Page 2 of Sunshine
“Please. The few things you do here and there isn’t work. It’s something you do in between tee-offs.” Before I can think further on the fact that I don’t actually remember when Gary stopped working at his accounting firm, he blurts his own accusation.
“I play golf and go to the club because I’m lonely. Being your husband and errand boy isn’t as fun as you may think.”
“You certainly like the money.”
I have nothing else to say? Shouldn’t I remind him of the actual good qualities I have? Being well-off wasn’t supposed to be one of them. But he does enjoy a certain lifestyle my career affords him.
With my free hand, I grab my laptop off the table and hug it to my chest, planning to leave the room, possibly the condo, but his eyes drop to the floor and that halts me.
“You were never in love with me, Tess.” He sighs dramatically, long and drawn out. “Maybe you don’t know it yet, but I do. I realized it a long time ago.” He pauses, sounding sad. “I just couldn’t love enough for the both of us.”
“Who was I in love with then?” I demand, sounding more upset that I actually am.
“Tess, you’re in love with love. You’re in love with the characters in your head. Hell, I think you’re in love with the people you watch every damn second of your waking day.” He crosses his arms. “Even the ones you watch while we’re out to dinner.”
I turn my head, looking out the window which overlooks the park, where, yes, I people-watch all the time, interesting people. Because my life’s a bore. Gary’s a bore.
Gary’s dull, bland, vanilla, choose an adjective, and I’m the same. Our relationship is stale, tedious, monotonous—dead. He’s right. I don’t love him, I never did. But I don’t admit that to him. No, not good old stubborn me. Instead, I make excuses.
“I’m a romance author, Gary. It’s kind of a job requirement. And you’re always on your phone when we’re out to dinner.” I huff and stand, still squeezing my MacBook tightly to my chest as if it’s the only friend I have left in the world. Shit. And maybe it is.
When was the last time I went out with a friend that wasn’t Gary, or my agent, Paige — who to be fair is my best friend from childhood, but when had I done anything non-work related with her? Were we even friends anymore? Panic rises along with an ache, which in turn cements my realization that I don’t love Gary. I’m more concerned about my relationship with Paige being in jeopardy than I am my marriage ending.
Damn. I should be asking who she is, right? I release my Mac with one hand to place a palm against my forehead. I don’t even care who she is though.
“Who is she?” I demand, trying my best to scowl angrily, no, furiously. Yes that’s better… lividly? I imagine one of my characters scorned by her lover and try to act the part. I blink when Gary says my name.
“Tess, you’re doing it again.”
“What?”
“You’re turning this,” he points back and forth between us, “into a dialogue in your head. Into a damn scene. Bet you’re even using that big thesaurus in your head to edit like always.” He sighs,again,and it’s passionless. Just like Gary.
My throat feels tight, so I rub it. Iamdoing that. Shoot. I always do. Am I the author of this? Am I going to wake up and realize Gary was all just in my imagination? I grunt a laugh. That would be an eighties romance. The heroine was in a coma and dreamed… I smile…Of a tedious, cheating asshole, with an average dick, which inspires her to find the real man of her dreams.
“Tess!” Gary’s sharp voice makes me jump.
“Okay, okay. Fine. But…” I gather a breath and set down my laptop so I can work the rings off my finger. They were replicas of the rings Sir Grayson Edmunston gave to Lady Tobias in Garden of Glory, my first novel to hit number one on the New York Times best sellers list. The book that bought the condo we’re standing in. I had the rings designed exactly as I’d written them in the book.
Oh God, he’s right. I am in love with love—no, just the concept of love. I narrow my eyes at him. Maybe because he never lived up to the hype. No one ever had. Love is fake, something to be written, to be played out on the big screen. In reality love is… monotonous.
“Keep the rings,” he says, looking around.
I give a rough laugh.“Of course I’m keeping them.” My chuckle is rueful as his gaze acutely hones in on mine. No, not acutely… It sharpens, yes, his eyes sharpen on mine.
Oh, for goodness sake! I can’t stop editing my very own breakup. What the hell is wrong with me? I switch the rings to my right hand, sliding them on matter-of-factly.
“I’m taking the condo though.”
No wonder the man thinks I’m in love with love… wait. What? My head snaps up. “You’re what?”
“We’ve been living here for six years, Tess. We don’t have a prenup. I’m entitled to half of everything. And considering how much of my life you’ve wasted; I think I’ll get alimony too. I’ve grown accustomed to this life, after all.” A small cruel smile tightens the corners of Gary’s lips.
“You? Alimony?” I let loose a string of very unimaginative curses. “Get. Out.” And I repeat those words until I’ve run him right out of the condo. “Out, out, out! You lousy, no-good, cheating mooch!”
Chapter One
Eight months later
