Married 'til Monday

by Denise Hunter

  “Thanks, but I don’t think I’m willing to go there again.”

  “Fair enough. But I’m here if you need me.”

  Abby pulled out her phone and checked the screen, feeling a pinch of disappointment when the voicemail box showed empty.

  “He leave a message?”

  She pocketed her phone. “No.”

  What is wrong with you, Abby? Either you want him to leave you alone or you don’t.

  The problem was, it just wasn’t that simple with Ryan. It never had been.

  Chapter Twenty-Nine

  THE SMELL OF GRILLING BURGERS WAFTED OVER TO RYAN as he exited his truck and walked toward the shade of his parents’ backyard. The sun beat down mercilessly from a clear August sky, quickly heating his skin.

  He’d plunged right into football practice upon his return four days ago, trying to stay busy. His calls and texts to Abby had gone unanswered, and his desperation was mounting, driving him to work harder and longer.

  He’d barely spoken to his family since his return. This morning he’d slipped into church late and left as soon as the final “Amen” rang out. But there was no escaping them now.

  He rounded the corner to a beehive of activity. His dad stood over the grill. Smoke wafted toward Grandpa, who fanned it away. Mom pushed his nieces, Ava and Mia, on the swing set. His brothers-in-law played basketball on the court, and his sisters were setting the picnic table with food and paperware.

  Madison was the first to notice him. “Ryan’s here!” she called unceremoniously.

  “Sweetie!” Mom came over for her perfunctory hug. “You dashed right out of church this morning.”

  He was spared from replying by the multitude of greetings. PJ was showing him her engagement ring when Dad called out.

  “Food’s ready!”

  The family merged at the shaded table like a hoard of ants on a bread crumb. Cole joined them, taking his seat beside PJ, and Ryan congratulated him on their engagement.

  There was a moment of quiet for prayer, then the chaos of food passing, teasing, and commentary commenced.

  Sometimes being a part of a big family was crazy fun, other times it felt smothering, and this was one of the latter. After the week he’d had—or rather, the way it had ended—Ryan just wanted to throw himself into his playbooks and lose himself in the Xs and Os.

  “So, sweetie,” Mom said over the din. “How was your trip? We haven’t had a chance to talk since you got back.”

  Ryan served himself a heaping spoonful of potato salad, his eyes catching on his bare finger. “It was fine. Beau’s having a rough time, but he’s going to be okay. He has his brothers.”

  “And Abby?” his mom asked quietly, but the whole table seemed to hush at the mention of his ex-wife. “How’s she doing?”

  Ryan wasn’t fooled by the casual smile on his mother’s face. He stabbed a bite of potato on his fork. “Abby’s fine. She’s living in Indy now.”

  “I thought she was in Wisconsin,” Madison said.

  “So did I,” Jade said.

  “What’s she doing in Indy?” Dad asked, his lips thinning. He was probably wishing she were farther away, like Timbuktu or Sydney, Australia.

  “She’s a private investigator.”

  Mom gave a huff of laughter as she cut Ava’s burger, her mouth pursing.

  Ryan clamped his jaw.

  “Seriously?” Jade asked.

  Daniel set his hand on hers.

  “She’s good at it,” Ryan said. “She’s up for a promotion to run her own agency.”

  “Where?” Madison asked.

  The knot tightened in Ryan’s chest like it did every time he thought about it. “St. Paul, Minnesota.”

  Mom’s shoulders sank. “Well, then. Maybe that’s for the best.”

  Madison shot her a look. “Mom.”

  Ryan surveyed the table. His sisters were hanging on every word. His brothers-in-law wisely shoveled food into their mouths. His dad regarded him closely.

  Mom wiped Ava’s mouth. “All I’m saying is, it’s obvious this trip didn’t work out the way you wanted, honey, and I’m sorry you’re hurting. But I watched her put you through the wringer once, and I’ll be darned if I want to watch it happen again.”

  “It takes two to make or break a marriage,” Madison said gently.

  “Not always.”

  Jade handed Mia a napkin. “She’s the one who left. All I’m saying.”

  “Only the people inside the marriage really know what happened though,” Daniel said.

  “Well, I know my son was torn up for months, and that’s all I need to know. He deserves better.”

  “Amen,” Jade said.

  Ryan tossed his napkin on his plate. “Is my personal life seriously up for discussion right now?”

  “Honey . . .”

  “Maybe she’s not my wife anymore, but I still love her. And I’m not going to sit here while you run her down.” He slid out from the table.

  “It’s only because we care about you,” Mom said.

  “I’ve had about enough care.” He blew out a breath and worked to keep his tone level. “Thank you for lunch, but I have to go.”

  He felt all eleven sets of eyes on him as he navigated the toddler toys on the patio. His pulse pounded in his temple. He was relieved when he rounded the corner of the house, glad to be out of sight. He dug in his pocket for the keys, drawing in a breath that stretched his lungs.

  He was opening the truck door when his mom appeared at his side. “I didn’t mean to upset you, honey.”

  “What did you think was going to happen? Her name comes up, and you all gang up on her.”

  “We weren’t—”

  “Yes, you were.” He looked square into his mom’s soft blue eyes.

  She sighed. “Okay, maybe we were. But Ryan . . .” She set her hand on his arm. “Back at that table are all the people who love you. We want the best for you. Doesn’t it say something that everyone else sees this the same way?”

  He was going to point out that Madison was coming around, and PJ had always liked Abby. Of course, PJ liked everyone. But none of that really mattered.

  “You don’t know Abby,” he said. “None of you do, not really. And yes, I realize that’s partly her fault. She doesn’t let just anyone in. But she let me in, and you have no idea the courage that took after the childhood she had.”

  He blinked against the sting in his eyes. “She let me in, and I let her push me away. I gave up on her when she needed somebody to love her, to hang in there with her. She’s never had that, Mom. Never. And I just let her go.”

  “Oh, Ryan . . . honey.” Mom cupped his cheek. “You can’t make somebody stay. No matter how much you want them to.”

  Ryan swallowed. “Maybe not. But I didn’t try hard enough. And for all the flaws you see in Abby and all the mistakes she may have made . . . that one is on me.”

  Chapter Thirty

  ABBY SORTED THROUGH THE PAPERS ON HER DESK. WHERE was it? The Warren file had been right here when she’d left this morning. Across the office Frank was talking on the phone to a potential client about their services, his rusty voice carrying throughout the space.

  That file had days of surveillance information. She had to find it. After searching the company car, she returned to the office empty-handed.

  “Have you seen the Warren file?” she asked Frank after he hung up the phone, keeping her tone casual.

  “I thought that one was about wrapped up.”

  “It is. I thought I left it on my desk, and now it’s gone.”

  Frank ran a hand through his bristly beard and reached for a Dorito. “Haven’t seen it. Check with Lewis.”

  Oh, she’d check with Lewis all right. She looked over at her coworker’s clear desk and scowled. He’d probably tucked it away in one of his drawers.

  She stayed late, and after Frank left she checked Lewis’s drawers. She came up empty, but two of them were locked. That’s where the Warren file was; she’d lay
money on it. It was the second time he’d interfered this week. He’d intercepted a phone call from Clarissa Andrews, causing Abby to miss an important opportunity on the case. She found the message he’d taken later—under a pile of paperwork.

  She eyed the lock. She could pick almost anything, but Frank had had the desk drawers retrofit with Medeco locks because of the sensitive information they filed. They were virtually pickproof.

  She returned to her desk and resumed her research. She was reading when her phone buzzed in her pocket. She checked the screen.

  A text from Ryan. Just seeing his name made her heart pound harder. Her eyes swept over his words.

  Abby? You there?

  She stared at the screen until it went dark, her pulse pounding in her ears. Everything in her wanted to respond. But it would be wrong for both of them. If she stayed strong he’d give up soon. Then they could both get on with their lives.

  Eventually someone else would come into Ryan’s life, someone good and kind and a lot less complicated. Despite their issues, despite any ill feelings she’d had, he deserved better than what she offered. He’d fall in love again someday, get married, have children, live happily ever after.

  Her stomach twisted at the thought.

  Another text came in.

  Please, Abby. Answer me.

  Come on, she thought. Give me a break. I can only stand so much of this.

  She turned off the phone and stuffed it back into her pocket before her thumbs could undo all the hard work she’d done the last week.

  She blew out a breath and forced herself to focus on the Facebook messages of a man whose wife suspected him of an affair. There was damaging stuff here, but nothing conclusive, just as his wife had said.

  It was almost dark by the time Lewis strolled in, a smug smile on his face. “Another case all wrapped up. Frank will be very pleased. What are you doing here so late? Trying to impress the boss?”

  She was done with pretense. “Where’s the Warren file, Lewis?”

  He set his laptop on his desk, arching a dark bushy brow at her. “Well, I don’t know, Abby. I thought the Warren case was yours.”

  “You took it off my desk.”

  He unlocked the center drawer.

  Her eyes flitted to the desk key.

  “Now that’s a nasty accusation. Why would I do such a thing?”

  “Give me back the file.”

  He removed his car keys from the drawer and hitched up his khakis, his belt buckle disappearing under his paunch.

  “Wish I could help you, really do.” He gave her a condescending look. “Maybe you should be more careful where you set your things.” He dropped the desk key into his pants pocket, then smirked at her as she watched it disappear.

  “Afraid you have to play dirty to beat me, Lewis? Don’t think you can win fair and square?”

  He gathered his things and walked toward the door with that annoying loose strut of his. She wanted to stick out her foot and watch him topple to the ground right in front of her. She could almost see his hawk-like nose crammed into the beige carpet.

  Once outside he turned, holding the door, his beady eyes glittering in the shadows. “How’s that Andrews case going for you, Abby? You got my message, right?” The door swung shut, but his chuckle carried right through it.

  Abby kept her eyes on the green Jeep Cherokee parked in the Culligan lot. The owner of the vehicle was a sales rep for the water filter company, and his wife of eleven years suspected him of an affair. Normally a tracking device would suffice, but his wife’s name wasn’t on the Jeep’s registration, making it illegal to track.

  Besides, since he was a sales rep, he regularly visited many homes. This case required the personal touch. It would be a long, boring evening if he was going to work all night, and according to his wife, he often did. It was not the way Abby preferred to spend her Saturday evening.

  She pulled her phone from her pocket, promising herself it would only be a quick distraction. She opened her texts to Ryan’s last words, sent this morning before she’d awakened.

  Good morning, Red. I miss you.

  She stared at the words, at his special name for her, letting it all sink in. He’d been texting her every day. Sometimes it was short and sweet. Other times he talked at length about what he missed about her. His words were balm to her soul. She was softening, one text at a time. How could she not? Ryan had always known just what to say.

  She glanced back up at the Jeep, making sure there was no sign of Mr. Merrit, then thumbed through the other texts. She absorbed their messages, the part of her that couldn’t resist Ryan growing stronger with each word. She missed him so much. She was already hurting. Maybe she should just give in and call him.

  Was it even possible it could work? Was she willing to put her heart on the line again? She was so lonely without him. She missed his ornery smile, his woodsy smell, his intense brown gaze laser-focused on her. His sweet words . . . she wanted to hear them in that low hum, whispered right into her ear.

  Maybe she should just call him. Just to talk. Maybe they could work things out. She didn’t know what the future held with her job, but she knew she’d been miserable since her return to Indiana. Maybe counseling wasn’t such a crazy idea. Not when she was so unhappy without him.

  It would be hard. Scary. But she had it in her, didn’t she? She exhibited bravery every day on the job. Surely she could scrape up enough courage to give them a second chance.

  Her thumb hovered over the Call button, trembling. She wondered where he was. Was he sitting home alone on a Saturday night? Or was he working like her?

  The phone buzzed, lighting up, and her heart gave a thrill.

  Then she saw the number. It was only her mom. If she’d wanted to make sure Abby had made it back to Indiana safely, she should’ve called two and a half weeks ago.

  She held the phone, waffling back and forth for a moment, then finally hit the Talk button, stifling the tweak of disappointment.

  “Hi, Mom,” she said, her gaze returning to the Jeep.

  “Well, you decided to pick up.”

  The sound of her dad’s voice made the hairs on the back of her neck rise. Her fingers clenched tightly around the phone.

  “Hi, Dad.”

  “You think you’re real clever, don’tcha?” His words slurred. Only six o’clock and already hitting the bottle.

  She told her pulse to slow. He couldn’t hurt her. He was halfway across the country. “What?”

  “Didja think I wasn’t gonna find out? Maybe you’re dull-witted, but you didn’t get it from me.”

  Her spirit withered. She worked to keep her voice calm. “What are you talking about?”

  “You and Ryan come up here and play your games. I saw right through ya, stupid girl. I told your mom you were up to something, and like always, she told me I was imagining things.”

  Abby’s gut tightened in a painful knot. He couldn’t know. Only Beau knew, and he wouldn’t talk. “I don’t know what—”

  “I’m talking about that farce of a marriage!”

  Her pulse sped, making her breaths go shallow. “Dad, I—”

  “Don’t lie to me!” His voice cut through the distance, making her wince. “Have ya heard of public records, Abby? All it took was a few phone calls.”

  Abby closed her eyes, her heart galloping in her chest, her blood pounding in her ears. A cold weight settled low in her stomach.

  “You been lying to us for three and a half years, and I can’t wait to tell your mom all about it.”

  No. This can’t be happening.

  “She’ll just love to hear all about how her darling daughter played us for fools! You’re a failure, just like I always told ya. You can’t do anything right. Didja really think you could hold a marriage together? Nobody’s gonna love you, Abby. You’re pathetic.”

  The phone trembled in her clenched fist. She swallowed against the hot lump in her throat. “That’s not true. It wasn’t my fault. Maybe he resented m
e after I lost the baby, but it’s more complicated than—”

  “Of course he resented you! He was trapped into marrying you, and then he got stuck with you—just like I did! He never wanted you in the first place!”

  The phone clicked in her ear. Abby lowered it, her hands trembling. It’s not true. Nothing he said is true. I’m not stupid. I’m not worthless. I’m not unlovable.

  She repeated the words in her mind, wishing they’d find a way into her heart. But the hardened shell wouldn’t give way and allow them entrance.

  She was still shaking when she opened her eyes minutes later to find the Jeep Cherokee gone.

  “Admit it, you’re glad you came.” Gillian pulled out of Holiday Park.

  Abby removed Boo’s leash, and the dog promptly flopped on the floor between her feet. “I’m sweaty, and I’m not going to be able to lift my arms tomorrow. Even Boo’s exhausted.”

  “I can’t believe you’ve never kayaked. You grew up on the ocean.”

  “I can’t believe I didn’t have a heat stroke. It’s at least ninety today.”

  “You needed a break from work.”

  Gillian had practically dragged Abby out of her apartment. She’d been planning on catching up in accounting, but Gillian had been insistent.

  Abby had to admit she did feel better. She’d been so busy with work this week, and her spirits were at a new low after her dad’s call. His words had whispered relentlessly in her ear all week. You’re a failure. You can’t do anything right. Nobody’s gonna love you, Abby. You’re pathetic.

  When Ryan’s text came in this morning, Abby deleted it without looking. She proceeded to delete all the messages he’d sent. She had to stop this insanity. She was going to drive herself crazy.

  On top of all that, her mom had called, hurt over Abby and Ryan’s divorce, over the pretense. But I just don’t understand why you didn’t tell us.

  Really, Mom? Have you seen Dad when he’s upset? When I do something to disappoint him?

  That had put an end to the conversation.

  “How about dinner?” Gillian asked. “There’s a new Italian restaurant that just opened in Fishers. I ate there for lunch last week, and their breadsticks are delectable.”