Page 43 of Beyond Oblivion

“Thank you,” I whispered, feeling the weight of my own guilt easing in the warmth of her honesty.

Chapter Ten

Trenton

“I need in that drawer,” Camille said, shooing me to the side.

I moved over, and she sighed.

“Now I need inthatdrawer.”

I took a few steps back. “I feel like half my job as a husband is moving out of your way. Have you seen my keys? I have that early meeting with the stupid business guru dude Cal hired.”

“That’s the other half,” she grumbled.

“Huh?” I asked, checking my pockets for the third time.

“Asking me to find things. I’m going to set out a jar, and every time I find something for you, you have to put a dollar in. I’ll be able to buy a new car this time next year.”

I stared at my wife for a moment. “You okay, boo?”

“Boo?” she cringed. “Since when do you call me boo?”

I shrugged. “Kostas says it to Becca. She seems to like it.”

Camille made a face, looking utterly disgusted.

“Fuck, what did I do?”

She opened the dishwasher, then paused, still bent over. “Nothing.” She stood, wrapping her arms around my middle, flattening her cheek against my chest. “I’m sorry. It’s not you.”

“Then who is it?”

She pulled away from me, shaking her head.

“Liis?” I asked. “You’ve been weird since the night they showed up.”

“I haven’t been weird,” she said.

She finished the dishes and then began wiping down the counter, gathering crumbs and scrubbing away spattered grease after our quick breakfast. I made the biscuits and gravy, so she insisted on cleaning up, even though she was in a rush to start her morning ritual of checking on Dad before she went to work. I leaned against the fridge, watching her work the dishrag in circles over an already immaculate surface. Usually, I joined her at Dad’s, but thanks to Cal and his guru, I was ditching today.Maybe that’s what she’s upset about.It would be better than Liis starting shit.

“Okay, it’s not Liis. So, what is it?”

“It’s really not. Liis is… great.”

“Great?” I asked, dubious. It was definitely Liis. “That’s it. I’ve tried to let the wives figure it out, but it’s not happening. I’m gonna say something.”

“Babe,” she said, walking over to me. Her warm, slightly wet palm touched the stubble crowding my jaw line. Camille didn’t use pet names often, but when she did, it instantly melted me—and she knew it. “I’m sorry I’m cranky. I don’t know why I feel like this. It’s not you, it’s not Liis, I just feel like I’m about to lose my shit.”

“Hormones,” I said, instantly regretting it. I waited for her to be outraged, but the sharp comeback never came.

“Probably,” she muttered, grabbing a clean rag to wipe the counter a third time.Wait, what? Did I just... survive that?

I enveloped her in my arms from behind, kissing the back of her neck. “You wanna get an iced coffee at lunch and walk around Target?”

She turned, and I could see the slightest hint of a smile on one side of her face. “You always know the perfect thing to say. Your keys are on the bathroom counter.”

I went to the far cabinet, pulled out an old vase, and dug into my pocket, pulling out several wadded-up dollars and dropping them inside. “Because I know my girl,” I beamed, kissing her cheek. “See you soon. Drive safe. Let me know when you get there.”

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