His Best Friend's Widow

A

OV:

is coffin into the g

asped together in front of me. No tears, though. Nothing but quiet. And it wasn't grief that ca

e, E

end of my dec

ing the funeral. But he gave me a look. A

mine. My breath caught not because of the tissue. Warm, rou

ave experience

laid my husb

experience

unger, a

ayers, and the white roses that were placed atop R

ad gone, until the pathetic coworkers had gone, until

said so

you shouldn't

sed to speak was different. Richard

steady. His words encirc

wallow. "I'

you're

was too flawless. His jaw was to

"You didn't e

jaw. "I held hi

of this?" I gave a

e fell t

ied. "There's

tep toward h

ery. It was just the wind rust

ed, "I sh

curred. "You

her of us made

s his fingers touched my cheek. Richard hadn't touched me i

"Come home

struck my

't," I

ll accomp

negatively. However, t

. I didn't wish to recall. I didn't

an to stop staring at me in the

ave

. Nothing but quiet. The wheel is in o

nd

able to l

t on his chest. He had a rich, clean, and deep

arrived at my house. As if he had done it a hundr

ard detested was still on the couch. From the ma

pped i

" My voice was to

remaine

slowly and deliberately,

for my cheek. slid in

on't need to be

ced up

broke ins

gave him

ng genuine for the first time in a long time, though, as

down my neck. Trembling and hungry, my h

ul to me. Sil

nd their way back to mine

fall to t

't give

s what I

sked

o cry, he lifted me up as if I were weightles

wn until I was out of breath. until I moaned his nam

s if he wanted to

him pe

ed to erase all

moments-tangled, gasping for

s onl

s Etha

remained skin to skin

he envelope, the

able held it.

handwriting

ent

looked

ined mot

You knew s

ut his

Li

edge about Richard p

d his silence

sh terror, I sat up and wrapped

what di

dn't r

erything I needed to

en, I no longe

wit

ere at

reality hidde

w the truth," in a hard, low voice that w

envelope as if it were g

ou here?" My voice

did soften. Since I didn't want you

lted h

wai

p back, as though separating us would reverse our recent actions.

think you

With a single nod, he

opped in t

didn't k

ick to my

ced over his shoulder. "But I a

, the door

uld hardly hear my own thoughts, I stood there,

I didn't open

of Ethan's mouth on mine, his words prior to his departure, and the weigh

s meant

on the couch and gazed at the fireplace unti

was n

recoll

's han

gh the curtains. I groaned as I pushed off the couch.

rd had

was sec

n't know w

ee table, my

umber: "We must sp

gazed at the message. I return

d quickly: ** "Verif

hivers do

peered through the wi

was n

the door

brown envelop

shaking. It was substantial. heavy.

fully o

re pictur

ns of

, Ethan,

and dinners are a few e

people

ng behind me. He touched my waist. He gazed a

showed Richard and another

ing troubl

ick to my

envelope was a note. Sharp b

ut the actual eve

s ice as I dropped everyth

ra

urned a different person. Far away. Furious. The fights h

lained the si

than was al

at the same time for a conference

ind w

red clar

ed air,

taking a shower, tucked my hair up in a low

My heart pounded violently as I drove, my hands firmly

tallest building. Steel and cold glass. Bea

vator, I pressed the bu

constrained. As if it unders

p at me from behind her

I-um?" Confus

he

already opened when she o

less. He had a loose t

he assistant,

rge windows that let in plenty of

him, he rem

of my handbag and threw i

s what I want

s didn't mak

of the note sha

e reading it. th

sent

tell

ly in his chair an

how I wanted y

what?" I lo

asn't who you be

zed a

e cheat

gave

hed. I didn'

mply

e, something happened. Something th

n closer.

h a mixture of pain and g

uck a bargain. took money that wasn't his. I forewarned

allow. "What

he law. shady money. Blackmail

led back

ing you now. I am here for that reas

's the

htened

er, he took out

s a contr

ni

ame an

I looked

to wed me?"

nod. "To ke

om w

a step to

the words that ma

e who murde

d in my chest as

id you j

me gloomy. "They'l