Chapter 11: The Two Years

The truck sat on the gravel shoulder with its engine ticking.

I stared at the lake because I couldn't stare at him.

"Two years," I said.

"Yes."

"Do you know what I was doing two years ago?"

"No."

"I was helping her pick a cake."

I laughed, and it came out wrong.

"Zara was my maid of honor in every wedding I ever planned in my head."

"Last spring she helped me pick a cake flavor for a wedding that didn't exist, and she knew. And so did you."

"Maia."

"You stood at the garage and watched me carry bread to your men on Tuesdays. You waved. And you knew."

"I know."

"Why didn't you say anything?"

He didn't answer at once.

"I started to," he said. "I drove to your shop with the words ready."

"I stood across the street for an hour."

"Then I saw you through the window, laughing at something he'd said, and I thought, She's happy."

"If I'm wrong, I'll have broken her for nothing."

"You weren't wrong."

"No."

"You were a coward."

"Yes," Eli said.

It was so plain, and so quick, that the rest of my anger had nowhere to go.

I wanted to hit something. I hit the dashboard with the flat of my hand, and it hurt, and I did it again.

"I'd have hated you for ten minutes," I said. "Ten minutes, Eli. Then I'd have thanked you."

"Instead I went on planning a life with two people who were lying to me, and everyone in this town watched."

Keep reading free with an account. Start His Love Came Too Late, I'm Already Another's Wife from Chapter 1, then sign up free to read the rest of this chapter.