high price for a bright, handsome husband whom her father had threatened into staying with her. There couldn’t be much joy in that. Maddie’s life was a whole lot simpler, maybe lonely at times now without the kids, but it was honest and clean. Bob lived in a world of subterfuge, lies, false pretenses, and expensive trades, his happiness for a big career. The Ferrari and the gold watch didn’t seem worth it to Maddie, and she was sure they had an impressive house. He had mentioned a boat and a plane. But his children had grown up in a loveless home. She couldn’t help wondering if there was any part of Bob’s heart still intact, or if it had been dead for years. It made her glad for the choice she’d made not to follow him to California with her kids. If he was willing to make such dangerous compromises for his career, who knew what he would have done with her, when better opportunities arose, like Elizabeth and her father’s firm in Boston. He might have dumped Maddie, and she suspected he would have. Anything was possible with someone as ambitious as he was. He had sold out in a major way, and there was no one left inside him. He was a hollow shell.
They made it through dinner with less loaded subjects, and he drove her back to her hotel. He sat looking at her for a long time when they got there.
“When are you leaving, Maddie?” he asked her.
“Tomorrow morning.” She had decided during dinner. She was glad she had come, but didn’t want to stay. Any further contact with him would be messy, and she didn’t want that. Their old memories were enough for her.
“Could you stay a little longer?” She knew what he had in mind, it was easy to guess. A little comfort for old times’ sake before she left.
“I think it would be a mistake, for both of us,” she said gently. “You don’t need any more complications in your life, and neither do I. I think we had our shot at it a long time ago. And you probably did the right things for you. You would never have been happy without the career you have now. I couldn’t have given you that.”
“I’m not happy now,” he said and she believed him.
“It’s tough to be happy if you’re living a lie. Maybe you should take the bull by the horns and get divorced.”
“And then what? Start all over again with someone else? Give up half of everything I have? Her father would destroy me. He’s still powerful, more so than ever. We have a pretty fantastic life, and an incredible house, a yacht, and a jet. That’s hard to walk away from.”
“I guess it is,” she said, feeling sorry for him, not for his bad marriage, but the bad decisions he had made. She wouldn’t have wanted his life, even with all the expensive toys, for anything in the world. He was in a prison of his own making. And she felt sorry for his wife.
Bob tried to kiss her then, and she gently turned her head to avoid it, and kissed his cheek. “Take care of yourself. I’m glad I got to see you. Thank you for dinner.” She smiled and got out of the car as he watched her.
“I love you as much as I did twenty-six years ago, Maddie, the day we left each other. It never stopped.” She wanted to tell him to give it to Elizabeth, but she knew it was way too late for that.
She waved from the sidewalk as he drove away. She hadn’t answered when he said he loved her. She didn’t know what to say. The poor man didn’t know the meaning of the word.
Chapter 5
Maddie had a text from Bob when she woke up the next morning, asking her again to stay. He’d written it the night before when she was sleeping. She answered him quickly and simply. She didn’t want to encourage him. “I have plans in Chicago. Have to leave. Thank you for dinner. Take good care. Maddie.” His life had turned out so badly, though all his own fault, and all for a lot of fancy toys and a big career. It made her sad to think about, but she was glad she had seen it at close range. It left no doubt in her mind about the wisdom of her decision to move on twenty-six