You Know I Love You (You Are Mine #3) - Willow Winters Page 0,62

James mocks that thought.

My hands rake over my face as the phone drops and I inhale deeply, grateful Kat left when she did. There’s still so much shit that I need to fix and make right. So much damage I’ve caused that’s leaving cracks under each and every footstep I take.

Come to the office.

I stare at the text as Kat flicks on the light switch in the bathroom, the warm yellow hue filtering from under the closed door. She turns on the water as I toss the phone down.

James can go fuck himself.

It’s like he knew I’d think that, because the second the phone drops to the nightstand, it goes off again.

It’s not about work. You know what it’s about.

I was given new information today.

The texts come one after the other in rapid speed and it makes adrenaline slowly pour into my veins, breathing life into me.

The creak of the bathroom door opening and the light switching off forces me to look up at Kat. She slipped on a robe in the bathroom. It’s some sort of black and pink kimono from a bachelorette party I think. I’ve never seen her wear it but it’s been hung up by the towels for years. I guess it’s all she could find in there to hide herself from me.

She doesn’t return my gaze and I can already see that she regrets last night.

Our last night.

I refuse to let it be true. I refuse to give up. But I’ll give her time since that’s what she thinks she needs.

“You can come whenever you need to,” she says and then pulls a shirt over her head as she lets the robe fall into a puddle around her feet. The sight would make my dick hard as steel if it weren’t for the words that hit me at full force. “To get whatever you need. I know you can’t take everything all at once.”

“You really want me to go?” I question even though I know I need to leave regardless of what she tells me. I need time to sort out my shit and get my life to be one that belongs beside hers.

I wish she’d lie to me. I can see it in her eyes, her posture; I can hear it in her voice that she needs me to go. Tell me a pretty lie, Kat. Make me believe you still want me.

“I think it’s for the best,” she answers as her eyes flicker from me to the door and she pushes her hair out of her face. The dark circles under her eyes are evidence of how worn out she is. She’s tired of my bullshit.

“I want to be happy and I feel like we’re so used to being something else that it’s not going to work.”

The argument stirs in my chest, but she’s right in a way and I know I can prove to her that we’re going to be fine. I just need time. “I’ll go now, but I’m coming back when I fix things.”

“That’s what you do, isn’t it? You fix things?” A sarcastic, sad laugh accompanies her comment.

Fixer. That’s what they call this job, but really I’m supposed to prevent anything from breaking. There’s another small huff of a laugh that leaves her, but it’s not the joyous sound I’ve grown to love so much. It’s because of me. I’m the one who broke our marriage.

“I know we grew apart, but we’re still together. Even if you want to pretend like we’re not for a little while,” I tell her. Climbing off the bed, I take a step to go to her, but she shakes her head slightly, crossing her arms and taking a step back.

“It was only one last time, Evan.”

My mouth falls open just slightly for me to tell her last night wasn’t the last time. I won’t let it be. But the words don’t come out. There’s no conviction in that thought.

My eyes close as the phone in my hand buzzes again and I don’t miss how Kat looks at it, a question in her eyes.

“It’s James.” I answer her unspoken question

She chews the inside of her cheek and doesn’t acknowledge me in the least.

“I quit and I’ve just got to sign some paperwork.” The lie slips out so easily. I’m almost ashamed at how easy it’s become to hide the truth from her and disguise it as something normal and relatable.

I don’t know if she can tell I’m lying, or if she just doesn’t care