The plane touches down in the city and I’m surprised that I don’t feel more anxious about this trip. I don’t really know what to expect with Danielle. I haven’t talked to her in weeks, and yet, I don’t give much of a fuck either. I just want all of this to be done.

Standing on the plane, I reach into the overhead bin and grab my small bag. I’m only staying for the weekend, so I didn’t need to bring anything more than what fits in a carry-on.

Walking toward the baggage claim, and then riding down the escalator I’m surprised that Danielle is waiting for me at the bottom. She gives me a small wave and a smile, which causes my defenses to go up. It seems she’s always played some sort of game with me, and this weekend will be no different.

“I thought you’d be at the office still,” I mutter as I close the distance between us.

She shakes her head. “I had to make a big show of your arrival, I figured I may as well pick you up anyway.” She shrugs. “Do you have baggage to claim?”

“Nope.”

Together we walk out of the airport, the silence between us is deafening. I power on my phone and grin when I see a message from Ines. It’s a picture of us together from last night. She looks amazing, her face flushed from her recent orgasm and her hair a wild mess from my hands.

Her words are simple, yet I find that they fill me with an extreme amount of warmth. I fucking miss her too, and the draw to her, to be with her rather than here is too fucking great. I cannot do this trip again. Danielle is going to be pissed, but this cannot happen anymore. Not with the way I truly feel about Ines.

When we arrive to Danielle’s waiting car, I let out a breath. She has a driver, something she’s probably had with work for years. I should feel a sense of pride that she’s such a successful woman, that at one time she was my successful woman, but I don’t. Her success came at a price, and happiness—our happiness—was that price.

“Take us to the penthouse,” she announces as soon as we’re settled in the backseat.

“Please,” I call out.

Danielle levels me with a glare but doesn’t respond. She’s rude, and entitled, and such a fucking bitch. Manners are free, and I’ve always been taught to use them, she’s old enough to say please and thank you.

The ride to her apartment is in silence, and I’m glad for it. I honestly don’t want to hear her talk at this point. Coming here was a fucking mistake. I should have stayed home. I should have stayed with Ines.

Once the driver turns on his hazards and double parks, we quickly exit the back seat and I wait for Danielle to walk past me, and into the building. Following behind her, I groan when we walk into her stuffy as fuck building.

She bought this apartment right after I moved to Nebraska. I’ve only been here a handful of times, and I’ve hated it every single time. It’s pretentious, just like she is. I’ve never been comfortable, not even in the lobby, let alone in the actual apartment.

“I set up the guest room for you. You made it clear when I was in Nebraska that you didn’t wish to sleep next to me any longer, I assume that desire holds true today?”

I almost roll my eyes at her words, but I don’t. “Do you have an itinerary for the weekend?” I ask, changing the subject.

“Tomorrow we have a luncheon at the club, then there’s an event in the evening. I don’t know if your tux still fits, but you’ll need to wear it or buy a new one. You can use my card if you don’t have enough money. Sunday, we have brunch at the club,” Danielle rattles off.

My spine straightens at her dig at my finances. As if I don’t have any money when I make more than enough to support myself, and a family should I desire to do so. I bite my tongue, not wishing to get into a fucking thing with her.

“I’m going to my dad’s first thing in the morning then, since you have the entire weekend booked,” I announce.

I don’t wait for a response, I turn and walk away from her heading toward the guest bedroom. I close and lock the door behind me. Making my way over to the bed I sink down and close my eyes. This fucking weekend is going to be a nightmare. I decide to take a quick shower and go to bed, forgoing any dinner for the evening in an effort to stay the fuck away from Danielle.

Once I’m showered and in bed, I pull out my phone and I look at the text from Ines that I read but didn’t respond to. I decide to send her a response now. I miss her, especially after having her soft body pressed against mine last night, I fucking miss the girl.

I power down my phone after pressing send and plug it into the charger. I need a full night’s rest, or at least I need to try for it. Lifting my arms, I place them behind my head and close my eyes.

Sleep doesn’t find me easily, or I don’t find sleep easily. I toss and turn for hours and when the sun peeks out from one of the tall buildings, I finally give up and get up for the day.

Hurrying to get dressed, I slip out of the house before Danielle is awake. I turn on my phone and shove it in my pocket. I’m sure I have a notification from Ines, and I’m sure I’ll get a million from Danielle, but right now I need to see my dad.

Hailing a cab, I give the driver my father’s address and I impatiently wait in the back while he drives toward his place. It’s been months since I’ve seen the man, and I need his advice, I need his guidance—now more than ever.

The cabby stops, and I hand him some bills before exiting the vehicle. The home that he’s pulled up in front of isn’t my childhood home. My dad and Jade bought a place when they got married, and it’s where Carter grew up, and where I’ve spent my holidays. I wasn’t upset when dad sold my childhood home, when he met Jade it was time to leave the past, in the past, and move on with his future.

The front door swings open, and I’m surprised when the man himself is standing in the foyer. “Jade’s filled me in. She’s gone for the morning, it’s just us,” he announces as I make my way up the walkway.

“Thank fuck I don’t have to go over the details again,” I chuckle, my words being nothing but the honest truth. I’m fucking tired of thinking about this situation, let alone having to repeat it all again, sounds like a nightmare.

Once I’ve made my way inside we walk into the kitchen, and then to the breakfast table. I’m not surprised to see that Jade not only has coffee for us but an entire breakfast as well. No matter her age, and how close it is to my own, she’s definitely a mother type, and I appreciate that she cares for me the way that she does.

“I should have told you about Danny years ago,” my father begins.

I shake my head, reaching for the cup of coffee that’s been set down in front of me. “No, you shouldn’t have. I wouldn’t have listened. Our relationship was a slow, painfully slow, decline. I see it clearly now,” I admit.

“Because you’ve met someone who makes you see it?” he asks.

My father knows me. For so long it was just the two of us, and nobody could know me better than this man sitting in front of me. I clear my throat before I answer.

“I met someone, yes,” I admit. “I’m also tired of living this life. This being married, but not being in a marriage. Sleeping with random people while the woman who is supposed to be my wife does the same, all while living states away from each other.”

“I was hoping you would come to this conclusion on your own, though I have to admit I’m a bit disappointed it’s taken this long,” he murmurs.

I chuckle with a shake of my head. I should have come to it earlier, but I have to admit, as much as a limbo as Danny and mine’s life was, I had freedom and I enjoyed it to an extent. It’s just now I’ve found a woman that I don’t need freedom from, a woman that I want with me, always. A woman that I don’t want to lie to any longer.

“I want a divorce, and Danielle wishes to wait until some big promotion is handed out at work. I need your advice.”

My father leans back in his chair slightly and levels me with his gaze. It’s not judgmental, but it is stern. “She’ll be a bitch about it if you don’t wait it out on her terms,” he announces, and I nod in agreement. “But you don’t want to wait?” he asks, lifting a brow in question.

“I don’t want to wait. I found someone, and I’m tired of lying to her, of keeping this from her.”

“File when you get home, be done with all of this charade. It’s immature, and your relationship has been since the beginning. I know you loved Danny, but she has only had one mission in her life, which is her career. Don’t waste another minute playing games, son. Life is too short, and you’ve finally found who you consider to be the one?” He poses his words like a question, causing my heart to slam against my chest.

Have I, met—the one? An image of Ines flashes in front of me, an image of her bright as fuck smile, and I know. I have. I have met the one. She’s who I see at my side from now on, nobody else. It all hits me suddenly, like a goddamn freight train. It’s her. Ines—she.is.mine.

“I love her, Dad.” My father gives me a look of pity, and I give him a smirk. “I love the woman back in Nebraska. You’re right, this shit can’t last another three months.”

“Don’t let it last another three hours.”

Reaching over, I grab a scone and take a bite before I speak. “Danny will be fucking livid if I don’t go to her parties this weekend.”

“Do you care?” he asks with a light chuckle.

Running my fingers through my hair, I lift my eyes to meet his. We have the same eyes, me and my dad, the same shade of blue but his hold so much more knowledge than mine do. He’s telling me everything I need to know in one look and daring me to do what we both know is the right thing to do, no matter what the repercussions. “I don’t. I care about Ines,” I state. “I know she senses something, and it’s time I come clean.”

My father grins. “Get the fuck out of here, son. Go to your woman. You bring her here for Christmas, or I’ll kick your ass,” he chuckles as he stands.

I stand as well, and I give my father a hearty embrace. This man—he’s always been my best friend, and today he made me see that I’ve been living my life all wrong. I’ve not only been doing it wrong for me but for Danielle, too. She says she’s fine with how we’ve been, but I’m sure that she’s not. She deserves to be free, and find her happiness, just as much as I do. She’ll be pissed for a while I’m sure, but eventually, she’ll see it was all for the best.

“Thanks, Dad,” I grunt as I take a step back, breaking our embrace.

He reaches forward and wraps his hand around my shoulder, giving it a strong squeeze. “I want you to be happy, son. It’s what I’ve always wanted for my boys. This girl, if she makes you happy, it’s all I care about. Maybe you can finally have that family that I know you’ve always wanted.” His voice is gruff.

I swallow the lump that’s formed in my throat. I’ve never verbally expressed that I’ve wanted children, and yet, he’s probably always known that it’s a desire of mine.

“She makes me happy, and I think she would like to start a family, eventually,” I admit.

I leave my dad’s home not long after our conversation. Staying only long enough for Jade to come home. I give her a hug and talk to her for a few minutes, then I go. I have to go to Danielle’s penthouse, get my shit, and catch the next flight back to Nebraska. One night away from Ines was enough, never again. Shit is going to change from now on, and I’m going to tell her everything as soon as I return.

The apartment is quiet when I make my way inside. I hurry to the bedroom and grab my bag, trying to make my way out without Danielle noticing. It’s a pussy move, I know, but I honestly don’t want to get into anything with her.

I don’t notice her at first, but Danielle is sitting in a chair, her eyes directed at me. “You’re leaving, I assume. You talked to that bitch and your father?” she asks, lifting a brow.

I grip the handle of my bag tightly, inhaling a deep breath before I answer. “None of my decision is based off of my father, or Jade. I did seek their advice, but honestly, I had come up with my decision before I even stepped on the plane yesterday. I shouldn’t have even come, if I’m being honest.”

Danielle shakes her head. “You know I’ll make your fucking life miserable, Tommy. I’ll make this divorce a nightmare and you’ll wish you’d have appeased me,” she growls.

I nod, expecting nothing less from her. She’s fucking pissed, and I’m messing with her carefully calculated plans. I’ve heard about people who don’t follow her rules, and how she’s dealt with them in the past. However, I’m not her employee and she doesn’t control me, and has nothing over me. I’m done.

Without another word, or so much as a backward glance, I walk out of her apartment. If I have any personal effects here in her place, I don’t want them back. I’m done. I hear her raised voice scream something as I close the door, but I don’t wait around to find out what it was. I have a plane to catch, and a woman to hold—my woman.

His text came through about fifteen minutes ago and I can’t help but grin. I missed him too. One night away was all that I could handle. How pathetic that I felt so lost, and so sad without him. I hope that whatever he had going on, that he’s finished with it and he’s ready to open up to me.

I take my towel and dry off my face from the intense run I just had on the treadmill. I don’t know if I’ll be able to wait until four to go to Thomas’, but I do know that I want to go and pack right away. Then, maybe I can get some classwork done so that the rest of the weekend I’ll be free to just be wrapped up in his arms.

Hurrying back to my room, I’m surprised to walk inside and see Jessa with an opened suitcase. She’s buzzing around the room, throwing her shit inside and I close the door behind me with a frown. “What’s going on here?” I ask.

Jessa turns to face me, tears swimming in her eyes and she tells me what’s happened, that her boyfriend announced she would be fucking someone else tonight, that he wasn’t giving her a choice. Then she informs me that Cole demanded she leave now, not later, but immediately.

“Cole’s right. You need to be safe. Maybe I’ll stay with Thomas for a little while, until all this shit is over,” I murmur.

Although, it’s not a hardship to fall asleep and wake up in his arms, and his bed, this just gives me a little more of an excuse to stay with him.

“I think you should. I mean, I don’t know why Trent would do anything to you, but just to be safe,” she whispers, her voice trembling.

Walking over to my closet, I grab my own suitcase from the floor. “Exactly,” I agree.

I pack as much of my stuff as I can fit into my one bag, and then load up my backpack with all of my school books and work. Jessa waits for me to finish packing up my things and then together we walk out of the building, our shit in tow.

Jessa breaks away from me without a backward glance and when I look in the direction of where she’s going, I smile. I don’t blame her for walking away from me, in fact, I’m surprised she didn’t run. The man she’s walking toward is standing next to a lifted pickup truck, he has light brown hair and his eyes, they don’t see anybody or anything, but her. It’s absolutely beautiful.

Once she’s loaded up in his truck, I turn toward my car. I haven’t taken it anywhere yet. I’ve no desire to use gas that I cannot pay for. What I do need to do, is look for a part-time job soon so that I can drive and get used to the city. I pull out my phone and type in Thomas’ address into the GPS app. Sucking in a deep breath, I wait for it to sync up and then I start my engine.

I’m sure I’ll be sitting outside of Thomas’ place for hours waiting for him. It’s better than sitting around in my room, waiting for Jessa’s asshole soon-to-be-ex, yell down the door looking for her. Plus, I missed him, and I’m excited to touch and kiss him again.