He was never mine to begin with, and this isn’t either.”
I look at the paper. The reminder. “I think if I was to cash it, it’s a reminder that he was in my life to begin with. I got the best part of him already. Tatum. She’s all that matters to me in this. And I’m strong enough to know I can provide her with everything she needs.”
“That’s exactly why you intimidated him.”
There’s a sense of relief that lifts from my shoulders when I stand up from that table, but also sadness. For her. For me.
I hang the strap of my purse over my shoulder. Remi stands with me and hugs me.
I let her and then pull away. “I just need to know. Did he talk about your future? Did he tell you he was going to leave me?”
Tears well up in her eyes. “No.”
She’s lying, but I’ll take the lie and let her have it because I know this girl, this innocent young girl my husband used, had her heart broken by him.
I have one last question, and I’m not so sure I want to ask it, but I do. “March thirteenth, the night he died.”
Remi takes in a deep breath and nods. “He was with me.”
I had my answer. He had been coming back from her house. “And Audrey quit as my nanny because she knew about you two?” I had a feeling once I found out that they were friends, Audrey quitting had something to do with Collin and Remi.
A nod. “Collin fired her. He didn’t want her to tell you.”
I let out a breath, and let me tell you, it’s so satisfying to finally know the truth. “Thank you for telling me.”
We walk out together and she sighs. “Does this mean we’re friends now?”
I smile her way, the sun setting in the valley casting rays of golden flecks in the air that match her eyes. “I wouldn’t say friends, but I don’t hate you.”
“Okay, well, what I hear is that’s not a no.” She hugs me again. “That’s a maybe.”
Remi’s glass is always half full. It’s not that my glass is so empty I’m slurping the bottle for the last few drops. And I think we might be friends, but like I said, I can’t hate her. She doesn’t deserve that.
In the car, my thoughts drift back to Collin. I picture his face in my mind. Never did I think when that nerdy banker guy asked me out, the one who vowed to keep my heart safe till death do us part, would blatantly disrespect me in the ways he had. The intricate web of lies and deceit he weaved reinforced my theories that he was a complete sociopath.
But I had to thank him. For giving me Tatum. For giving me the ability to choose myself over him. That I’m enough for our daughter and that he didn’t deserve us. Showing me how strong I am, despite my initial assessment that I couldn’t handle any of this and that I will come out the other end of this so much stronger.
In the darkest way, through this ridiculous adventure of him dying, the foreclosure, and me wanting to be friends with his mistress, he gave me exactly what I needed. A chance to find someone who truly values me and makes me feel like I’m the only woman in the world.
And I think I have a pretty good idea of who that person is.
Runners of first, second, and third base.
SYDNEY
I make it home as the sun is swallowed by the night. You know in the movies when you can see the woman is about to lose it and have a blubber fest? You know it’s coming. You can see it in her demeanor and her hands shaking on the steering wheel.
Don’t worry about googling an anxiety attack. I’m pretty sure I’m moments away from one.
I manage to get inside the house and into the kitchen before I notice the family room.
“Hi, honey!” Tatum yells, standing next to a Christmas tree that’s twenty fucking feet high, and guess what? She’s holding a kitten. Yes, a snow-white fluffy kitten. She holds the terrified animal up. “Hims Olaf.”
“I panicked. I couldn’t find a talking snowman anywhere, so we adopted that thing.” My eyes slide to Cason, who looks about ready to bolt out the door or beg for forgiveness. But that’s just one eye because the other is black and swollen shut. He lifts a beer to his lips. “Surprise.”
I