Page 52 of Can't Get Over You
You’ve got to stop this shit.
Her voice grew louder as she walked her ex to his car. “I’m sorry this happened to you, Matt. I really am. I can’t imagine finding out I had a child. But you decided to tell me about it after we got married, and there’s just no coming back from that.”
“Look, I don’t know what else you want me to do, but you don’t bail on me the first time we have a problem. That’s not how marriages work. Maybe it’s because your parents are divorced, and you don’t have a good example of how to handle problems, but mine were together till my dad died. They never once considered breaking up. That’s the kind of marriage I want.”
“Well, then, you’d better learn how to communicate, because no one’s going to put up with a man who withholds life-changing information until after she’s legally bound to you.”
“It’s not like that, and you know it.”
“That’s exactly how it played out, so don’t pretend otherwise. But I’ll tell you what Idoknow. For three months, you talked about barstools for the kitchen island when the entire time you were struggling with something huge. I’m not going to spend the rest of my life wondering if you’re hiding something or what piece of information you’re choosing to withhold. I’m sorry, Matt, but you’ve lost all credibility.”
“You’re seriously talking to me about credibility right now? You left the wedding on the back of some dude’s motorcycle. You spent the night with some other guy.”
“He’s a friend. And believe me, after the news I got yesterday, I needed one.”
“Come on, Finlay.” The man tipped his head back, a burst of white fog shooting out of his mouth. “I’ve been nothing but a good partner to you. I’m sorry if I got thrown sideways and didn’t handle it the way you wanted, but you’re really not going to forgive me?”
“At some point, I’ll forgive you. But that’s not the issue. I’ll never completely trust you. So no, I’m not marrying you.”
The man let out a deep sigh. “You know what? I’mgladwe didn’t work out. You want some kind of Prince Charming, and no one can live up to your expectations. Forget it.” He reached to open the door. “I’ll tell the realtor we’re selling the house.”
“Wait.” For the first time, Finlay sounded frantic. “Don’t do that. Not yet.”
“Why?” Matt asked. “Why would you even want to live there by yourself? It’s a family neighborhood. That’s no place for a single woman. Besides, I paid half the down payment. You’d have to buy me out, and you don’t have that kind of money.”
“I’m well aware of my financial situation, but I’m asking for a little time to figure things out. Can you just do this one thing for me? You owe me that.”
“You’d seriously live there alone? Without me?” The man’s voice cracked.
For the first time, Jude felt bad for the guy. He was an asshole, no doubt about it. But he was losing Finlay.
Big loss.
Huge.
He’d never find anyone like her again.
“You just blew up my life. I don’t know what I’m going to do five seconds from now, let alone five years. I can’t think straight, which is why I want you to leave things alone. Give me a minute to calm down and think clearly. Can you do that for me?”
“Sure.” Emotion died in the man’s eyes. “I’ll give you till after Christmas, but then, I’m calling the realtor.”
He got in his car and drove off, leaving Finlay alone on the driveway, staring after him.
Jude had to stop himself from pulling her into his arms. He wanted to comfort her, but he didn’t think she’d welcome his touch right then—even one meant to be platonic.
Well, let’s be honest. It’s never been platonic between us.
He didn’t know how to help her, only that he had to do something. “You want a Fudgsicle?”
She looked at him like he was speaking a foreign language. And then, when she saw all of them licking away, she burst out laughing. “You know what? That’s exactly what I want.”
“Is he right, though?” Finlay lay on the bed, gazing up at the ceiling. “Washe my Prince Charming?” The room smelled a bit like feet, and the mattress had a dip in it. Which was confusing because the Wild Rose Inn and Saloon had always been the best hotel in Calamity.
“Maybe.” Willa stretched out beside her, digging into a bag of Moose Munch. She only liked the chocolate-covered nuts and left all the kettle corn behind. “He sure looks like one.”
With his dark hair and medium build, Matt had classic good looks. He ran six days a week, detailed his car once a month, and had weekly get-togethers with his frat brothers from the University of Western Wyoming.
“Well, it fits because Cinderella didn’t even know the prince,” Finlay continued. “She had one dance with him andbam! He’s the one. Same with Snow White. She’s basically dead, and the dude revives her with a kiss. When she opens her eyes,boom, there’s her soulmate. I mean, seriously, isn’t that what Matt wasfor me? He walked right off my vision board. He checked all the boxes.”
