Page 85 of His Ruin
It’s all the same.
Every time.
Dylan leaves for a few days a week to handle one of his offices in another state, and I’m left alone, running my flower shop that’s grown since the first store I opened a year ago. My work keeps me busy, but the constant traveling has put a strain on our relationship.
At least to me it has.
Dylan acts as if missing half the month is nothing. It’s just work.
The lock of the front door slides open, and I don’t bother looking at him as he rushes inside. I can hear him kick his shoes off before his duffel bag hits the ground and he pads over to me. He leans around my shoulder, kissing my cheek quickly as he takes his blue tie off.
“Sorry, I had to catch another flight,” he apologizes before taking the chair across from mine and spreading his hands wide over the cold food. “Wow, Mel. This looks amazing.”
“Mhm,” I hum, taking another sip of my wine as my eyes follow a yellow taxi that’s bustling down the business district. I already know he’s forgotten what today is.
He slaps some noodles onto his plate, dolloping a hefty spoon of sauce on top. “What’s the occasion?”
I spin my engagement ring, which has been replaced with a bigger diamond after a bigger diamond. We’ve been engaged for four years, and I have more rings than I know what to do with. “Take a wild guess.”
He shoves a forkful into his mouth, chewing. “Hmm, this is cold.”
“It wasn’t an hour ago,” I whisper.
He sighs, putting his fork down as he leans across the table and takes my hand in his. “I said I was sorry, baby. Things happen.”
Curse my soft heart. No matter how many weak apologies he feeds me, I always give in eventually. I don’t know when I stopped caring long enough not to question him, but he knows he can breeze right through my forgiving nature.
“It’s okay,” I mutter half-heartedly. “Do you really not remember what today is?”
He tilts his head. “I’ve been in meetings for the past three days, babe. Forgive me if I can’t remember—”
“It’s our anniversary.”
His face falls. Regret flickers in his eyes as he stands and walks over to me. His arms wrap around me as he squishes me to him, but I don’t acknowledge his presence. “Fuck, Mel. I’m so sorry.”
“It’s fine,” I swallow past the building emotion in my throat. “You’re here now.”
“Look at me,” he says softly, taking my chin between his fingers before dragging my eyes to him. “There’s my girl. I’m going to make this up to you, okay?”
My sight bounces around his features, taking in the years I’ve watched him grow into the businessman before me. He’s clean-shaven, choosing to keep his face smooth and free of blemishes. His hair is still a little shaggy, but he now slicks it back and keeps it tamed. He still looks at me like he’s irrevocably in love, but there’s an emptiness to his eyes that wasn’t there before.
Sometimes I think I’m imagining it, but I catch it more than he’ll ever know. Because I don’t say anything. I grin and bear it to keep the peace between us.
It’s the safest route.
Smile when he walks into a room, kiss his cheek affectionately at events while he shakes hands with investors, and stand at his side while cameras flash in my face.
My eyes drift over him again, catching on the fine-fitted suit that costs more than the first apartment we ever shared. The confidence rolls off him in controlled and deliberate waves now. He’s built himself into somethinguntouchable.
The whole room leans in to listen when he speaks, yet I couldn’t feel further from him. While he laughs and networks, I feel like a bystander—an intruder—of his happiness.
“You okay?” He murmurs softly.
I battle past my tears, nodding robotically. “Yeah.”
He presses forward, catching my lips in a slow kiss, and I have to stop myself from pulling back. He doesn’t taste the same as he used to, like mint and coffee. He now tastes of something citrusy that I can’t quite place. The change started over a year ago, but I couldn’t bring myself to ask about it because it felt wrong to question him when I knew he was doing what he had to. I’ve been the center of his world since college. He wouldn’t hurt me.
Not like someone else I know of…
