Page 44 of The Seven Month Itch
She reveals parts of what happened. It’s not ideal, but it’s something I can live with. “She ran out of the theater, damn near had an anxiety attack, went outside for fresh air, and kissed him. Believe me when I say it shocked me. This is Justice. She doesn’t stay out past midnight to slurp down men.”
That visual will live rent free in my head.
After what you put her through, it’s the least of what you deserve.
“I haven’t seen this guy since we got here,” I say, running faces in my head. The retreat isn’t that big. I can’t place a Preston, and that bothers me. “He just showed up out of nowhere?”
Her cheeks flush at the question. Did nobody stop and question who he is and where he came from?
She tries to reel in her emotions but stammers. “W-we met him Thursday afternoon, horseback riding. He gave instructions and worked with hotel staff, so we assumed he’s an employee.”
Not good enough.
I lean forward to put my forearms on the table. “But no oneactuallyverified it. And now he not only has his eyes set on Justice but knows the room you’re in?”
Her tone sharpens. “Look, Terrence, it’s nice to hear you’re concerned, but she’s a big girl. She can take care of herself.”Bullshit.Emma is replaying every piece of information Justice told her about this guy in her head. I want her safe. I want…
“I still love her.” The words spill out on their own.
Her eyes widen. “Come again?”
“You heard me. I love Justice. I love my wife.” The use ofwifegives her pause. She will never admit it, but she’s still Team T. At least, I hope.
Emma’s lips curl at the edges. She leans in closer. “Well, what are you going to do about it?”
“First, I’ll find out who the hell this Preston is. He might be a stand-up guy, but I need to make sure Justice doesn’t put herself in danger. Then, I’ll win her trust back.”
I stayed up thinking about the last few years. Our marriage suffered because I refused to see the warning signs. I threw myself into work to cope with the pain of pregnancy loss and my failure to protect Justice from the hurt. My workload made days bearable for me but came at the expense of the woman I love.
It wasn’t my intention to push her away, and I refuse to let that happen again. A future without my wife is a future I don’t want. No amount of success or women will fill the void in my heart. I can’t live without her.
I just hope I’m not too late.
“Is there no third goal?” Emma’s brow quirks.
“Yeah, there is. After this is all said and done, I’m taking her home. She’ll never question again whether she’s loved.”
“Well.” Her grin widens. “I suggest you get started.”
I hit up Miles’s room after an early lunch to do what he calls “recon” on Preston. I don’t know who he is, and I really don’t want him cozied up against Justice—but one problem at a time.
“Bro, where did you get all this stuff?” I ask. He glances up from a makeshift command center but doesn’t answer. Four full-size monitors surround him. There are two laptops by his side and what looks like black towers in the background. No way in hell he rolled up on a commercial flight with this equipment.
I walk behind him. “Is there anything else you found?”
“Give me a minute to work my magic, man.”
I didn’t have to twist his arm to help. Miles hates relationships, but he loves Justice—no matter how much he loathes the idea of love and marriage. He gives me shit about being whipped, but deep down, he’s lonely.
His fingers fly across the keyboard to confirm Preston isnotpart of the singles’ retreat. “No registration. No room number under his name. There’s not even a restaurant bill for him.”
The hairs on my neck stand on end. Justice, what did you get yourself into?
“Is there any way we can hack into the hotel’s video surveillance? I’m not sure if there were any in the theater, but maybe the cameras picked something up that’s useful?”
Miles swings his chair around and looks at me like I asked him for baby’s blood. “You want me to go to prison so you can get back with your wife? I see how it is.” He folds his arms in front of his chest, suffocating the gray sweater over his frame.
“No, that’s not—”
