”

Sophia glances back and forth between Paisley and me. “What’s going on? And why does Paisley know?”

“I know because I know Chloe.” Paisley clears her throat. “She’s going to leave Lucas.”

Nova sighs. “Really, Chloe. Why would you throw your happiness away?”

Maya frowns. “But you love him.”

It’s because I love him. I don’t want him to have to choose between Natalia and me. He will always choose Natalia. Which is the only choice I’d accept anyway.

Sophia plants her hands on my desk and leans close to study my face. “She actually thinks she’s doing the right thing.”

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