Read Online Starting Over by Cheryl Douglas - Free Book Online

She
recognized the number. She had been half-expecting that call given
the steps she’d taken earlier that day. “Hi, James. How are you?”
James and his wife, Ani, were her husband’s best friends and two of
her favorite people, but she knew it wasn’t a social call.
    “I should be
asking you that. I was so sorry to hear about your aunt’s passing.
How’re you holding up?”
    “I’m hanging in
there.” She’d been so busy she’d barely had time to mourn, which
she suspected was the way her aunt wanted it. Sharon’s service was
scheduled for the following day, and she still had a million things
left to do. With so many people coming in from out of town to pay
their respects, their inn and every hotel, motel, and resort in the
area was booked. “Keeping busy. How about you?”
    “I didn’t call
to make small talk.”
    “I know,” she
said, sighing. She’d asked Morris to call James before serving Alex
the divorce papers. James had been Alex’s attorney ever since he
graduated law school, so she knew he would handle their divorce on
Alex’s behalf. “I’m sorry if the call blindsided you, James. I
would have called you myself, but…”
    “It’s okay. I
understand, but Jesus, Eve, are you sure this is what you
want?”
    She’d been
asking herself that question all morning. She’d been making herself
crazy since Alex left, wondering what he was thinking, how he was
feeling, why he hadn’t called or reached out to her. That made her
realize she was falling right back into the same hell she’d been
living in for months, and she didn’t want to go there again. She
had no choice but to sever ties once and for all. “This is the way
it has to be.”
    “I know he
still loves you. Maybe you guys could go into counseling or—”
    “I know you’re
trying to help, but it’s too late to go back. I’m ready to move on,
and I’d consider it a huge favor if you would try to convince Alex
to let me do that.”
    James laughed.
“You’re kidding, right? You really think he’ll listen to me on
this?”
    “Will you at
least try?” she asked. If her husband would listen to anyone, it
would be his best friend. “I don’t want this to drag on any longer
than it has to. I care about Alex, and the last thing I want is to
see him get hurt by trying to hold on to a marriage that’s been
over for a long time.”
    “This makes me
so sad,” James said quietly. “We’ve known you guys since the
beginning. You were so happy then. I really thought you were the
perfect woman for him.”
    “So did I,” Eve
said, letting her eyes travel to the framed wedding photo. “But
people change. He’s not the same person he was back then, and
neither am I. We want different things out of life. It
happens.”
    “Just know that
Ani and I will always be here for you, okay? No matter what
happens, we’re still your friends and we love you.”
    “Thanks, I love
you guys too.”
    “We’d love to
get out there for your aunt’s service tomorrow, but Jade is sick,
and we don’t want to leave her.”
    “Oh, I hope
it’s nothing serious.” Eve often babysat for James and Ani when
Alex was working late. She adored their two children.
    “No, we think
it’s just a stomach bug, but we’re taking her to the doctor
tomorrow, just to be sure.”
    “Give her a big
hug for me and tell her I hope she’s feeling better soon.”
Realizing she wouldn’t ever hug Jade again made her sad. As much as
she loved Ani and James, they were Alex’s friends. They represented
a part of the life she was determined to leave behind.
    “Will do.”
    Eve knew she
should let him go, but she wanted to know how Alex was faring. If
anyone would know, James would. “How did you know my aunt’s service
is tomorrow? Did Alex tell you?”
    “Morris told me
when he called. I didn’t even know she’d passed.”
    “You haven’t
spoken to Alex then?”
    “Last I heard,
he was headed out to see you. I assumed he was still there.”
    “He