Page 408 of The Christmas Wife

"You. Love. Her." Her eyes gleam.

"Of course, I do."

"I’m so happy for you, Edward." She begins to reach for me, then hesitates. "I came to tell you, you need to move on, but I’m happy to see this was a wasted trip."

"It was." The words come out shorter than I intended. Enough for her to peer into my features. "You’re still angry with me and Baron."

"What gave you that impression?"

"The fact that you never attend any of the gatherings with your friends? That you avoid us all?"

"I’ve been busy." I raise a shoulder.

"And now you’re married. You should bring Mira around so she can meet us."

"I intend to take her on a honeymoon first."

Her features light up. "That’s good. She seems like an amazing woman."

"She is." I glance toward where I can see her seated at her desk through the glass-wall of my office.Why do I miss every moment apart from her?

"I really am pleased for the both of you," Ava murmurs.

“Thank you.” I incline my head.

She bites the inside of her cheek. "It’s not my place but... Have you told her about the incident?"

I stiffen, then draw myself up to my full height. “You’re right, it’s not your place to ask that question.”

She flinches. “I’m sorry. Really, I am. But I had to ask. Especially since Baron still has nightmares over what happened. And this, after years of therapy.”

“Baron agreed to therapy?” I blink. The Baron I knew was as adamant as me on not relying on anyone else for help—well, other than each other. We always had the other person to talk to when things got hard.

And I cut him off. And turned my back on his friendship. I had to. It was the only way I could get through that phase of mylife. Strangely it doesn’t bother me now, to think of him and Ava together. Is it because I found Belle? Because she fits me in a way that makes any other relationship in my life pale in comparison?

“He did, after I pleaded with him.” Her features soften. “I’m not saying it’s the answer, but it has helped him find some measure of peace.”

“How is he?” I ask in a cautious tone.

“He’s good.” She scrutinizes my features, then sighs. "I wish you'd call him; he misses you. Not that he’ll admit it to me, but I know he does. You two were closer than brothers, and you both have been together through so much. He’s tried to reach you so many times, Ed. I wish”—she swallows—“I wish you’d give him a chance.”

Guilt seizes me. I haven’t answered his calls or his emails. Sure, I wanted them to be happy, but I couldn’t bring myself to witness it first-hand. But the lack of reaction to seeing Ava assures me thoughts of her no longer hold sway over me. The only woman who occupies my mind now is Belle. And it's been her from the moment I saw her. Ava and I were never meant to be. I suspected it, but meeting Belle has shown me, there’s only one woman for me. Her.

“Goodbye, Ava.”

“You’ll call Baron?” she pleads.

I hesitate. “I’ll think about it.”

“That’s all I ask.”

I walk Ava past Belle’s empty desk—where the fuck did she go?—and see her off at the elevator. When I return, Belle’s desk is still empty. I push open the door to my office and walk inside to find Belle standing behind my desk. She’s staring at my computer screen, a wrinkle between her eyebrows.

"There you are; I was worried when I didn’t see you at your desk earlier."

"Is that why you have a camera trained on me?"

I stiffen, then force myself to move forward until I stand next to her. I follow her gaze to the screen, knowing what I'll see. A quadrant view. One of which shows her empty desk. I forgot to shut down the view when I took the phone call earlier.

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