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nightmares, he’d never imagined
he’d have to watch another man express his love for the woman who’d
promised her love to him… forever. That’s how long Eve had promised
to love him on their wedding day, and she was reneging on that
promise. He couldn’t even claim she was to blame.
    “Are you sure
you want to do this now?” Dan asked quietly. “We just lost Sharon.
Why don’t you give yourself a little time—”
    “Now is the
time. We need to talk now.”
    Alex’s stomach
clenched, fear erupting into full-blown panic. Oh God, is she
going to ask me for a divorce? Is she going to tell me she doesn’t
love me anymore… that she’s in love with him?
    “If you’re
sure,” Dan said, glaring at Alex. “Call me if you need me.”
    Alex wanted to
reach out to her, but he was afraid of her reaction, terrified her
words would stop him in his tracks. “I’m so sorry about your aunt.
I would have been here sooner, but—”
    “You don’t have
to tell me,” she said, holding up her hand. “Something came up at
work. You had to fly to Seattle last minute. I know. Jenny told me
when I called your office.”
    He hated
himself for allowing his assistant to impart the news that he’d
left town. “I’m sorry, Eve. I should have called, but it happened
so fast. I needed to be on that plane…” He raked a hand through his
hair, wishing his excuses didn’t sound so pathetic. “I hit the
ground running as soon as I got to the airport. One meeting after
another.”
    “I
understand.”
    He knew she
didn’t. But why should she? As long as he had a cell phone in his
pocket, there was no excuse. “I came as soon as Myra called.” He
was ashamed that a call from Sharon’s head housekeeper got him
there when his wife’s calls had fallen on deaf ears.
    “She shouldn’t
have called you.” Eve leaned against the white pillar and crossed
her arms over her slight frame. “I know how busy you are.”
    “I’m never too
busy for you. You know that.” He wanted her to believe that. He
wanted her to be proud of him. He wanted her to have everything she
deserved. Everything he did was for her.
    “Do I?”
    Two little
words, yet they said so much. She’d given up hope… on him and their
marriage. His mind raced, trying to figure out how he could stop it
from happening. How could he keep his world from falling apart?
    “You should
probably go,” she whispered when he didn’t respond.
    “What?” He
stepped closer, praying with everything in him that she would do
the same. “I don’t want to go, Eve. This is where I need to be.
Here. With you.”
    “Why?”
    He stared into
her emerald green eyes, hoping to see a hint of the inexplicable
connection they’d once shared. When had they lost that, and why
couldn’t he remember the exact moment when she stopped looking at
him as though he was the man she wanted to spend the rest of her
life with?
    “I want to be
here because…” You’re my life. That’s what he should have
said—it was what he wanted to say—but she looked so fragile. He
couldn’t risk upsetting her more, forcing her to make a
life-altering decision while she was still reeling from the loss of
her aunt. “You’re my wife. Where else would I be?”
    Closing her
eyes, she drew a deep breath. “I don’t know. Nothing makes sense
anymore. My aunt is gone. That’s the only thing I can think about
right now.”
    He wanted to
tell her he loved her, but he didn’t know if he still had the
right. A man who loved his wife would have dropped everything to be
by her side and help her deal with losing someone she loved so
much. The only word he could think of was one he should have said
months, perhaps years, ago. “I’m sorry.”
    Her eyes
snapped open, locking with his. She looked surprised. “Thank
you.”
    She’d assumed
he was offering his condolences about Sharon’s passing. Sharon was
a remarkable woman, and he had a great deal of respect for her, but
his apology ran so much deeper. He