“This,” she said with a sweep of her arm, “is crossing a line. You’d better leave.”
Surprised, Nick looked u
p at that, to see Guy blink and cast a furtive glance around before focusing back on Melissa. “But, baby, I’m doing this for you.”
“Someone who crossed the line for one person will cross it again, and I can’t have that around Ellie.”
Guy frowned. “Hang on, what are you saying?”
“This is the last straw. It’s over, Guy.” She took off the sparkly ring on her left hand and held it out to him.
“Over him?” Guy asked incredulously.
“No, over you,” she said, hands on hips. “Because now that I’ve seen you pull this stunt, I’ll never trust you again.”
“Baby girl,” he said, but she cut him off.
“You can sleep at a hotel tonight and we’ll work out the rest tomorrow.”
Clearly stunned, Guy simply stared at her, then visibly regrouped. “Okay, sure. We’ll talk about this more tomorrow when everyone is calm again.”
Guy kissed her on the cheek and sauntered out. Melissa watched him go then turned back to Nick. “I’m sorry. You and I don’t see eye to eye on a lot of things, but you didn’t deserve that.”
He gave a tight nod, looking at her but keeping the pills in his peripheral vision.
“And you know what?” She blew out a breath. “You’re probably right that it’s time the two of us sat down and did discuss Ellie’s arrangements. Let me deal with Guy first and I’ll give you a call in a few days. We’ll work something out.”
“Sure.” Nick kept his poker face in place despite knowing his voice was strained. “That would be good.”
Melissa turned and headed out the door, which left Nick alone at the table. With the pills. His hands were trembling with the need to take one. Just one. His heart raced. One couldn’t hurt, could it? Just one. He swallowed hard.
Logically, he knew it would never be just one. And that was the problem—he knew that and he still wanted one anyway.
He checked, and no one was watching. The angle of the booths meant that it was hard for others to see unless they were standing right in front of him. Very carefully, he slid the pills closer and filled his trouser pockets with them. Then he pushed to his feet, threw some cash on the table to cover the drinks and a tip, and left.
He made it to his car, and all he could think about was which pill he’d have first.
And where he’d go to take it.
What he’d drink to wash it down.
And how many he could manage in one day.
* * *
Harper arrived home with her heart overflowing. The realization that she loved Nick had her practically floating all the way to his house. They’d married for the babies—to fall in love as well was more than she’d dreamed possible. A fairy tale come to life.
When she walked inside, she found Nick sitting on a stool at the kitchen counter, his gaze bleak. Her stomach clenched tight.
“What’s happened?” As she neared him, she reached out, but he turned away from her, so she stilled. “Nick?”
He opened his mouth to speak, then closed it again. His Adam’s apple bobbed in his throat. Unease prickled across her skin. Something was very wrong. She glanced around, and her gaze landed on a thin stack of papers on the kitchen counter. It was too far away to make out the wording, but she’d seen countless legal documents in her career. Enough to recognize this as one.
She took another step and reached for the papers. Nick held up a hand to block her, then dropped it.
“Harper,” he said, his voice raw. “This is not—”
But she’d seen the first lines. These were divorce papers. And their names were typed in black print. The room began a slow spin around her.