Chapter 3

My phone lit up. I picked it up and saw a message from Olivia. [Grace, how are you getting to the airport tomorrow? Want me, your gorgeous friend, to pick you up and go together?

[P.S. I've finished all the work and sent it to your husband's email. Give him a heads up for me, and if there are any little issues, just ask him to tweak them.]

I bit my lip, thought for a moment, and replied, [Sounds good. P.S. Don't worry, I've already let him know. He won't bother us during our vacation. See you tomorrow, babe.]

I put my phone down and waited until Kyler had nearly finished packing my luggage before I spoke, "Olivia's wrapped up all her work and sent you an email.

"If there's anything off, just help her fix it, okay? Don't let it get in the way of our vacation."

"No problem," Kyler replied, getting up and walking over to me with a soft smile, his gaze always so deep and full of affection. "I wouldn't dare mess up your plans, my lady."

"Go check your email then," I said, nudging his leg to dodge his flirting.

"I can just look at it tomorrow at work," Kyler shrugged, not really caring.

"Don't put off until tomorrow what you can do today," I insisted.

"Alright," Kyler pouted, and then bent down for a quick kiss. When I just rolled my eyes at him, he grinned and strolled over to the nightstand to grab his phone.

I pressed my lips together, acting like I didn't care, but I kept my eyes glued to Kyler's face, trying to catch his reaction.

"Well." Kyler arched an eyebrow, a teasing smile playing at the corners of his mouth.

I knew that he must've just seen the message from the woman.

I couldn't tell if I was nervous or just on edge, but I couldn't stop myself from asking, "What's up? Is there something wrong with work?" I tried to sound casual and curious.

Gritting my teeth, I silently prayed Kyler would say exactly what I needed to hear. That it was just a wrong number, a simple mix-up, or that he'd come clean and admit there was another woman.

"Of course not," Kyler immediately shook his head. "I already looked at Olivia's email. She really put in a lot of effort, so you two can enjoy your trip. Even if there are any minor issues, I'll just have someone take care of them."

I bit down hard on the soft flesh of my lip, watching as Kyler tapped away at his screen with that easy smile. He was definitely replying to Lori.

Then he locked his phone and tossed it back onto the nightstand, opening his arms to me at the foot of the bed. "We've got an early start tomorrow, baby. Time to get some rest."

Normally, I'd just jump into his arms with a smile, and we'd cuddle up and drift off together. But now, all I felt was nausea, uncertainty, and I was totally lost inside.

When I didn't move, Kyler reached out to me, hands open, his eyes still soft and full of love. "Baby?"

"Coming," I plastered on a smile, rushed into his arms, acting like nothing was wrong at all.

But now, I couldn't help but doubt. Was this love ever real? And if it was, how much was really left between us?

Back when we were stuck in that cramped, drafty little apartment, when he saw my hands all red and swollen from the cold, he pulled me out of the kitchen with so much care.

He'd sworn that one day he'd get me a big, warm home so I'd never have to suffer again.

We were only in our twenties back then, and I believed him with all my heart and believed in love, too. I would never forget the way he looked at me, his eyes so earnest and full of hope.

After all these years, I finally knew what it felt like to share a bed but live in different worlds.

The embrace I once found comfort in now just felt cold and alien. I couldn't stand the thought of my husband messing around with another woman and then coming back to get close to me.

Kyler was still freaked out by me throwing up, or maybe he just wasn't interested in doing it with me at all. He was probably just looking forward to hooking up with Lori tomorrow, the one who'd dress up in lingerie for him.

With Kyler's steady breathing in my ear, I eased myself out of his embrace, picked up my phone, typed out a message, and hit send.

Almost instantly, a reply popped up.