Page 120 of The Liar's Reckoning

“Define obsessed.”

“She’s everywhere. She’s taken over her life. I think she’s even buying her clothes.”

“The plot thickens.”

We’re quiet a minute while I drag my nails back and forth across his chest. Then I ask, “You think Avery’s gonna want more than the apartment?”

“Like what?” he asks.

“Like…thisapartment?”

“I’ve been looking on the internet?—”

I groan.

He goes on. “She’s entitled to pretty much half of everything—or less since she didn’t contribute any income. But if she goes the infidelity route, then that could turn into a court thing, and I just?—”

“Can’t. No, I get it. So you want to see if you can just give her something and settle it?”

“Yes, but the Hanover apartment is really all I have to offer.”

“And you don’t own that one, right?”

He laughs. “No.”

“Seems like it should be pretty simple,” I tell him.

He chews on his lower lip and studies my face. “I just keep thinking if we hadn’t lost the baby…”

My heart drops when he says that. It’s not that I expect him to never think about the worst thing that ever happened to him, but it almost sounds like he wants to stay married. Like he wishes he and Avery could have been the happy little family he once said was for show.

“Hey,” he says, his tone semi-urgent. His hand strokes my face. “I only mean I never wanted to hurt her or make her unhappy. I’m not saying I wish we could have made a real marriage work.”

“Are you sure?” I ask.

“Sy…” He scoots down until he’s on his side facing me. “Don’t listen to me. I’m all over the place. This shit came out of nowhere today.”

“I know,” I say quietly.

“She probably just wants to move on, and I don’t blame her.”

“Are you gonna be okay?” I ask.

He presses our foreheads together and brushes his nose down mine. “I’ve got everything I need right here.”

“Me, too.”

I kiss the small smile he gives me in response. Just a peck. “You can crash here if you want.”

His smile grows. “Yeah?”

I nod. “Plenty of room.”

“You don’t think I should get a hotel room or something? Move in with my parents for a few weeks and lick my wounds? I don’t know… If I piss her off…”

His train of thought unsettles me. “Graham…don’t take this the wrong way because I’m not asking for anything you can’t give, but this is a chance for us to be together.”

“People could…notice. Me and you here. They could assume things.”

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