Page 271 of My Temptation (Kingston Lane)

“Thanks.”

I sit down at the table with my plate, and he begins to eat in silence. He really is hungry. He’ll feel better after he eats. I’m sure.

I chatter on through dinner about every single subject on earth. I haven’t brought up his dad . . . I don’t know how to, and I don’t want to trigger him.

I just have to be patient; he’ll talk to me about it when he’s ready.

We finish dinner, and I load the dishwasher. “I made you some chocolate pudding.” I smile hopefully.

“Thanks, babe.” He kisses me softly. “I’m just . . . tired. I’m going to go straight to bed.” He kisses me again, his lips lingering over mine. “I’m exhausted.”

“Okay.” I smile, feeling a little better.

He goes to walk away, and I pull him back by the hand. “You know how much I love you, right?”

He nods. “I’ll eat the pudding tomorrow.”

“Okay.”

He trudges up the stairs, and I hear the shower turn on. And for the first time today, a sense of calm falls over me. I think it’s going to be all right.

I wake with a start. Henley is gone.

He seemed to have slept well, while I tossed and turned all night before falling into an exhausted sleep around 3:00 a.m. I didn’t hear him get up and leave because by then I was out like a log.

I think he’s gone to work, but honestly, who knows?

There is one comforting thing, at least. I know that Henley does autopilot like a pro. And if autopilot is what he needs to do for a while, then that’s totally fine.

Keeping busy is probably the best for him at the moment. If he needs to be a workaholic this week, then so be it. I just wish I wasn’t on fucking afternoon shift this week. I’ll swap my shifts or take the week off.

I need to be home for him this week.

I get up and get into the shower. First things first. I’m going to Goodwill to get his father’s things back. I’m going to hide them in my attic, and I know that one day Henley will be grateful that I got them.

Or maybe not . . . but I can’t stand the thought of his family photo albums being thrown into the trash. They are way too valuable; I’ll keep them for myself if he doesn’t want them.

I glance at my watch. “Damn it, Henley.” It’s 2:00 p.m., and I’ve called him twice, and he hasn’t called me back. I can’t imagine the torture going on in his head right now, and I know I need to give him space, but seriously? He can’t even return my call?

Fuck.

He’s gone onto autopilot and is blocking me out. I know it. I can feel it in the pit of my stomach.

A car drives into the street and pulls into Henley’s driveway. Who’s that? I peer through the curtain; the relatives must be turning up.

Maybe he’s been at the funeral home all day today. Yes . . . that’s it. Of course that’s where he is.

I keep spying through my curtains, and to my surprise, Jenny gets out of the car.

What the fuck is she doing here?

I watch as she walks up to his front door and opens it with a key.

She has a key?

Adrenaline surges through my system, and before I can stop myself, I find myself marching over there. I walk in without knocking, “Hello?” I call.

Jenny walks out of his office and exhales heavily when she sees me as if I am a huge inconvenience to her. “Hello, Juliet.”

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