I rubbed the pebble–sized diamond on my ring finger, thinking of how shy he’d looked when he first slipped it on me. I couldn’t help but smile.
“I’ve been doing well. I came back to Oakland for one thing–to divorce
you.
“Because my fiancé wants it to be official.”
Whatever joy Johnson had vanished in an instant–like someone dumped a bucket of ice water over him
His face turned pale. He glanced over at Michelle, who was asking the waiter for dessert. “She’s…”
The cure vo
saw the abortion payment slip in my bag. You should know -Michelle can’t be yours.”
Only now did I really take in what he was wearing.
That coat–it was the one I bought him the first time I got a company bonus. He’d treated it like treasure back then, barely taking it off.
But after Juliette showed up, he shoved it deep into the back of the closet.
Now he’d dug it back out, but the leather was cracked and splitting at the
seams.
And around his neck–he wore a necklace made from the ring I once
threw away.
Johnson was struggling to breathe, chest heaving. “If he hadn’t asked for that… were you really never planning to see me again?”
Chapter 11
“Yes.” My voice was firm.
“You’d really let me live the rest of my life in regret and pain?”
I met his eyes, full of disappointment and hurt. “Johnson, we’re even now.
“I owe you nothing. And you don’t need to carry guilt for what you did to
- me.
“I booked a flight for tomorrow night. I hope you show up at the courthouse in the morning.”
I turned to look for Michelle–but before I could call her, she shouted excitedly toward the door, “Daddy! You’re here!”
I froze. A little awkward.
Before we left, Hendry Winfield and I had our first real fight–over the marriage license delay.
He walked toward Michelle with long strides. The soft amber light lit up his profile–sharp, elegant, and flawless.
He picked her up, then came to my side, voice tinged with jealousy. “All done?”
I nodded, then slipped a folded paper into Johnson’s hand. “My new number. I’ll wait for you at ten tomorrow morning.”
Johnson stared at Hendry, stunned.
“It’s you?!”
