Page 132 of Divorced from Number Thirty-Eight
Screech!
Gray shoves back his chair and jumps to his feet, hands fisting in his hair, body going so still for a heartbeat, he’s back to playing statue.
Then he’s striding away from the table, pushing out through the back door.
“I’m sorry,” Nalini says as it slams shut. “This isn’t what any of us want?—”
“Definitely not.” Marie scowls. “Turning tale and running instead of fighting.” She makes a sound of disgust. “It’s pathetic.”
I drop my gaze to my lap. “I should have listened to you instead of getting upset and defensive the other day. If we’d found some middle ground this might not have…”
Blown up in my face—the explosion so big Gray has been caught up in the crossfire I was trying to protect him from in the first place.
“No, Faye.” Regret on her face. “I was out of line. And I was greedy, thinking about how to milk the situation for all it was worth. You were trying to protect your peace, to protect what you and Gray are building. If I’d had a care to that, we may have been able to figure out a way to avoid all this.”
We all fall silent and I know I need to end the call, to go after Gray.
I just…
There’s one thing I need to know first.
“Will I have to pay back the advance?”
I haven’t received all of it yet—some is paid out after release—but with my insurance company not yet cutting me a check and all the expenses I’ve incurred to purchase enough stuff to living my life…
Paying that money back will hurt.
I’ll do it.
But it’ll still hurt.
“Not at this point,” Nalini says. “And if they try to cancel the contract, we’re going to fight tooth and nail. You’re not in breech; they’re the ones delaying things.”
I nod, try to hold on to that one small positive. “Okay.”
Marie makes a shooing motion. “You need to get off this call and avoid social media for a few days. Hole up, do your best to be patient, to reassure Gray. We’re all working on this and once we figure out a plan, I’ll loop you back in.”
“The book is low priority,” I say, even though the words hurt my heart, even though I know it’s the best thing I’ve ever written and shelving it would destroy a part of my soul. But— “Whatever it takes to make this easier for Gray, do it.”
Because he’s more important.
And it’s my turn to protect him.
A long pause before Marie nods. “We’re on it. But you’re not a low priority, babe. We’re going to make this right for both of you.”
Heart full even as the worry churns my stomach, I thank them and sign off thinking…
Alone.
For so long I thought I was alone.
But the truth is I just never let myself trust in the people around me.
Until Gray showed me there’s another way.
And now it’s time for him to trust in that too.
Forty-Three
