Chapter 1
On our fifth wedding anniversary, my husband’s ex-wife was staying in the honeymoon suite I’d booked for us.
Rachel answered the door in a bathrobe, a glass of red wine in her hand. When she noticed my suitcase, she leaned against the doorframe and gave me an apologetic smile.
“Nora, you’re here. Daniel said you weren’t coming until tonight.”
I tightened my grip on the suitcase handle and stayed in the hallway.
Behind her, a dress lay across the bed. Shoes were scattered at its foot.
The champagne-colored bed runner I’d specifically requested was already in place.
I’d exchanged three emails with the hotel just to get the color right.
“Where’s Daniel?”
“Getting me some ice.” She shifted the wineglass to her other hand. “It’s hot out. Come inside.”
She stepped aside as though I were her guest.
Half an hour earlier, I’d been touching up my lipstick in an airport restroom and tucking my pregnancy report deep inside my backpack.
Ten weeks.
I’d planned to tell him over our anniversary dinner that night.
Footsteps sounded at the far end of the hallway.
Daniel appeared carrying an ice bucket. He hesitated when he saw me.
“Why didn’t you call ahead? I would’ve come to get you.”
“I sent you my flight information last night.”
“I got busy. It slipped my mind.”
He handed Rachel the ice bucket, took another key card from his pocket, and held it out to me.
“Go drop off your bags. You’ve had a long flight. Get some rest.”
The sleeve said Building B.
The suite I’d booked was on the top floor of Building A.
“Whose room is this?”
“Yours.” He avoided my eyes. “Rachel didn’t sleep well last night. It’s quieter here, so I let her take this one.”
I didn’t reach for the card.
“She gets our fifth-anniversary honeymoon suite. What do we get?”
Rachel lowered her eyes and pulled her robe closed at the neck.
“I told him he didn’t have to go to all this trouble. He was worried about me.” She glanced at Daniel. “Please don’t blame him. I just went through a breakup. I really didn’t want to be alone.”
She’d asked to join us at the last minute.
I’d made it clear this was our anniversary trip.
Daniel had insisted she only needed a change of scenery.
She wouldn’t interfere with our plans.
Now she was standing in the room I’d booked, and I was being sent to another building.
“Doesn’t the hotel have other rooms?” I asked.
Daniel frowned.
“She’s already checked in. Why make this complicated? Your room has an ocean view, too.”
“I wanted to spend our anniversary with my husband.”
“I never said I wouldn’t spend time with you.”
He lowered his voice and glanced at Rachel.
“She’s having a hard time. Do you really have to make an issue out of a room?”
I let go of the suitcase handle and pulled up the reservation on my phone.
Five nights.
Honeymoon suite.
Two guests.
Paid for by me.
For five years, he’d been too busy with work for a honeymoon. Spring became winter, and we kept putting it off.
I’d finally used a project bonus to book the trip.
Then I’d arrived half a day after him because I needed to finish handing off my work.
“Look, Daniel.” I turned the screen toward him. “I booked this room. I paid for it. Why didn’t anyone ask me before giving it to someone else?”
He pressed his lips together and said nothing.
Rachel stepped back.
“I’ll pack my things, then.”
Before she could turn away, Daniel reached out to stop her.
“Stay. You need to rest.”
Then he took my suitcase and placed the key card on top.
“Nora, go to your room. We’ll talk later.”
I held the suitcase in place.
Over his shoulder, I saw the white roses on the nightstand.
The anniversary flowers I’d ordered two weeks earlier.
Rachel’s earrings lay on the wrapping paper.
Tucked among the flowers was the card I’d written by hand.
I could see part of the message.
“Daniel, happy fifth anniversary. This year, we’re finally…”
I walked into the room and pulled out the card.