Page 84 of Crazy Imperfect Hearts

“If you’d bother showing up once in a while, you’d have seen all the renovations I made over the years.”

He shrugs. “Amy never did like it here.”

“So I’m guessing if you’re here, that means…”

“Coffee first, big sister.”

“Okay. Don’t judge. My place is a mess.” I stiffen when I think of a few things I don’t want him to see. Namely the pregnancy books sitting on the coffee table. “Wait here,” I say at the top of the stairs. “I just want to tidy up first.”

“It’s not like I didn’t grow up seeing all your girl shit lying around, Regan.”

I shoot him a hard stare. “Just wait here for two seconds.”

I race across the room, gather up the books, and do a quick visual sweep for anything else that might give me away. I tuck the evidence in my nightstand drawer and head back out.

Ryder is in the kitchen petting Joey.

I roll my eyes. “Gee, thanks for waiting.”

“You got a new cat,” he says. “Wasn’t sure you would after what happened with that fucker, David.”

My stomach rolls at the mental picture of what he did to Chandler, and I will myself not to throw up.

“His name is Joey.”

Joey rubs against his leg, purring at the attention he’s getting. I narrow my eyes. How come he likes Ryder and not Lucas?

“So… coffee? And can I use your bathroom?”

I motion to the hall, praying he doesn’t go through my bathroom drawers. “You know where it is.” I start brewing a cup for him. For him, not for me. I haven’t been able to stand the taste of it for weeks, which has made Tuesday nights difficult with me secretly dumping Ava’s liquid gold under the picnic table.

When Ryder returns a few minutes later, he looks bummed. Oh, god, he saw something.

I hand him a mug and sit at the table, waiting for him to lay into me.

“You made the second bedroom into a closet?” he asks, looking absolutely disheartened as he sits next to me.

“Yeah, so?”

He turns the coffee cup around several times by the handle. “I was hoping I’d be able to crash here for a while.”

My hand finds its way on top of his. “Oh, Ryder. Did she kick you out?”

I try to sound sympathetic when saying it. They have been married for years. But I never liked her, or the way she kept him from coming home. The way she dictated where they lived, what jobs she wanted him to have, and how they spent their time. It always reminded me too much of David.

He shakes his head. “I left.”

“Finally came to your senses, huh?”

“Listen, I know the two of you never got on like sisters, but—”

“But she’s your wife and you love her.”

He closes his eyes, sighs, then takes a long drink. “Why is that?” He narrows his eyes. “Why do you think I stayed all theseyears? Wasted all that time on a woman who was clearly so self-involved that she was incapable of really loving anyone?”

I point to myself. “You’re asking me? The one who stayed with David, sacrificing my passion and my health?”

He snorts. “Guess we’re two peas in a pod then.”

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