Crossroad to Love (Fab Five Series) - By Anna Kristell Page 0,35
to calm down and get him to talk about what had happened all those years ago. Here goes… she thought.
“Ryan, we have to discuss what happened with your wife. I know part of the story, but you need to talk about it. You need to get it all out, the bitterness, the anger, the grief. Just one last time, you need to talk about it, to me. Then I will believe that you are truly ready to move on. Please do this for us and for our future.” She pleaded with her eyes as she went on, “We have a long way to go from here, and that is the first step. We may have fallen in love at first sight, but we have to do this the right way if it’s going to last forever. And I do want us to last forever. But I think maybe we need to slow down, take things one step at a time. We need to talk about the past as well as the future. Do you understand what I’m trying to say?”
“Yes, I think I do. And you are probably right, although talking about her is the last thing I want to do right now. I hate to ruin a wonderful evening.”
“This will be the last time I ask you to talk about it. There will be no need to after tonight,” she answered with an encouraging smile.
“All right, I don’t even know where to begin.” He continued holding her hand while he spoke.
She caressed the back of his hand with her thumb to reassure him.
“You already know most of the story. Marnie and I were the ideal up and coming young couple. I owned a business and she had a good job and we lived in a nice home in Carmel, Indiana. Ten years ago, we’d been married about five years, she had gone on a business trip with her boss, Joe. It wasn’t an uncommon thing for her to do. They were on their way home. They had driven instead of flying because he had some fancy new car he wanted to try out. But it was raining very hard that night. Joe lost control of the car and they hit another car head on. Joe was killed instantly and Marnie lived long enough for me to get to the hospital, but she never regained consciousness. I drove there like a madman trying to get to her. I stood by her hospital bed crying, pouring my heart out to her, pleading with her not to die, not to leave me. She passed away shortly after I arrived. I was devastated. I took her belongings home with me and didn’t look at them until the next morning. That’s when I found the divorce papers that she had already signed. I also found what appeared to be a very impressive engagement ring and some other disturbing items in her purse. I did some investigating and found out that she and Joe had been carrying on behind my back for at least two years. Everyone in their office had known, but I had no idea. I was a blind fool. Or maybe I really didn’t care enough to notice what she was or wasn’t doing. I really don’t know. Anyway, I got through the funeral, trying to act like the dutiful, mourning husband, and then I sold my business, sold our house and packed up my belongings. Shane and Chloe had just opened the restaurant and they asked me to come out and help them with it.”
“Oh, Ryan, I am so sorry you had to go through all that. It’s no wonder you were sour on women for all these years. But rest assured, we are not all like Marnie.”
“Yes, Chloe keeps telling me that. She never did like Marnie, you know. She knew from the first time she met her. But she certainly likes you. You have not only made quite an impression on me, but with Shane and Chloe too. You should be honored.” He kissed her hand again. “Chloe has wanted me to find someone like you for a long time now.”
Katy shivered. If kissing my hand has this much effect on me, what would I do if he actually kissed me? I can’t wait to find out. Ten years was a long time to go without the love of a man.
“There is one thing I regret about the whole thing, though,” Ryan added sadly.