After My Miscarriage, My Husband Locked Me Out novel · Chapter 23 of 24

Chapter 23: Her Own Bed

Cillian stepped over my threshold and stopped on the mat.

I shut the door behind him and turned the new deadbolt.

The house was quiet.

Down the hall the guest room light was out, and Shelby's door was closed.

"Say it out loud," I said. "What did the board decide?"

"They review it Monday. The chair says I'll keep my position as an attending. I'm not the associate director now, and I don't expect that to change."

"Do you mind?"

"I mind a little." His mouth turned up. "I mind less than I expected."

"Good."

I leaned against the wall of my own front hall and looked at him.

"Here's what I need," I said. "No more deciding for me, even kindly. No more carrying things around for two weeks because you're afraid I can't hold them."

"Yes."

"If something is ugly, you say it the same day."

"Yes."

"And I don't owe you for the job, or the key, or tonight."

"You never did."

"I'm saying it so we both know I'm here because I want to be." I took a breath. "I'm not forgiving you because it's easy. I'm doing it because you stood in a ballroom and lost something you wanted for nine years, and then you stood on my walk and didn't hit a man you wanted to hit."

His face was very still.

"I'm not a rebound," I said. "Say that one out loud for me."

"You're not a rebound. You've never been a rebound. You're the only thing I want that I didn't plan."

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