Page 21 of A Different Husband

I ignored the hostess and walked to the table. When I stood there, Beckett got out of his seat. “Do we really need to do this?” I asked. Home, a good meal with Flynn, a shower, and bed were calling my name in equal measure.

“If you’re serious about us being over then, I guess we do.”

I rolled my eyes and took my seat. “You don’t even know how to take any of the blame for what happened, do you?”

“Look, I’ll get you your half of the trip money.” He huffed.

“Half?” I chuckled as if what he said was a joke.

“Fine, I’ll get you back what you paid in.”

“That would be great. Are we done now?”

“We haven’t even ordered drinks yet, for Christ’s sake.”

It was only then that I took a look around and realized the place was dimly lit, there was a fake candle on the table, and wine glasses were ready. The waiter showed up before I had the chance to question Beckett on the atmosphere. He tried to order one of my favorite wines, but I shook my head and got the man’sattention. “I don’t want wine. What I need is a strong cup of coffee with cream.”

“And you, Sir? Do you still want the wine?”

“No. I’ll have water for now,” Beckett waved his hand as if to rudely dismiss the waiter.

“Thank you,” I called out to him as he walked away.

“What are you doing drinking coffee this late? That’s not like you.”

“I’m exhausted, Beckett. It’s been a long day. This isn’t the place I want to be and quite frankly, you’re the last person I want to spend time with. Can we please get this over with?”

“Do you really not care about all the years we were together?”

“They’re over. You saw to that.”

He huffed and I moved to stand until his hand reached out and held my arm. “Please, I’m sorry. You’re right. Let’s get this over with.” When I took my seat again, the waiter came over with Beckett’s water and my coffee. I told him we needed a minute, just to get rid of him, though I didn’t plan to stay long enough to order anything beyond my coffee.

“I already have your things in a box in the trunk of my car,” He told me. He must have known deep down that I wouldn’t agree to his last ditch effort to keep me. Then again, he probably didn’t really want that. I was a comfortable, stable part of his life. Truthfully, I wondered if I amounted to much more than furnishing in his life before. My presence was only ever tolerated when it was convenient to Beckett.

How did I not see that I was never his priority?

As the thought rolled around in my mind, Beckett reached across the table and grabbed hold of my hand. “Courtney, I know you’re mad right now. I know I fucked up, and that things seem like they’re unfixable. I need you to remember all the years we were together. All the good times we had meant something to both of us. I need you to promise me something?”

“What?”

“Promise me you won’t sleep with my cousin.”

“We’re married and you’ve slept with at least three women that I know of since we split, and I don’t think it would be a far leap to guess there were more.”

“It’s different with Flynn and you know it.”

“You told me to marry him, remember?”

“Yeah, as a convenience, not a real marriage.”

“Oh, so it’s okay if you sleep with other people, but I’m supposed to live by a different set of rules? You are something else!”

“It’s not like that. It’s just… He’s family. You have to understand how complicated that would be when… If we get back together in the future.”

I wanted to laugh and cry at the same time. I couldn’t believe the audacity to try to keep me from sleeping with someone else. There was no doubt he would say the same things even if Flynn wasn’t his cousin. He would always have an excuse for why he should be able to do something and I should just sit patiently in the corner and twiddle my thumbs until he got his fill of other people.

When I didn’t agree or say anything at all, Beckett squeezed my hand to get my attention back on him. “You haven’t slept with him already have you?”

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