Read Online Always and Forever by Soraya Lane - Free Book Online Page B

hung up on saving her, on not losing her to cancer, but in reality he felt like he was starting to lose her anyway.

    Matt had been in to check on his construction sites, but he decided to head into town and see Lisa before he got completely covered in dirt for the day. He grinned as he jumped into his truck. This way he could take her out for a nice lunch, surprise her.
    “Let’s go see our girl, huh?” he said to Blue, opening the door and letting the dog jump in first to ride shotgun.
    Blue stuck his head out the window as Matt started the engine. It only took a short time to get there, and when Matt pulled up on the other side of the road, he saw Lisa in the window, head tipped back, laughing at something as she dressed a mannequin. Matt sat watching her, slung his arm around Blue to give him a pat. It was nice to see Lisa happy, to see her smiling, joking around and in her happy place. He’d been racking his brain trying to figure out what he could buy her as a nice gift, and it hit him then. A really nice new book to sketch in, something that wasn’t too big to carry around. Something she could get started on a new collection with, focusing on the future. Maybe he could ask Savannah to look for something for him. She’d definitely know what Lisa would like.
    “Come on bud, let’s go.”
    Blue jumped out with him and followed alongside him as they crossed the road. Lisa had her back turned now as she pulled a skirt onto the mannequin she was dressing, but he could hear her laughing.
    “Hey, gorgeous,” he called out as he walked in.
    Her laughter died as she turned and stared at him. “Matt?”
    “Thought we’d surprise you. What’re you guys laughing about?”
    “Hey, Matt,” Savannah said, stepping out of the window as Blue ran toward her, tail wagging.
    “Hey, Savvy,” he replied, shoving his hands in his pockets and wondering why his wife was suddenly looking so dull, when he’d seen her so happy and full of life from across the road.
    “I thought we could go grab some lunch,” he said, “or else I could help you wiggle clothes onto those sexy-ass ladies there.”
    Lisa gave him a tight smile. Clearly his jokes weren’t going to make her laugh.
    “I’m pretty busy today. Maybe we could take a rain check?” Lisa asked, coming forward to give Blue a big hug, blonde hair falling all over the dog as she bent to cuddle him.
    “Ah, yeah. Sure thing,” Matt said. “Maybe a coffee instead? I didn’t pick up a hammer even for a minute so I could stay nice and clean for you.” He gestured at his white t-shirt. He couldn’t read her expression.
    “It’s a nice thought, but I really want to keep going here. I’m behind on everything,” she said stiffly.
    Matt nodded, but a pang of hurt hit him. “Sure. I get it. Come on, Blue.”
    He bent in to kiss her but she turned her face. It had been like that since the termination, the loss of connection, her always pulling away. He hated the distance between them but didn’t know what the hell to do about it.
    The dog reluctantly followed when he turned away and Matt waved to Savannah. “See you at home,” he said to Lisa.
    “Yeah, I’ll see you later.”
    Maybe it was just him, but he got the feeling that the reason his wife had lost her smile had less to do with how she felt after surgery and a whole lot more to do with him.

    Lisa watched Matt go, never took her eyes off him as he crossed the road with Blue and jumped into his pick-up. She raised a hand as he drove off.
    She hated the way she felt around him. Why could she come to work and feel like her old self, but not be that same person around Matt? She loved her husband, but when she was with him now . . . She sighed. All she could think about was what they’d lost, what they’d never have. And Matt was a constant reminder, because the overwhelming feelings of failure were amplified whenever she was with him. She hated herself for the way she’d behaved toward him, for being so cold