Page 87 of Best Kept Vows

My heart expanded, I swear to God, it did. A part of me worried that this was all temporary and Sebastian wouldrevert to the man who had, for three years, forgotten he was married.

“Baby, I’m not going to resent you for this decision,” he continued calmly as if he could read my thoughts and maybe he could.

In the past few weeks, we’d opened up to one another in counseling. Some conversations had been hard, and othersharder—but the result had been that we were more in tune with each other than we’d ever been.

I swallowed against the lump in my throat. “Okay.”

“Damn, Lia. I fuckin’ did it!” He sounded like he’d won a trophy, and then he added, his voice desperate, “Come back to me, baby. Come back to me!”

I closed my eyes, letting the warmth of his words sink in.

“I’m so proud of you, Sebastian.” I exhaled slowly. “And I don’t know if you’ve been paying attention, but we’re back with each other…as much as it’s possible for now.”

He was silent for a moment. “I miss having you by my side, miss feeling like I’m winning because you’re with me. I feel that now. I know you don’t, and I know?—”

“Just come to Savannah Lace, and let’s celebrate with lunch. Mira has made a lovelysalade niçoise,” I urged.

“I’ll be there, baby.”

“And maybe you’d like to come over tonight for dinner. I can cook for us.”

I heard his soft chuckle. “Since I’m an unemployed bum now, why don’t I cook at your place while you work? I’ll be waiting for you with a glass of Sancerre.”

I couldn’t stop smiling as I ended the call.

Sebastian had been carrying the weight of that company for years, and now it was gone—and he felt lighter because of it, and so did I.

It was strange to think of him without Boone Metals, but it was even stranger to realize just how much of himself andushe’d sacrificed to keep it afloat. Now, he was free, and he sounded like a kid on Christmas morning, ready to open his presents.

I wasn’t going to let my fears, my past hurts, or my overthinking ruin this moment.

We were different now. Still figuring things out, yes, but we were well on our way to beingbetteras a coupleandas individual people.

When I told him that we were together now, as much as we could be, I wasn’t lying. My leaving thehousewasn’t about leavinghim; I knew now that it was about findingme.

And if he could let go of an entire company and the dreams he used to have so he could live well, I could let go of my doubts.

I was still in that quiet haze of warmth an hour later when Rachel told me I had a visitor.

Luna was by my desk then and quirked an eyebrow.

“I invited Sebastian for lunch,” I told her, not able to keep the excitement out of my voice.

In the past, my husband introduced me to his clients and colleagues. Now, I was bringing him intomyprofessional world, one I hadn’t had a few months ago.

I all but ran to the reception and saw him in his dress shirt and suit pants.

He’d gotten rid of his jacket and tie. He looked good.So good.

He always had.

Sebastian took care of himself; ate healthy and worked out—which was also how he managed his stress. When we were together, I used to work out at home, in front of the television or on my iPad, but now, with Savannah Lace having a partnership with a gym nearby, I was taking Pilates, and I saw why Sebastian had used it for stress relief.

“Hey, honey.” I hugged him, not caring whether it was professional or not. He’d just changed his life significantly, and whether he needed this hug or not,Idid.

He held me close for a long while.

“You hungry?” I asked, taking his hand in mine and leading him to the cafeteria.

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