The iron thuds on the shirt I’m pressing for the fourth time. There isn’t a wrinkle in sight, but I’m avoiding what I have to do. After my panic attack yesterday, I’m sure I need to back out of being the face and name of the Eliza Grady homemaking empire Logan wants to create. My blouse is stiff with starch as I hang it up, and I finally make my way to the kitchen where Logan is working.

I breathe in so deeply my lungs might explode, and my husband glances at me. When I exhale to speak, my words tumble out of my mouth. “I’ve decided to quit and go back to my job at the museum.”

Logan blinks a few times before he speaks. “You’re serious. You really want to just walk away from it all.” He sets his coffee mug down so hard the contents splash up.

“I do.” I’ve thought about nothing else since yesterday. I’m not an outgoing person, and I’ve never enjoyed large groups of people the way my friends do. I come home and can’t wait to be in silence, while my girlfriends want to rehash whatever silly thing happened so they can laugh again. I say, “It won’t be hard to find a replacement that’s better than me.”

“Don’t be self-deprecating, Eliza.” His voice is hard and it makes me uncomfortable with the shame of disappointing him. “You are the business.” He sighs as he splays his hands out on the table, and I can tell he’s searching for the right words. “Look. I told you it takes time to get good at this. And you’ve already improved so much. I’m sure you’re going to be on top of it all very soon.”

“But I don’t want to be.” I walk over to the window that overlooks the city, and lights twinkle in the twilight. I lay my cheek on the cool glass as I think about my previous job at the museum cataloging precious artifacts. I spent most of my time working alone and I loved it. All I’ve ever wanted was to stay home and raise a family. I turn to Logan. “Remember in my profile I mentioned I want to run a household, and take care of my mate and our children?”

“Yes. I wanted that too. And I still want the children, but we decided to take your impressive skills and share them. We decided this together, Eliza.”

“Did we? I recall that you steamrolled ahead with the idea and assumed I would go along with it.”

Logan gets up to come to me and his eyes are hard when he says, “I didn’t hear any objections.”

He’s right. I didn’t say anything. “Well, you’re hearing them now. I can’t do it.” Glasses rattle when I open the dishwasher to empty it, and I avoid Logan’s gaze. My cheeks are hot with my shame of disappointing him, and part of me wants to cave and try again so he won’t be mad. But I know myself well enough to realize that I’ll still be miserable. “You saw what happened yesterday. I’m not meant to be in the public eye.” Silverware clangs as I put it in the drawer, and I glance at my husband. “I’m meant to be an ordinary woman.”

He steps in front of the dishwasher to block me from unloading more. “So what am I supposed to do? Hire someone to pretend to be you?”

“What about Nancy? She’d be fantastic as a show host.”

Logan shakes his head and anger flashes in his eyes. “Our brand is you.” He rakes his hand through his hair, making it stand on end. “I can’t believe this is happening.”

I step back, and my voice is soft when I say, “I’m sorry.”

My husband stares at me for a moment, and his eyes are not the warm brown I’m used to. I watch as they swirl with shades of black. I have knots in my stomach again. Logan nods once before he moves to go back to the table. He doesn’t sit down to his computer like I expected, and his footsteps pound as he paces around. He begins to mutter in his native language, and while the sound is melodic, the emphasis on some of the words tells me he’s saying things that are not pleasant.

I don’t know what to do, but I’m not good at feeling helpless so I say, “I’ll make you some hot chocolate.”

“Hot chocolate?” Logan’s hands are in fists by his side. “Did you plan to bake cookies too?” His laptop snaps shut as he takes it from the table, and he shoves it in his bag. “I’ve got a better idea.” He sweeps his arm around the room. “Why don’t you redecorate and focus on the trivial things in life while I figure out how to salvage the business I’ve poured all my money into.”

My heart sinks. “Logan.” I didn’t think he’d be so angry with me, and I certainly didn’t think about how my decision would impact the business. He doesn’t look at me and speaks in Eroscian as he stomps toward the door. When he gets there he turns to me, and now his eyes flash with rage as he spits out, “Don’t wait up. I’m not sure when I’ll be back.”

No. “Logan!” I run toward him as he steps out the door. “Please. Don’t leave mad.”

His nostrils flare as he glares at me, and his voice echoes in the hallway. “You’ve just announced we are no longer a team. How am I supposed to react?”

“No.” Tears burn in my eyes. “That’s not what just happened. I love you and want us to be partners for life.”

“If that’s true then you’d understand how what you’re doing impacts both of us.”

“I didn’t think.” My sleeve scratches against my skin as I swipe tears off my face. “Come back inside and we’ll figure this out.”

Logan’s face relaxes a bit, and the familiar warmth of his alien touch fills me. “Are you changing your mind about doing the shows?”

It would be so easy to say yes and appease him, because he’s made me feel that it’s okay. I shake my head. “I know what you’re doing. How can I be sure of what I want when you continue to make me want things?” A tear drips off my chin, and I swipe the rest off my face. “This isn’t a partnership if you continue to manipulate me into thinking the way you do. It’s like you only want me for my body and homemaking skills.” A sob escapes before I croak out. “I thought you loved me, not what I can do for you.”

“I see.” His brow is knit as if he’s confused by what I said. “Goodbye, Eliza.” He turns and walks toward the elevator.

I fight the urge to run to him and pull him back. How did everything go so wrong so quickly? The door snicks shut as I slowly close it, and it’s hard on my back as I lean against it and let my tears fall. I push off to walk over to the kitchen table where Logan sets up when he’s home, and I move the vase of flowers back to the center. I wander into the living room to sit on the sofa and pull myself together.

I wonder if I’ve been fooling myself all along and begin to replay the way I was so easily swayed to his thinking over the past few weeks. Was he manipulating me the whole time?

A pillow is soft in my arms as I hug it, and I recall my wardrobe overhaul. Was the joy I felt over new clothes and a new look real? Or was it because Logan made me like it? I glance down at my straight leg slacks and wonder if I would have picked them on my own.

I think about the shows and how easily we decided how they should go. I squeeze my eyes shut as a low-grade headache pounds behind them. I let myself get sucked into Logan’s enthusiasm, and I went along with almost everything because his ideas were good. Or were they? Did he use his alien powers to make me believe in them?

The vision of Logan’s face when his mind is racing with ideas makes me smile. He bounces them off me and the two of us form a plan that makes both us excited. I do recall having a say, and swaying him to my side occasionally. At the time I felt as if he believed in me too. Working by his side has been rewarding, and I think we make a great team. Unfortunately, I can’t stomach being the face of the business no matter how much Logan tries to make me think I can.

There’s got to be a way to fix this. I flash to the cold, angry face of my husband as he left and recall how he was the same way when he arrived. Is that who Logan really is? I close my eyes and rub my temples. I’m afraid I don’t have a clear view, but I think my two best friends will. I think they can help me figure this out.

Standing up quickly, I toss the pillow on the couch and it thuds softly. I call Mandy and Lexi and ask them to come over. I make my way to the kitchen, and ice crashes in my half-sink before I add water to create a chilly bath. I place a bottle of white wine in the water and know it will be cold enough to drink in minutes. I sigh. While I have hundreds of tips and tricks for running a home, I clearly lack the skills to navigate a marriage, and I hope my girlfriends can help me find my way.