Page 82 of Wicked Little Secret

“Of course. I’ll send your waiter over right away.”

“We’re not in a rush,” Maverick told the man before he whisked away.

Olivia turned in her seat to face Maverick head-on.

“Of course you know the owner of one of the best restaurants in the city. And by the sounds of it, you’re a co-owner.”

“Actually, I just loaned Frank the money when he first got started, which he paid back long ago. He had grand visions of what his business was going to do and didn’t want to sell any of his interest in it.” He looked around the crowded restaurant with a grin. “Which is a shame.”

“I think you’re doing just fine without it,” she teased.

“We’re not hurting.” He winked then went quiet as their drinks were served.

After the waiter walked away, he picked up his rocks glass filled with the amber liquid and clinked it against hers. “Cheers.”

Swallowing, he set his glass on the table. “I’ve been meaning to ask you, have you given any more thought to just starting back part-time?”

She hadn’t. Because she knew she’d be tempted, and that would make her dependent on him, which she didn’t want to be.

“Have you given any more thought to a divorce?”

He jerked his head back. “Of course not. Why?”

Taking a sip from her martini glass, she shrugged. “Just wondering.”

****

Maverick

It hit him like a ton of bricks.

She was serious.

His toolbox, the messes she’d left everywhere, why she hadn’t rented her house out or changed her name… she didn’t want to be married to him.

He honestly thought after living with him for a while she’d come around. He’d tried showing her how comfortable her life would be with him, that he’d be a good husband. But he realized he hadn’t been making progress with her. He’d been making the opposite of progress.

They’d gone from sleeping in the same bed and getting along to sleeping in separate rooms and acting like strangers. Although he appreciated she was back to at least being civil.

None of what he’d done had mattered. She didn’t want to be with him. The boyfriend probably really was real.

The thought of her being miserable with him for even one more day bothered him. Still, he wasn’t going to miss out on raising Sawyer.

“I can get the paperwork started tomorrow, but I’d prefer you didn’t move out until you go back to work. When you do go back, I’ll take care of Sawyer while you’re at the hospital. I can work around your schedule. Your place isn’t that far, and we should be able to make it work. In the meantime, I’d like to call a truce.”

Tears of relief immediately filled her eyes. “Okay. I’d like a truce.”

He forced himself to smile. “And let’s try to have a nice night.”

Chapter Thirty-Five

Olivia

He was giving her what she wanted, so why did tears spring to her eyes when he told her he’d get the paperwork started, and why did it feel like she’d swallowed a bag of rocks?

Because by giving in, he was confirming what she already knew. He didn’t love her.

But it was good—in just six short weeks, she could get on with her life. In the meantime, she was going to do her damnedest to get along with him, like he suggested.

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