Limited Love novel · Chapter 8 of 24

Chapter 8: No Morning Talk

I slept in the guest room, as promised, and woke at six with the sun on the ceiling.

Somewhere in the night I had got up for water.

The clock on the stove said 2:11.

Chadwick's study light had been on under the door, and I had heard his chair creak and his low voice on the phone.

I went back to bed.

At seven I sat at the kitchen table in a clean blouse with a pot of tea.

The counter had been wiped, and the stool had been put back.

Someone had swept the buttons from my blouse into a saucer and left it beside the kettle.

Chadwick came in at ten past, in shirtsleeves, with his hair still wet.

He stopped when he saw me.

"Eileen."

"Good morning."

"About last night..."

I took the napkin out of my pocket and laid it on the table, and I turned it so he could read it.

He looked at the second line for a long time.

Then his mouth went crooked.

"Right," he said. "No morning talk."

"I made toast."

"Thank you."

He sat opposite me and ate three slices in perfect silence, and I read the news on my phone.

He did not say a word.

When I put on my coat, he said, very politely, "Have a good day."

"You too."

I saw his hand close around the edge of the table.

By ten I was at my desk on the thirtieth floor, signing off on the Foundation's spring grants.

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