Page 33 of The Truth in My Lies (Secrets of Suburbi 1)

“Because it matches your eyes?”

He laughed. “No. Because it reminds me of the sea.”

Did he not realize that he carried the brightest ocean around in his irises? “I love the beach too.”

He put his elbows on the table, mimicking how I was sitting again. “What’s your favorite season?”

“Summer,” I said. The hue of his eyes seemed to brighten. “Don’t look at me like that. It has nothing to do with you being around more. If that was the case, I would have said autumn. This autumn, specifically.”

“Mhm. So why is summer your favorite season?”

Because of you. Because it’s my husband’s busiest time of year. I shrugged my shoulders and tried not to grimace from the pain. “Because it’s warm. Even on the days it rains you can still go outside and dance in it.”

“Why can’t I picture you dancing in the rain?”

“I dance in the rain.” When was the last time I had? Maybe in college? It felt like a lifetime ago. “I used to dance in the rain.”

“So why did you stop?”

“Because I’m not happy.” I was lying about my husband. I didn’t have to lie about this too.

He reached out and grabbed my hand.

My body tensed. My eyes darted around the small restaurant. I didn’t know a soul. I looked back at him and let myself enjoy the warmth of his skin against mine. Every time we touched I had this overwhelming sensation of comfort. Like my hand belonged in his.

“How long ago did you lose your baby?”

He wasn’t supposed to ask questions like this. I closed my eyes. “Six years ago.” Had it really been that long? It felt like yesterday but at the same time it felt like a lifetime ago.

“I’m sorry.”

It hurt to think about. But I knew it was a blessing in disguise. I knew it, but I still had to hold back my tears. “Do you want children?” Why? Why on earth did I ask him that? I opened my eyes to see the disaster unfold.

But he didn’t flinch. Or laugh. “Yes. At least two. I was an only child growing up and I so badly wanted a brother or sister.”

“Me too.”

He squeezed my hand.

“I can have children. I lost that baby, but it…I wouldn’t lose another one necessarily.” I wanted to say it was an accident. But I knew that those words weren’t true. There was no reason to say them. He wasn’t judging me. He was just trying to understand.

“Are you trying to proposition me to put a baby in you?”

“What? No. This conversation took a strange turn, I just…”

“I’m messing with you, Addy.”

“Well, stop doing that.”

“One of my new favorite activities is pushing your buttons.”

I laughed. “I’ve noticed that.”

He was silent as he stared into my eyes. And I just knew he was about to do it again. He was about to ask me something I didn’t want to answer.

“You flinched when my hand slid down your neck. I knew you were as caught up in that moment as I was. And then you pushed me away. What happened?”

Why was he doing this? We had been having such a nice time. “You’re asking too many questions.”

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