Page 81 of The Accidental Wife

Cole

“Tristan?”

I lift my eyes from the cup of coffee I’ve been staring at for the past twenty minutes. I look at Sophie, who waves in my face. “Hm?”

“I’ve been talking for the last twenty minutes, and you’ve not even been listening to me.” She huffs, slumping back in her chair and crossing her arms over her chest, seemingly annoyed with me.

I shake my head, “I’m sorry, babe, I’ve just got a lot on my mind.” I sigh and reach over. I take her hand in mine and rub her knuckles gently. “I’m listening,”

Sophie smiles and places her hand over mine. “I was saying now you’re getting divorced tomorrow we can arrange a dinner and get our families together to announce that we’re back together again. Wouldn’t that be nice?”

I rub my forehead and smile, “Soph, that’s a great idea, but let’s do it in a couple of months when my divorce is done and out the way. I just need some time to get my head together, plus the press is all over Shayla and me at the moment. I don’t want to disrespect Shayla or her family by being seen with you too soon after the divorce.”

Sophie pulls her hand away and sighs, “Disrespect her and her family? Are you kidding me? I just walked out on my fiancé a week before our wedding for you, and you’re sitting there talking about disrespecting a girl you’ve barely had a relationship with? Give me a break.” I rub my temples tiredly and sigh.

“Sophie, however short it may have been, Shayla was my wife, and I won’t let anyone disrespect her, not you, not the press, not anyone. She deserves better than that. We’ve waited this long to be together. What’s a couple of weeks or months.” I explain, and Sophie shakes her head, averting her gaze.

“Sounds to me like you still care an awful lot about her.” She mutters cuttingly, and I lean closer, scowling at her.

“Of course, I care about her. Shayla’s been nothing but good to me. Our marriage may not have worked out, but her friendship means a lot to me, Soph.” I utter, dropping some cash on the table. I push my chair back and stand up. “I have work to do,” I utter and walk off, leaving her sitting there, her mouth agape as she watches my retreating back.

I have way too much on my mind to sit there and listen to her insistently slating Shayla. I will not rub my relationship with Sophie in her family's face so soon after our divorce. Even if our marriage was staged, our families don’t know that, and how will it look when I’m seen with another girl so soon after we divorce? That wouldn’t only put Shayla in an awkward situation, but it would ruin my integrity too. Fuck that. As pleased as I am to be back with Sophie again, I’d like to enjoy us being with one another before we get hounded by the media again. I don’t understand why she’s in such a rush to go public.

* * *

I drive backto the office and sit in my car, looking up at the building for a long moment. It’s Shayla’s last day at the office today, and I can’t face going up there and watch her packing her desk up. When she handed me her notice, I was devastated she was leaving. Even after we divorced, I just assumed she would be there, and I’d still see her about at work— but now she’s quit, and after tomorrow she’s walking out of my life for good. I won’t see her ever again. That was a hard pill to swallow.

The past two weeks have been weird, to say the least. Shayla’s been cold and distant. Where’s the girl that made my heart race with her smile. When I told her that I’d worked things out with Sophie and we were going to give it another go, she just gave me a tight-lipped smile, said she was thrilled for us, and went back to reading her book. That’s the reaction I got. I was hoping for a conversation of some sort. After everything, I didn’t expect her to be so blasé about it. She clearly didn’t care, and as she said, she was ready to move on with her life.

I walk out of the elevator toward my office and stop when I see the flowers I arranged to be sent to her had just arrived—a bouquet of rare blue lilies— her favourite. I remember how excited she got one day when she came across one. I watch her as she looks at the flowers, leans in, and smells them before she smiles sadly. She picks up the card and opens the little envelope just as I walk up behind her. As she reads the note, I lean into her ear and whisper, “You’ll always be my mini muffin.” She jumps, startled but doesn’t move or look at me. I press my nose into her hair.

Shayla heaves a sigh and steps away from me, taking her scent with her. She turns and looks at me, her eyes watering. “And you’ll always be my little sausage.” I chuckle sadly, and we stare at each other for a long moment.

“Come here.” I pull her into my arms, and we hug. I bury my face into her neck and inhale, filling my lungs with her scent. I close my eyes, “Don’t go.” I whisper in her ear, and I feel her tremble in my arms.

“Cole.”

“Please stay,” I mumble into her neck. “I’m so used to you being around, I don’t know how I’m going to function without you. You’re my best friend.” Shayla sighs and pulls away from me, shaking her head.

“You’re going to be fine. You have everything you’ve always wanted. The company is now yours, and you’re back with the girl you love. Your life is just as it should be.” Shayla explains, looking down at her feet.

“Will I ever see you again?” I ask, and she shrugs with a little smile.“I’d like to see you.”

“Who knows, maybe our paths might cross one day, and if it doesn’t, then it’s not meant to be Tristan Cole Hoult.” I sigh and bite my lip. “Thank you for the flowers. They’re beautiful.” She adds, looking around her desk. “I better get my desk packed up and head out. I’ll see you tomorrow at the courthouse?”

I frown, “Wait, are you not coming back home?” I question and she shakes her head and rubs her forehead.

“No, uh, I have a couple of things I have to do, and I’m going to stay at my apartment. No point in dragging it out. I’ve already packed up my things at your place, I just have a few more things, and I can do that tomorrow after the courthouse.” She explains, and I push aside the disappointment and nod.

“I was hoping I could take you out to dinner, or we could do something together,” I tell her, and she licks her lips and shakes her head.

“I can’t. I promised the girls we’d go out for some drinks. Besides, aren’t you sick of me yet? You just reconciled with your girlfriend, go and spend time with her. I’m sure you two have plenty to catch up on.” She says with a smile and nudges me with her shoulder. ‘I don’t want to spend time with her. I want to spend time with you!’ I have all the damn time in the world to spend with Sophie. Fucking hell Cole, stop pushing her, she clearly doesn’t want to be around you.

I sigh dejectedly, “I suppose you’re right. I’ll leave you to pack up your things. I’ll see you tomorrow.” Shayla nods and starts packing up her desk.

“You sure will.” I glance at her one last time before I walk into my office. I take my jacket off and set it aside before I sit at my desk and watch her. Shayla leaving is hitting me harder than I ever thought it would. It’s like someone’s just taken my security blanket away from me and kicked my arse out into the cold. I have to avoid going home for a few days until her scent and all traces of her disappear out of my apartment, but then I don’t want it to.

Ah, I want to scream, why won’t my mind just shut the hell up! I exhale and shake my head, forcing myself to focus on the work in front of me, but my eyes lift to her again. She’s packed up her desk and is now hugging everyone. Heather is crying, never seen her cry in all the years she’s worked here. This office is going to be so depressing once she’s gone.

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