Read Online Starting Over by Cheryl Douglas - Free Book Online Page A

doesn’t
know about Morris’s call?” Eve knew that conversation wouldn’t go
well, unless Alex had changed his mind and decided to let her
go.
    “No, I’m going
to see him now.”
    “Okay, well
good luck with that.”
    “Thanks, I have
a feeling I’m going to need it.”
     
    ***
     
    Alex looked up
from his computer when James walked into his office. “You could’ve
knocked.”
    “Your
receptionist said you were alone.” James claimed the seat across
from him. “How’ve you been, man?”
    “Okay… busy.”
He could tell James was expecting more of an explanation. “Sorry I
haven’t touched base in a while. I’ve had a lot going on.”
    “I know. That’s
what I came to talk to you about. Why didn’t you tell me you were
getting a divorce?”
    Alex’s mouth
went dry. He’d been torturing himself with thoughts of a legal
separation, believing that might be Eve’s next step, but he’d never
allowed himself to consider the D word. That was too permanent.
Their problems were just temporary; they would work them out. They had to work them out. “What the hell are you talking
about?”
    “Eve’s lawyer
called me this morning.”
    “I can’t
believe she’s moving so fast.” Alex closed his eyes and tipped his
head back, wishing he could wake up from that nightmare.
    “My guess is
it’s been in the works a while.”
    “I guess she
can’t wait to be rid of me.” He’d thought dislocating his shoulder
playing baseball was the height of discomfort, but that was nothing
compared to the pain James’s news caused.
    “Why didn’t you
tell me?” James asked. They’d been friends since college, and no
one, other than Eve, knew Alex better than James.
    “I guess I was
in denial. I really thought she’d come home after…” He didn’t want
to sound callous, but they all knew Sharon’s illness was fatal.
Alex believed when her aunt passed, his wife would return home.
Then they could focus on their marriage and the family she was so
eager to start. He’d never imagined they would grow so far apart in
a few months.
    “I called Eve.
I wanted to offer my condolences when I heard about her aunt’s
passing.”
    James and Ani
considered Eve one of their closest friends. He wasn’t surprised
James wanted to reach out to offer their support. “You talked to
her?”
    “Yeah, but just
for a few minutes. Her aunt’s funeral is tomorrow, so I’m guessing
she’s pretty busy with that.”
    “How did she
sound?” Alex wished he could be there instead of locked in a prison
of memories of the time when she still wanted to be his wife.
    “She sounded
sad, Alex. How would you expect her to sound?”
    Running a hand
over his cropped, dark hair, Alex muttered a curse. “I want to be
there for her—”
    “Then what the
hell are you doing here?”
    Rubbing the
back of his neck to ease the knot of tension, Alex said, “I think
that’s pretty obvious. She’s done with me.”
    “I never pegged
you for a quitter.” James scowled.
    “Don’t do
that,” Alex said, clenching his fist. “Don’t blame me for giving
up. I practically begged her for another chance. What the hell was
I supposed to do?”
    “I know what
I’d do if Ani wanted to leave me,” James said, glancing at the
photo of Eve on Alex’s desk.
    “Oh yeah, what
would you do?” Alex was open to listening to any and all
suggestions.
    “I’d camp out
on her doorstep if I had to.”
    “That’s called
stalking. There are laws against it,” Alex muttered. He’d
considered doing what his friend suggested. At the airport in
Vermont, Alex’d walked toward the exit doors half a dozen times,
intent on returning to the inn and refusing to leave until Eve
agreed to give him another chance.
    James chuckled.
“Hey, she owns an inn now. Why can’t you just check in as a guest?
Tell her you needed to get away for a while and you couldn’t think
of a better place to recharge your batteries.”
    Alex smiled at
that suggestion. No way would Eve