“It wouldn’t bother me,” Foster said. “You, dating Talia’s sister.”
And if I’d married one? Would that bother him? I swallowed down the questions with another searing mouthful of coffee.
This wasn’t going to end well, was it? Every time I delayed the truth was another day Foster would have to resent me.
He’d spent years living a lie before he’d moved to Montana to win back Talia. Maybe he’d understand my reasoning for keeping this marriage a secret. Or maybe he’d hate me even more for hiding the truth.
If Lyla did have a crush, it would only make things worse. Damn it. That was an added complication I didn’t need.
She’d been at the club in Vegas with Eloise. I’d noticed her staring a few times but hadn’t thought anything of it. Mostly because I’d had my eye on Eloise in that sultry black tube top and sexy-as-fuck jeans.
Yes, Lyla was pretty.
But she wasn’t Eloise.
The coffee shop door opened again and boots pounded across the floor.
“Daddy!” Kadence raced through the shop, her chestnut braid swinging across her shoulders.
Talia came in behind her, smiling as she followed.
Foster hopped out of his chair in time to catch Kaddie as she flew into his arms. “How was it?”
“So much fun.” She giggled as he tickled her side. “Can we go again, Talia?”
“Of course.” Talia nodded.
“Tomorrow?” Kaddie asked.
“Um, sure?” Talia laughed. “As long as it’s not raining.”
The rain, I’d take. Too many years living in the desert. I craved a wet, rainy spring.
“Want a snack?” Foster asked, setting his daughter down, nudging her toward the counter where Lyla was waiting. Then he bent to give Talia a kiss. “Good?”
“Really good. It was fun.” She smiled at Foster, the two exchanging a few quiet words before she greeted me. “Hey, Jasper.”
I raised my hand. “Hey, Doc.”
“Foster told me you’re going to stick around for a while.”
“Yeah, a little bit.”
“He can’t live without me,” Foster teased.
I gave a quiet, nervous laugh as I shook my head.
They thought I was staying to keep training with Foster. I’d let them believe I’d bought the A-frame because I was growing attached to Montana.
In truth, buying the cabin had been easier than moving. That would come soon enough.
While Eloise and I sorted through the legal bullshit of an annulment, it would be easier if we were in the same town. So three weeks ago, I’d called the owners of the A-frame to extend my vacation rental. Except they’d informed me they were going to sell it this spring. They wanted to capitalize on the peak market time.
I liked the A-frame. I liked its solitude. Its cozy nature.
So I’d bought it myself. In cash.
When this marriage was annulled, I’d be the one to sell it. Maybe even make a slight profit if the timing was right.
Though it all depended on the courts.
Eloise was set on getting an annulment. She wanted a judge to say this marriage had never existed in the first place. But the grounds for an annulment were limited. According to the latest update from my attorney, he was skeptical that we’d be granted one. Meaning we’d have to go through with a divorce.
Either way, when this thing with Eloise was done, I’d leave Quincy. I’d bid farewell to Montana, hopefully long before another insufferable winter.
My place in Vegas was still an option. Maybe I’d head back toward the East Coast. I wouldn’t live in Maryland again, but I had a house in North Carolina. I could spend a few months in the Outer Banks figuring out my next move.
Or maybe I’d leave the country all together. I also had an apartment in Edinburgh, and if I wanted rain, Scotland wouldn’t disappoint.
“I’m going to say hi to Lyla and get some water,” Talia told Foster, patting his abs before heading to the counter.
Foster took a seat but his eyes stayed locked on his woman.
Talia smiled as Lyla slid a to-go cup to Kadence, the top nearly overflowing with whipped cream. Then as Kaddie returned to our table, Talia leaned in closer to talk to her twin.
Lyla had been about to ask me something earlier. As she spoke to Talia, her eyes flicked my direction, and with that quick glance, the flush of her cheeks, my stomach plummeted.
She did have a crush, didn’t she? How had I missed it? Did Eloise know?
“You all right?” Foster asked.
“Yeah.” I shifted my attention, watching Kadence as she sipped her hot cocoa. “Great.”
Maybe Lyla had mistaken my frequent visits to the coffee shop as interest. Lyla was a fantastic pastry chef. I liked her croissants. They reminded me of the ones our chef had made when I was a kid. But romantically? No.
Besides, I was already married.
The door’s bell chimed again, and a familiar face came inside. Vivienne, Kadence’s mother, walked to our table. Like me, she was new to Montana.
After her divorce from Foster, she’d been engaged to a guy in Vegas, but they’d recently split, so she’d moved here to be close to Kadence.
For years, Vivienne and Foster had been best friends. Their marriage had been a farce but they’d done their best for Kadence. Except last month, before the championship event, Vivienne and Foster had gotten into a huge fight.
Ever since, he’d been cold and distant, Foster’s grudge taking on a life of its own. I hoped like hell he wouldn’t hold one against me too.
God, I hated this. I hated the secret. I hated lying.
It wasn’t right. The longer this continued, the worse it would get. A month would be hard enough to explain. But two? Three?
One look at Foster and Vivienne, the two of them barely making eye contact, and I knew we couldn’t continue on this road. Not if I wanted to keep Foster’s friendship.
Fuck me. Eloise was going to be livid.
Vivienne and Foster traded details about Kadence’s schedule while Talia grabbed a lid for Kaddie’s hot chocolate. Then, after a tense goodbye, Vivi took her daughter’s hand and left the coffee shop.
“Are you going to be pissed at her forever?” Would he hate me someday too?
“No.” Foster dragged a hand through his hair. “Time to let it go, isn’t it?”
Talia took the empty seat beside him, holding out her hand.
Lyla wasn’t behind the counter. She must have ducked into the kitchen for something. Which meant if I wanted a captive audience with Foster and Talia, this was my chance.
I’d warned Eloise.
Her time was up.
I couldn’t keep this a secret any longer.
“Since you’re both here. I, um, need to talk to you about something.” Damn it to hell. This was going to be painful. I sat straighter, trying to find the right words. “I, uh, well . . . I fucked up.”
Not the right words. Shit.
“What happened?” Foster asked. He tensed. So did Talia.
“I sort of . . . I, um . . . fuck.” I rubbed my jaw, swallowing hard. Then I closed my eyes and blurted, “I married your sister.”