Page 32 of Winning Back His Wife
“If you don’t mind, I’m going to take off.” She placed everything on the coffee table. “Christian is finished with his shift. We only have one day off the same since the chief put us on different squads.”
“Go have fun,” Sarah said. “Thanks for staying with me and making muffins.”
“Happy to help out. I’ll be back when it’s my turn.” Leanne grabbed her tote bag. “Be sure to go through the magazine and see what else you come up with.”
“Will do,” Sarah said.
“I’ll walk you out,” Cullen said.
Leanne fell in step next to him. “Ever the gentleman.”
He opened the door and followed her outside.
“I’d been wondering why you haven’t been dating,” Leanne said.
“I figured it would be better to wait until the divorce was official.”
“When will that be?” she asked.
“My attorney knows Sarah is staying with me. He thinks everything can be settled shortly.”
“Sarah’s great.” Leanne pursed her lips. “You’re sure a divorce is what you want?”
“Positive. Sarah wants one, too, so don’t get any ideas. Half the town has tried setting me up on blind dates. I don’t need them interfering in my estranged marriage.”
Leanne held up her hands. “Just asking. And since Sarah’s staying with you, you’re not quite as estranged as you were.”
“Thomas.”
A knowing grin lit up her face. “What?”
Cullen let it go. He knew she was only trying to help. “Thanks for staying with Sarah.”
“You’re welcome,” she said. “See you soon.”
He went back inside to find Sarah looking at the bridal magazine. The muffins sat untouched. “Aren’t you going to eat?”
She closed the magazine. “I was waiting for you.”
That was polite. He sat next to her. “Do you want me to butter yours?”
“Thanks, but I’ve got it.” Sarah placed a muffin on a plate. She awkwardly sliced the top then added a pat of butter. “These smell so good.”
Cullen took one. “Leanne’s got a thing for muffins and chocolate.”
Sarah rested her plate on her lap. “She’s nice. I like her.”
“I thought you might,” he said. “Leanne reminds me of you.”
“I’m nothing like her.”
“You both work in male-dominated environments. You’re competent and intelligent. You ski and climb.”
“Okay, I see the commonality.” Sarah bit into the muffin. “But I wish I cooked as well as she does.”
“Yeah, that would be nice.”
She swatted his arm. “I’m not that bad.”
“I’m joking. You’re a good cook.” He noticed the bridal magazine on her lap. “I’m curious how you know so much about wedding planning, when we eloped.”
She wiped her mouth with a napkin. “I told you I was engaged.”
“I assumed it was a short engagement.”
“Two and a half years.”
He drew back. “That’s a long time.”
“Longer when you add in the years we dated.”
“When was this?”
“Four years before I met you.”
He did a quick calculation. “You must have been really young when you met him.”
“Too young. And stupid,” she admitted. “But I thought I knew better.”
“Why didn’t you tell me?” he asked.
“You and I got married two days after we met. I figured it didn’t matter.”
He set his half-eaten muffin on his plate. “What happened?”
She stared at the magazine. “Dylan entered my life at a time I felt very alone. I thought I was so lucky he wanted to be with me. There were some red flags, but I charged ahead with wedding plans. That morning...”
Cullen leaned toward her, feeling as if a cornice of snow had collapsed on top of him. “The morning of your wedding day?”
She nodded. “I was in a small room at the back of the church. I’d worked two jobs to buy my wedding gown and pay for the reception. I was fixing my veil when Dylan entered. He said he’d been up all night thinking about things, about us, and had come to a conclusion. He couldn’t marry me. The wedding was off.”
Anger surged at how badly Sarah must have been hurt. Cullen balled his hands. “What a loser.”
She shrugged. “He said I wasn’t anything special. I would have held him back. I don’t blame him for not wanting to marry me.”
“Don’t say that. The guy had some serious issues if he thought any of those things about you.”
