Chapter Eighteen

Kelsey spotted the gift bag on her desk. “Wonder what’s in this one?”

The first peace offering, she didn’t know what else to call them, had arrived Monday. She’d returned from the supply closet and found the pastry box from Ambrosia Bakery on her desk. Inside had been two different types of biscotti, as well as several cannoli and some chocolate-covered strawberries. Tuesday, she arrived back at Cat’s house and found Drew had dropped off a basket of assorted cheeses and wine, along with a card apologizing yet again. Wednesday’s surprise had been two tickets to a baseball game at Fenway Park, a dozen roses, and of course yet another card.

She peeked inside the bag and first pulled out the card. Although a different one, it read very similar to all the others. She put the card off to the side and pulled out a box of imported chocolates. She remembered enough French from high school to recognize the words printed on the box. He knows what I like. Kelsey opened the box and selected a chocolate. Closing her eyes, she savored the candy for a moment.

She considered taking a second candy, but passed and reached into the bag again. This time she pulled out the softest pair of pajama bottoms she’d ever felt. Today’s peace offering was by far her favorite yet. Too bad none of them helped her reach a conclusion. Kelsey put the gifts back in the bag and finished packing up the materials she needed to take home. Tonight, she wasn’t taking much. She had an appointment to look at a few apartments after school, and didn’t want to be up until midnight correcting homework assignments.

What the heck should I do? As she left the school, she asked herself the same question she’d been asking since Saturday night. One moment she made up her mind and decided he loved her. She told herself to believe everything he’d said before she walked out on him and moved in with Cat and Tony. An hour later, she’d be convinced he’d only married her to keep his promise to Ian, and she’d be better off without him.

She’d discussed the situation and her feelings to death with Cat and Ella while ingesting large of amounts of ice cream and brownies. Both gave her the same answer. Drew was an idiot, but an idiot who loved her. In most situations, she’d accept their answer. She couldn’t recall any instances when Cat and Ella agreed on something and they turned out to be wrong. This time she couldn’t, at least not yet. Man, she wanted to. More than anything she wanted to believe Drew loved her as much as she loved him. If he didn’t, she wanted to know for sure, so she could put her heart back together and move on.

She’d hoped being away from him would help. So far it hadn’t. If anything, it only made her hurt more. Not only did she not know where she truly stood, but she also missed him. In the past few months, he’d become a key part of her life.

Kelsey left the parking lot and turned onto School House Lane, the sunlight reflecting off her diamond engagement ring. Despite her conflicting emotions, she couldn’t bring herself to take off the diamond ring and wedding band.

“Would Drew really want to spend his life with me just because of Ian?” This afternoon, like every day this week, she couldn’t answer her question with 100 percent certainty either way.

She looked at an apartment on Pleasant Street not far from Quinn’s Hardware first, and then at a second on Fender Drive. Either would suit her needs, and the monthly rent was within the amount the insurance company was willing to pay. Kelsey couldn’t commit to either. Instead, she’d told the landlords she needed to think about it, because signing on any dotted lines would’ve been accepting that her and Drew’s marriage was over. Despite the problems between them, she wasn’t ready to do it.

The front door was open when she pulled into Cat’s driveway. Cat had left for a conference this morning in Delaware and wouldn’t be back until Saturday night. The open door meant Tony was home. Kelsey didn’t know if Cat had filled Tony in on all the details, but she guessed Cat had told him something by now. Even if she hadn’t, he’d know there were problems with her and Drew’s relationship. Newlyweds didn’t usually live in separate houses less than a month after saying I do.

“Hey, Kelsey.” Tony sat in the living room, a slice of pizza in his hand and the baseball game on the television. “I grabbed a couple pizzas on the way home. Help yourself.”

Some pizza and a baseball game would let her keep her brain turned off for a little longer. Hopefully. She’d tackle the papers she brought home later.

She opened the top pizza box. Ham and pineapple covered it. She liked ham, and she liked pineapple. She just didn’t care for them on her pizza. Kelsey opened the bottom box. Sausage, pepperoni, and tomatoes covered this one. “Much better.” She snagged a bottle of iced tea before joining Tony.

“Who’s winning?” she asked.

“No score yet. It’s only the second inning,” Tony answered. “Cat said you were apartment hunting tonight. How’d it go?”

“Either one will work.” She twisted off the bottle lid. “I’m going to sleep on it and decide over the weekend.” Tony was a great guy, but he wouldn’t want his wife’s best friend sleeping in the guest room forever.

Tony looked away from the television toward her. “No need to rush. Stay as long as you need.”

“Thanks.”

She’d discussed her problems with Cat and Ella. They’d given her the answers she wanted to hear, but they were both women. Women viewed relationships and love differently than men. What kind of answer would a guy give her if she presented the facts to him? She had a guy sitting a few feet away. Even better, Tony knew Drew. Maybe she should ask and find out.

Kelsey set her iced tea down. “Tony, can I get your opinion?”

He used the remote to pause the game and nodded. “Shoot.”

“Do you think a guy would marry a woman simply so he can take care of her?”

She didn’t know what kind of response she expected from Tony, but it wasn’t the burst of laughter she got.

“Not anyone I know,” he said once he stopped laughing.

“What if Sean had asked you to look out for Charlie? Would you have married her then?” It was no secret Tony Bates and Sean O’Brien were best friends, much the same way Ian and Drew had been.

Tony shook his head. “I would’ve done anything I could to help Charlie out if she needed it, but not marry her.” His expression grew serious. “Cat shared what happened. Your problems were solved when you sold Bancroft Auto. You didn’t need more help. And if you had, Drew would’ve helped you in some other way. He wouldn’t have married you.”

Tony had a good point. The moment she signed the purchase and sales agreement, her problems had been solved. Drew had known it too. He’d asked her to marry him after she’d accepted the offer from Jack Newton. After she no longer needed any assistance.

“Thanks for your help, Tony. I appreciate it.”

She took another sip of her iced tea and watched the batter hit a home run out of Fenway Park. Maybe Drew had married her because he loved her. Perhaps Ian’s request had prompted his decision to go behind her back where the business was concerned, but not his decision to propose. Three people seemed to think so. What were the odds they were all wrong?

Zero, she hoped.

***

He’d held off on calling or texting her. Instead he’d sent her gifts and cards, hoping she’d come around and talk to him. They couldn’t resolve anything if she wouldn’t sit and talk. So far, nothing. Not even a text message saying thank you. Well, he was done waiting, and he had one more surprise to give her. A surprise he wouldn’t be leaving at school or Tony’s house. This surprise, Drew planned to give her in person.

Drew checked his cell phone. He’d been lying awake for hours. Actually, he hadn’t had a decent night’s sleep since Kelsey moved out. Without her next to him, the bed was too big and too empty.

He watched the numbers change. Ten past nine. Late enough to call her.

“Drew, I was going to call you soon,” Kelsey said after answering, her voice the best sound he’d heard all week. “I didn’t want to call too early and wake you.”

He hated that she sounded so formal, but it was better than sounding angry. “I’ve been up for hours. Can’t remember the last time I had a good night’s sleep.”

“Same here.”

Was she suffering from the same problems as him?

“Can I come over? We need to talk,” she said.

At least they were on the same page there. He hoped they remained on the same page. “It’s why I called. I hoped you’d come by today.”

“Twenty minutes work for you?” Kelsey asked.

Whatever decision she’d made, she wasn’t keeping him waiting long. Should he take that as a good sign or not? “Whatever works for you, sweetheart.”

Drew choked down coffee and touched his back pocket. He had the documents he needed. The big question was what she would do with them. He raised the mug toward his mouth again, then set it down. He couldn’t handle even another sip of coffee. What he’d ingested already was threatening to make a reappearance. He poured the mug’s contents down the drain and moved into the living room instead.

She’d taken her house key and garage door opener when she moved out. He’d assumed Kelsey would let herself in when she arrived. Instead the doorbell rang. Not a good sign. He should’ve pulled on his lucky socks. The ones he’d worn when he’d won three of his four Super Bowl rings.

When she’d walked out on him last weekend, he’d almost been able to see the steam escaping her ears. This morning she appeared calm and in control. Her expression gave him no clue as to what she was thinking or planning to do.

“Morning. You could’ve let yourself in.” He moved in to kiss her, but then put on the brakes.

“I took the key off my keychain and forgot it at Cat’s house.”

She brushed some loose hair back, and he noticed the diamond engagement ring and wedding band still on her finger. Maybe things were looking up. “Do you want anything?”

“No thanks. I’ve had enough coffee this morning to drown an elephant. But if you need to finish eating, go ahead. I’ll wait.”

“I couldn’t eat if I wanted too.” He touched her arm and waited for a response. When she didn’t pull away, he reached for her hand. “Let’s sit in the other room.”

Her thumb brushed over his palm and his wedding band. “Thank you for the gifts. I should’ve texted or called after you sent them.”

“Glad you liked them.”

They sat, the silence between them heavy. One of them had to go first. “I’m sorry, Kelsey. What I did was unacceptable. I should’ve minded my own business.” He took out the folded documents in his back pocket. “Sign these and Bancroft Auto is yours again.” He handed the papers to her. “Do whatever you want with it. Keep it. Sell it. Whatever, and I won’t interfere again.”

He’d met with Jack and his lawyer in Boston this week. He now officially owned the garage. All she had to do was sign the papers his lawyer drew up, and it would belong to her again.

“Drew, I’m not… thank you.” She opened the papers and glanced over them, but didn’t sign them. “It doesn’t make it right, but I understand why you did it.”

Kelsey hadn’t said she forgave him, but it was better than still accusing him of deceit.

Drew’s hand shook as he reached for the envelope still in his pocket. He didn’t want her to accept this one, but he had to offer. “Kelsey, I know you think I married you to keep my promise to Ian. It’s not why.” He slid the envelope across the table. “But if you don’t want to stay with me, you don’t have to.”

He held his breath while Kelsey pulled the documents out and read them over. If she asked, he’d give her a divorce and leave her alone. Exactly how he’d get through it, he didn’t know. Drew couldn’t fathom not having Kelsey in his life.

She read through the first page and looked at him briefly before continuing on to the second. When she finished, tears filled her eyes. “These are divorce papers.” Her voice cracked, the sound pulling at his heart.

She’d come over hoping to mend things between them. Kelsey had guessed it was why he wanted to see her as well. Instead he turned over ownership of Bancroft Automotive, and now he was presenting her with divorce papers. Gritting her teeth kept her from crying out. Kelsey blinked several times, hoping to clear her vision. It didn’t help.

Hadn’t he said less than five minutes ago he hadn’t married her because of his promise? If that was true, why was he giving her these documents? “You want a divorce?”

“Hell no.” He took the papers from her and set them aside. “But if it is what you want, I won’t contest it.” Drew took her hands, his palms sweaty against hers. “I’m leaving this up to you. Whatever you decide, I’ll honor.”

She couldn’t recall ever seeing Drew cry, but this morning tears glistened in his eyes. The sight was the final straw. Her last bit of reserve failed, and tears streaked down her cheeks. Kelsey grabbed the papers and tore them in half. “I decided I was going to marry you when I was ten.” She ripped them in half a second time and let the papers fall on the sofa. “Divorcing you and not having you in my life is the last thing I want.”

Drew brushed his thumb across her cheek. “Good, because I can’t imagine my life without you. I love you.” He kissed her. “And for the next fifty years, I plan on showing you how much.”

Maybe she was letting him off too easy. And maybe others would argue she shouldn’t trust him. Kelsey didn’t care what anyone else thought. Life was too short. She knew it better than most. She wanted to spend her life with the man she loved. The man her heart and head said loved her too.

“Only fifty?” She smiled for the first time in what felt like weeks. “I was hoping for more.”

“How does forever sound?”

“Promise?” Kelsey asked.

Before Drew answered, he kissed her again and then nodded. “That’s a promise I can keep, Kelsey.”