ceiling. “He’s not my boyfriend; he’s never been my boyfriend. Wayde was a mistake. My husband Nick and I separated about six months ago. I made many mistakes. Especially after we split up. She looked away. “The situation’s complicated.”
“Don’t be so hard on yourself. I know all about breakups and the foolish things people do. Love makes people do crazy things, even more so when kids are involved.”
She looked back, studying him, appearing to weigh his words. “Sounds like you’ve had some experiences of your own.”
His eyes lowered and rose slowly. “Yes, I have.” The knowledge of the crazy things people do was one of the reasons he chose to be alone. Being alone hadn’t been bad until now. Recently, since watching Kinsley, he longed for more. The fact he’d never get it seemed inevitable. He didn’t like these new and uncertain feelings.
“I wasn’t in a good situation when I left New York. I needed a break. Regrettably, I’ve gotten myself into an even worse situation now. I’d asked Nick to leave for a little while. I needed to sort out my feelings, and I hoped he’d reflect on his, too. When I wanted him to come home, he hesitated. It hurt me, and with everything I was dealing with … well, here I am.”
“So, what made you leave New York? Florida’s a long way to go to reflect.”
“I’m not sure.”
“Don’t say you’re not sure. People know why they do things.”
She pulled in a big breath and held it. When it appeared she couldn’t contain the over the top lung capacity any longer, she pushed it out. “I thought leaving would bring things out in the open, so I wouldn’t be dealing with them alone. Wayde and I started talking online, and it seemed he was the only one listening. It was as if he knew me. He said all the right things.”
“You met online? Did he contact you or you him?” He realized after he spoke that his questioning sounded like an interrogation, and he made a mental note to slow down.
“Odd question, why do you ask?”
“Just wondering.”
“He contacted me on Facebook. He’d been friends with my brother, Drew, when they served together in Afghanistan. Wayde was his Sergeant. He wanted to connect with him, but found me instead. Unfortunately, I had to explain that Drew had never returned home. He simply disappeared when he returned to the States. My parents tried to locate him for years with no luck. Men in his brigade said he’d become distant and antisocial. The description didn’t fit. I loved talking to Wayde. He seemed to know Drew so well. Drew obviously liked him, although I can’t imagine why. Wayde shared stories of their time together. Drew most likely talked about me because Wayde had knowledge of things.” Her mood dulled, and she appeared sad.
“What kind of things?”
“Family stories. General stuff.”
“What changed after you started talking to him? Did you stop needing Nick?” Again, he reminded himself to be more casual. He generally didn’t get into heartfelt conversations with women, or men, for that matter.
“Of course not. He’s my husband. I’m leaving Wayde soon and going back to Nick, if he’ll take me. It’s what’s best for Max. The way things were, I felt like I had no choice but to leave.”
“No choice? Why’s that?”
She wavered. “Pride, I guess. Too proud. Once I told him I was leaving if he didn’t come back home and he didn’t try to stop me—I continued with my plans. I backed myself into a corner. I absolutely positively thought he’d stop me.” She laughed. “When I left, I think I wanted to spite him. I needed some distance from other things, too, I suppose.”
He smiled. “Pride. Gets you every time.”
She laughed again. “Things happened so fast. Before I realized it, the tickets came in the mail for Max and me. Nick could’ve changed my mind, but he didn‘t try. He didn’t want to change. I shut anyone else who mattered out. Big mistake. Once I got here, I
“Don’t be so hard on yourself. I know all about breakups and the foolish things people do. Love makes people do crazy things, even more so when kids are involved.”
She looked back, studying him, appearing to weigh his words. “Sounds like you’ve had some experiences of your own.”
His eyes lowered and rose slowly. “Yes, I have.” The knowledge of the crazy things people do was one of the reasons he chose to be alone. Being alone hadn’t been bad until now. Recently, since watching Kinsley, he longed for more. The fact he’d never get it seemed inevitable. He didn’t like these new and uncertain feelings.
“I wasn’t in a good situation when I left New York. I needed a break. Regrettably, I’ve gotten myself into an even worse situation now. I’d asked Nick to leave for a little while. I needed to sort out my feelings, and I hoped he’d reflect on his, too. When I wanted him to come home, he hesitated. It hurt me, and with everything I was dealing with … well, here I am.”
“So, what made you leave New York? Florida’s a long way to go to reflect.”
“I’m not sure.”
“Don’t say you’re not sure. People know why they do things.”
She pulled in a big breath and held it. When it appeared she couldn’t contain the over the top lung capacity any longer, she pushed it out. “I thought leaving would bring things out in the open, so I wouldn’t be dealing with them alone. Wayde and I started talking online, and it seemed he was the only one listening. It was as if he knew me. He said all the right things.”
“You met online? Did he contact you or you him?” He realized after he spoke that his questioning sounded like an interrogation, and he made a mental note to slow down.
“Odd question, why do you ask?”
“Just wondering.”
“He contacted me on Facebook. He’d been friends with my brother, Drew, when they served together in Afghanistan. Wayde was his Sergeant. He wanted to connect with him, but found me instead. Unfortunately, I had to explain that Drew had never returned home. He simply disappeared when he returned to the States. My parents tried to locate him for years with no luck. Men in his brigade said he’d become distant and antisocial. The description didn’t fit. I loved talking to Wayde. He seemed to know Drew so well. Drew obviously liked him, although I can’t imagine why. Wayde shared stories of their time together. Drew most likely talked about me because Wayde had knowledge of things.” Her mood dulled, and she appeared sad.
“What kind of things?”
“Family stories. General stuff.”
“What changed after you started talking to him? Did you stop needing Nick?” Again, he reminded himself to be more casual. He generally didn’t get into heartfelt conversations with women, or men, for that matter.
“Of course not. He’s my husband. I’m leaving Wayde soon and going back to Nick, if he’ll take me. It’s what’s best for Max. The way things were, I felt like I had no choice but to leave.”
“No choice? Why’s that?”
She wavered. “Pride, I guess. Too proud. Once I told him I was leaving if he didn’t come back home and he didn’t try to stop me—I continued with my plans. I backed myself into a corner. I absolutely positively thought he’d stop me.” She laughed. “When I left, I think I wanted to spite him. I needed some distance from other things, too, I suppose.”
He smiled. “Pride. Gets you every time.”
She laughed again. “Things happened so fast. Before I realized it, the tickets came in the mail for Max and me. Nick could’ve changed my mind, but he didn‘t try. He didn’t want to change. I shut anyone else who mattered out. Big mistake. Once I got here, I
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