The Heart of Us (Love in Isolation 4)

The alcohol is starting to affect me, and I know Tatum’s feeling it too.

She thanks me, then begins. “New Year’s Eve is my favorite holiday. I’ve never been on a real date. I could eat an apple every day and never get tired of it.”

I narrow my eyes at her, hoping the date one isn’t the truth. “This is tricky.”

She chuckles. “That’s the point.”

“I don’t think you could eat an apple every day. That sounds fishy.”

She snorts. “You’re right.”

But then my heart breaks for her. It’s as if she notices my demeanor change, and she avoids my gaze.

“You know you’re going to have to explain,” I tell her.

“I know. It’s weird to say things like that out loud because they should be lies. Justin never tried because he didn’t have to. We’d been together since we were in high school, so going on dates just didn’t happen.”

I look at her in disbelief. “That’s not an excuse. My parents have been married for decades, and they still go on dates.”

“See, I still make excuses for him, even after all this time. Pathetic.”

I reach across the table and place my hand on top of hers. “No. That’s just what you truly believed. He didn’t see what he had in front of him and didn’t appreciate your love. That’s not your fault that he didn’t try or care to do things with you like that. It’s on him.”

“Thank you,” she whispers. “I think for so long I just accepted the way things were because he destroyed my self-esteem. I didn’t feel like I deserved any of those things. He’d make underhanded comments about the way I looked or what I was wearing. After several miscarriages, I started believing everything he said.”

“I’m sorry,” I tell her. “I’m sorry he was such a piece of shit to you.”

She nods. “Me too.”

“I just hate that you can’t see what I see, Tatum.”

Her eyes shift up and meet mine. “What do you see?”

“A beautiful, caring woman with a fighting spirit who’s in the process of finding exactly who she is.”

“Meeting you might have been one of the luckiest days of my life.”

My face cracks into a smile. “I feel the same.”

Chapter Twelve

TATUM

DAY 15

I honestly can’t believe I’ve been here for two weeks. Sometimes, it feels like only yesterday when we were escaping the shop, and other times, it feels like a lifetime ago. I’ve learned so much about Easton and have shared a lot about myself in the process. He’s easy to talk to, and I find that I’m able to be real around him. The more I open up, the easier it is to be myself.

As I wipe down the counter after making an afternoon cup of tea, I hear my phone buzzing. When I grab it off the table, I see it’s my lawyer calling.

“Hi, Tatum,” he greets.

“Hey, what’s up?” I’ve learned that when he calls, it’s usually for a reason.

“I just wanted to let you know that your ex-husband will be meeting with his lawyer and me next week. You’re not required to be present, and the conversation will be recorded, but I wanted to make sure you haven’t changed your mind about anything before I go there.”

I clear my throat, which feels like it’s slowly closing. “I just want a divorce. He can have whatever he wants.”

“You’re entitled to half of everything,” he reminds me as I mix a tablespoon of honey into my cup.

“The quicker I can put this behind me, the better. I want nothing from him other than a clean break.”

He lets out a sigh. “I understand. I just wanted to confirm before I speak with the two of them.”

“Thank you.”

“Mr. Nichols seems very eager to have this resolved. He seems like he’s finally ready to sign the paperwork and move on. His lawyer was extremely adamant about meeting next week, and I actually had to cancel an appointment to fit them in.”

My jaw clenches, and my entire body tenses because I don’t trust this. I’ve been hoping for months he’d move on, sign the divorce papers, and let me go. And all of a sudden he wants to conveniently get it over with? Why? What’s his real motive?

“So he’ll be there? In person?”

“Yes,” Wallace confirms, and I have no reason not to believe my lawyer. “I assume he’s leaving Florida. Maybe the temporary restraining order made him realize there won’t be a resolution.”

“I could only hope,” I mutter.

Wallace tells me to reach out if I have any questions and that he’ll keep me updated. When I end the call, I’m frozen in place with my phone gripped in my hand.

“Everything okay?” Easton asks, and I nearly jump out of my skin.

“Shit. You scared me.”

He chuckles. “Sorry. You have this look on your face.”

“It was Wallace. He said Justin will be there next week to sign and finalize the divorce.” I pick up my tea and take a few big gulps now that it’s cooled some.