Page 48 of Writing Mr. Wrong

“Fine,” she said. “Let’s do this. I married a guy who sold me a false promise, and he’d claim I did the same. He wanted a corporate wife, and he thought—with a few tweaks—I could be that. So he wooed me, won me, and then set about trying to remold me. At this point, do you know what I should say, Mason? What I wouldloveto say? That he couldn’t break me. That I stood up to his bullshit with both middle fingers raised. But that’s not thestory. The story is that I stayed in that marriage and tried to give him what he wanted, until the day he walked out. Sixteen months later, I saw him again in the initial divorce proceeding, with his girlfriend and eleven-month-old son.”

She could see Mason doing that math.

“Yep,” she said. “And that is the full scope of my humiliation. Thanks for asking.”

He looked over, gaze meeting hers. “I’m sorry that happened to you, Gemma.”

Her eyes filled, and she looked away, wanting to stay angry, needing to stay angry. Angry with Mason, for making her admit to that.

But he didn’t make her, did he?

She chose to.

“I should have left,” she said. “That’s the worst of it. That I stayed. But it wasn’t as if he changed overnight. It was like that story about putting a frog into boiling water, and it’ll do anything to get out. But if you put it in normal water and slowly turn up the heat, it doesn’t notice it’s dying until it’s too late.”

Her voice caught, and she dropped her head, eyes shutting. “I’m talking too much. Can we change the subject?”

Something brushed her leg. Gemma opened her eyes to see Mason beside her. His hand hovered over her bent knee, his expression asking for permission. She nodded, and he squeezed her knee.

“My mom never left my father,” he said. “Part of me used to—” He rubbed his free hand over his mouth. “I’d get frustrated. Wonder how she stayed with him. Blame her, even. Why not get out? But it was like that frog in the water. And it wasn’t as if he was always awful to her. She loved him, and she clung to those moments when he was nice, and I just wanted…”

His free hand fisted. “I should have done more. I should have seen she was trapped, but instead of helping her get away,Igot away. Left as soon as I could and then threw money at her, as if that would fix the problem, as if it was all she needed.”

He looked up. “I’m not saying your marriage was like that. Hell, I don’t know what I’m saying. Just that I know it’s not easy to leave—or to even realize that you need to leave. By the time I figured that out, it was too late.”

“Too late?”

He shrugged. “Mom passed away seven years ago.”

“Oh!” She reached to lay her hand on his. “I’m sorry. I didn’t know. I remember your mother, from when she’d help at school.”

He quirked a smile. “She remembered you, too. Used to ask every now and then how that Gemma girl was doing. She said—” He shook it off and cleared his throat. “Anyway, however it happened, I’m glad you got away from him, and also, I would like his home address and an identifying photo. For reasons.”

Gemma smiled and shook her head. “Good thing I know you’re kidding.”

“Kinda not, though if he’s paying alimony—which he damn well better be—you might not want me paying him a visit.” He paused. “Unless he forgot to switch the beneficiary on his life insurance.”

“Oh, I’m sure he did that right away. As for alimony, I didn’t want anything tying me to him. Also, please don’t pay him a visit. It’d make him way too happy. You’re his favorite player.”

Mason stared.

“Not joking,” she said. “He thinks you are thebomb.”

“Well, he’s never getting an autograph now.”

Gemma choked on a laugh. “That’ll teach him.”

“Oh, I won’t stop there. I am having my lawyer draw up a cease and desist. Your ex is not allowed to call me his favorite player ever again. I am officially evicting him from the Mace Moretti fandom.”

Gemma leaned against Mason, and he put his arm around her shoulders.

“Icoulddeliver my cease and desist in person,” he said.

She shook her head. “It’s enough to imagine his face if you did. You’re right. I’m glad I got away, however it happened. I’m free of any ties to him.”

“Including no kids, which must help.”

Gemma stiffened.

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