Barbara Dunlop - Marriage, Manhattan Style

The tears that had dried up threatened again. “It’s not like an on/off switch.”

“I’m telling you,” Reed said, rising to his feet and raising his voice so that Collin would get the point. “It’s over. I left her at her request.”

“And I’m telling you,” Collin replied, “it can’t be over for three more weeks.”

“It’s not like I won’t support her. She can have anything she wants.”

“That’s not the point, and you know it.”

Reed did know it. He simply didn’t want to accept it. “To make her happy, I have to stay away.”

“To protect her, you have to go back.” Collin dropped back down in the guest chair. “The judge will want to see an intact family. You want Elizabeth to keep Lucas? You put your ass back in that penthouse and keep it there until the court case is over.”

“It doesn’t work that way,” said Reed, trying to imagine Elizabeth’s reaction if he showed up at the front door. “You don’t understand. You’ve never been married.”

“I’m not giving you marital advice,” said Collin. “I’m giving you legal advice. Sleep on the couch. Eat at restaurants. You work eighteen hours a day anyway. It’s not like you’ll have to see each other.”

Collin’s accusation came too close to one of Elizabeth’s complaints for Reed’s taste.

“I don’t work eighteen hours a day.”

Collin snorted. “How many times last month did you have business dinners?”

Reed scanned back in his mind. “A few.”

“Seventeen, to be exact. Devon showed me your schedule.”

“Seventeen?” Reed turned the number over in his brain. Add to that his Chamber of Commerce functions, the two nights he gave speeches, and a couple of business trips to Chicago, and it started to add up.

He tried to picture his last dinner with Elizabeth. They’d eaten together at the anniversary party, of course. But he’d dealt with a flurry of problems while she danced with other men.

“Let me make one thing perfectly clear,” said Collin. “I have absolutely no designs on your wife.” He paused while Reed’s eyes narrowed. “But I’m glad she did it. If I was her, I’d have left you a long time ago.”

“Wellington International doesn’t run itself,” Reed pointed out. He didn’t attend business dinners because he’d rather be there than at home. They were important. They were necessary. Particularly when you were dealing with out-of-town guests or other cultures, the social aspect could make or break a deal.

“Don’t you think I know that?”

“So, what’s your solution?”

“My solution is to stay single.”

Reed dropped back into his chair. “Looks like I’m about to do the same thing.”

“But not for three weeks.”

“Right,” Reed reluctantly agreed. For Elizabeth, for Lucas, he’d be a man about it. She was going to resist. But he’d make her understand it was for her own good.

The last person Elizabeth expected to knock on her front door was Reed. It was surreal for him not to use his key. Plus, she’d been picturing him in her mind for so many hours, it was almost a shock to see him in person. Frustratingly, her heart gave a little lift. She squelched it.

He made no move to come in.

“Sorry to disturb you,” he said instead, sounding formal even for Reed.

“No problem,” she managed. “Lucas just went down for a nap.”

Reed nodded. “I…uh…”

Did he need something? His clothes? Elizabeth struggled for the right way to behave.

“Can we talk?” he asked, looking very serious.

Her heart did the little lift thing again. “Sure.”

She stood to one side and motioned him in, telling herself that nothing had changed. She could not, would not let him sweet-talk her into trying again.

He walked through the doorway and dropped his keys in their usual spot on the table. There was something about the unconscious act that tightened her chest and clogged her throat.

“What did you want to talk about?” She knew her only hope was to get this visit over with quickly. The pain of having him here was too intense, and she knew she was in for a fresh crying jag after he left.

As long as she could make it that far…

She sat down at one end of the sofa.

“I’ve been talking to Collin,” Reed began. “He thinks…well, for Lucas…” He paced to the bay window.

Her stomach hollowed out. Reed wasn’t going to fight her for Lucas. Please God, not that.

He didn’t meet her eyes. “For the sake of Lucas, and the court case, and to maximize our changes of defending ourselves against the Vances, we should stay together until custody is settled. Three weeks.”

Elizabeth was speechless.

Reed, here? Them, together, but not?

Reed slowly turned to look at her. “Elizabeth?”

“I…” she tried. How could she do it? How could she possibly see him every day while she was trying to get over him? It would be horrible, painful, impossible.

“I can’t,” she managed, her voice cracking.

His jaw clenched. “I know. That’s what I said to Collin.”

So, Reed had already refused. That was good. They’d find another way. A way that didn’t require her heart to be shredded for twenty-one long days.

His blue eyes turned flat with determination. “But we have to.”

A small whimper escaped from her, and she shook her head.

He crossed back to her, coming down on one knee. “If we separate, it gives the Vances exactly what they need. Their lawyer will use it to destroy our case. It puts Lucas at risk, Elizabeth.”

She closed her eyes, fear and despair roiling within her. She wanted to throw herself into Reed’s arms. She wanted his soothing voice to assure her that everything would be okay.

But he couldn’t. And he never would again. She was on her own this time, and she had to be strong for Lucas. Her nephew, and her brother’s last wishes were all that mattered now.

“I’ll sleep on the couch,” Reed offered. Since they’d set up the nursery, there was no spare bedroom.

“I can sleep on the couch,” she croaked out, realizing the words told him she’d given in. Not that there was a choice. Logic told her that Collin was right. How could they present the better environment for Lucas if they were in the middle of a divorce?

Reed was shaking his head. “You need your sleep. You have a baby to take care of.”

“And you don’t?” She found an ounce of strength somewhere to argue with him. “You have a corporation to run, criminal charges to defend against, and a blackmailer on your trail.”

Reed unexpectedly gave a dark chuckle. “We’re fairly pathetic, aren’t we?”

She frowned. It was way too soon for humor.

“Sorry.” His hand moved toward her face. He was going to brush her hair from her cheek, like he’d done a thousand, maybe a million times before. But he checked himself just in time. “I’m going back to the office. I’ll probably be late.”

Elizabeth watched him leave. The door swung shut behind him. The silence closed in around her. And the horrible feeling that she had made a terrible mistake by leaving him pounded relentlessly through her brain.

She didn’t move until Lucas cried from the nursery.

Then she dug deep and found a smile for the baby, changed him, gave him his bottle and a handful of dry cereal. Together they built a block tower on the living room floor and watched a cartoon movie.

Rena took weekends off, so Elizabeth cleaned up after Lucas. By the time she gave him a bath, tucked him in, did his small load of laundry, and made up his bottles for the morning, she was dead on her feet.

After changing into a nightgown she settled down with a comforter on the sofa. Despite Reed’s protests, she would sleep out here. It was less lonely than the bed.

She stared at the city light pattern on the high ceiling, telling herself she’d had no choice but to separate from Reed. Sharing such a minuscule portion of his life was worse than sharing none of it at all.

When his key turned in the lock, she closed her eyes, pretending to sleep.

She knew the exact second he spotted her. His footsteps froze, and he took a sharp breath. Then he moved to the side of the sofa.

“Elizabeth?”

She didn’t answer.

“I know you’re awake.”

How could he possibly know that?

She heard him crouch down beside her.

Astonishingly, there was a trace of humor in his voice. “When you’re asleep, you snore.”

Her eyes opened. “I do not.”

“It’s very quiet, and very ladylike, but you definitely snore.”

“You are lying.”

He gazed the length of her body under the comforter. “What are you doing, Elizabeth?”

“Sleeping.”

“My wife’s not sleeping on the couch.”

She struggled up onto her elbows. “Well, you’re way too tall. I barely fit.”

They both stared at each other in defiance.

“We have to share the bed,” he finally stated.

“We can’t share the bed.”

“It’s a big bed. I’ll stay on my side, you stay on yours.”

She gave her head an adamant shake. “That’s crazy.”

“Is there anything about this situation that’s not crazy?”

She couldn’t come up with an immediate answer.

His arms swept under her shoulders and knees.

“Reed!”

He lifted her. “You need your sleep. I need mine. And there’s only one way to get it.” He started for the bedroom.

His arms felt too good around her. His body felt too good against her. She had to fight to keep from melting into his strength. Twenty feet, ten, five, finally.

He stopped at the edge of the bed. He didn’t immediately put her down, but stared into her eyes for a long moment, making her want all the things she couldn’t have.

“Sleep well,” he finally murmured then laid her gently down on the comforter.

Within seconds, he’d disappeared into the en suite. The fan began to whirr, and the water drummed against the floor of the shower.

Elizabeth buried her head firmly in her pillow and sobbed in utter frustration.

Elizabeth awoke to silence. She’d slept deeply, and it took her a second to figure out why she had a sick feeling in the pit of her stomach. But then she remembered. Reed was leaving, and the pain came flooding back in force.

Morning sunshine fought its way through the bedroom curtains, confusing her. Lucas usually woke her up by seven. Lucas. Her gaze flew to the bedside clock, and she discovered it was nearly ten.

What was the matter with Lucas?

She sprang out of bed and jogged down the hall in her wrinkled nightgown.

His crib was empty. Panic clawed at her throat. But then she heard it. The gurgling sound of his voice. And then Reed’s voice.

“The trick,” Reed intoned, “is to make sure your foundation is solid. That means we use the red blocks first.”

Lucas cooed in apparent agreement.

Elizabeth made her way down the hall. She stood in the doorway for a minute, watching the colorful tower go up before Reed spotted her.

“Good morning,” he said, no inflection in his voice.

“Why didn’t you wake me?”

He usually headed into the office first thing.

“You were tired,” he said, keeping his attention focused on Lucas and the blocks.

“I could have-”

“You were tired.” There was a snap in his voice this time, and his annoyed gaze met hers.

She cleared her throat. “I can take it from here.”

“No problem,” he said. “I wasn’t planning to go into the office today.”

Elizabeth blinked, trying to make the words compute.

“I’ve invited my parents for dinner.”

Raw panic hit her system. “You did what?” Anton and Jacqueline here? In the middle of this? Her gaze flew around the slightly messy room.

“I invited my parents for dinner,” he repeated.

“Why?” she wailed. “Rena’s off. Did you call a caterer?” She rushed toward the kitchen. Was the Alençon tablecloth ironed? Did they have fresh candles? What about a centerpiece?

“I told them we’d send out for pizza.”

Elizabeth stopped in her tracks, turning to stare at Reed. “Is that supposed to be a joke?” She really wasn’t in the mood.

“No joke. They want to meet Lucas.”

“You are planning to serve Anton and Jacqueline Wellington take-out pizza?” They were the reigning king and queen of New York society.

“I did warn them.”

“You can’t do this. I’ll be mortified. They’ll think I’m the worst hostess in the world. They already don’t like me.” Not that it mattered. They weren’t going to be her in-laws much longer.

Reed came to his feet. “You worry too much.”

“No. I don’t worry nearly enough.”

“I’ll grab a six-pack to go with it.”

“You absolutely will not. I’ll going down to Pinetta’s to pick up some filets. Do we still have that black labeled merlot in the wine rack?” Where was her purse?