Page 111 of Heartbroken Husband
“You were scared.”
“And extremely overwhelmed by the thought of what might’ve been,” she admitted. “It’s not an excuse, but when wecouldn’t find her, I was so afraid something really happened to her this time that I just broke.”
I moved slowly down another step, my voice softening instinctively as I reached for one of her hands. “Sometimes fear comes out as anger, not tears. I get that.”
“You do?”
“Yeah. You’ve been hurt, Adeline. You’ve been carrying all of this alone for years. Those girls are your entire world and you’ve basically had to parent them by yourself, but you’re not alone anymore.”
Adeline seemed to want to say something, but it was like she couldn’t quite force it out. I recognized the hesitation because it perfectly mirrored my own. She blew out a breath after a few long seconds and gave me tiny smile. “The girls really miss you.”
“I really miss them too.”
Part of me really wished it wasn’t as true as it was, but I honestly missed Jennifer’s nonstop commentary and Lu glaring at me like a disgruntled raccoon or something. I missed hearing K-Pop Demon Hunters echoing through the house, pool toys scattered across the backyard, and crumbs in my brand new car.
As I walked her to the front door, I tried not to think about any of it, but it crashed through my head anyway. She lingered for a second after I’d opened the door, like she was feeling the same thing, but she managed to shake it off a lot faster than me, offering me a slight smile after tucking her hair behind her ears. “Monday?”
“Monday,” I agreed, then stood there watching her leave until she’d disappeared from sight.
“You know,” Theo drawled from somewhere in the shadows of the room behind me. “Most people don’t make mutual pining look this much like cause for genuine concern. Fuck, I feel like I need to call a hospital, or a psychologist, or maybe Dad. Do you want me to call Dad? Actually, no. Alex. Should I call Alex?”
I nearly jumped out of my skin, snapping as I spun around. “What the hell is wrong with you?”
He stepped fully into view, holding an apple like a fucking forest goblin. “What the hell is wrong withyou?”
“I forgot you were here.”
“Idolive here,” he said easily. “Are you okay?”
I shook my head. “Please go away.”
“No.” He took a bite of the apple. “Have you tried therapy?”
“No.”
“Have you tried just growing a pair and telling her how you feel?”
I glared at him and headed to the kitchen instead of answering. He let out a dramatic sigh behind me. “Why are you acting like you were emotionally stunted at thirteen instead of twenty-three? Fuck, man. I know some teenagers with more game than you right now.”
“If you know teenagers, we have a problem.”
He laughed, following me as dutifully as if he’d been invited. “Hey, I help out the high school coaches sometimes. You know that. I’m not even joking either. Some of those juniors would’ve had her locked down by now and you’re…”
He didn’t say it, but there were about a dozen words I could think of to finish the sentence.I’m failing. I’m scared. I’m fucking pathetic and I know it.
I could negotiate billion-dollar deals without missing a step, but the thought of telling Adeline I loved her still terrified me more than anything else on earth. But it was mostly because she was the only person alive capable of actually breaking my heart.
CHAPTER 42
ADELINE
Ireturned to Westwood Manor on Monday, prepared to dive right in. Zach had emailed me yesterday, a painfully stale message that had been all business, like questions about where I wanted to begin cataloging—the attic, duh—and whether I needed additional storage bins or photography equipment brought in.
A messenger had delivered a set of keys to my apartment later in the evening, and while nothing screamed emotionally unavailable quite like couriered house keys, I supposed I deserved it.
I was the one who kept panicking every time things between us became real. I’d slept with him and then promptly failed to tell him I was still hopelessly in love with him. The fact he’d closed himself off to me was one hundred percent my fault and I knew it.
The girls weren’t helping much either. Jennifer had asked to see Zach approximately fourteen times since they’d gotten home yesterday morning. Lu had pretended not to care while sitting by the window like an orphan waiting for her sailor father to return from sea.
