She looks more furious than I’ve ever seen her, her entire face twisted in anger.
I take a step backward, startled, and she uses it to her advantage, barging into the apartment.
“How dare you.” She’s still fuming.
Finally, I find my voice. “He’s not your husband anymore,” I say.
“Tell that to our lawyers.” Sheryl laughs, actually laughs. “So this is why he suddenly started talking about divorce again. We were fine, we were working this out, and then you came along and wrecked it all.”
“Oh please.” I cross my arms over my chest, all too aware that I’m braless right now. “Lark told me all about why you haven’t signed the papers yet. You’re basically blackmailing him with his own company.”
“Till death do us part,” Sheryl shouts. “That’s what he and I promised each other. It’s not blackmail, I’m just trying to save my marriage.” Something in her voice cracks, and for a moment, I glimpse behind the angry façade. I see the sad, desperate woman behind it, and she looks way too familiar.
I reach for her arm. “Sheryl, listen. I went through a bad breakup too, and I hung on for way too long to something that wasn’t working because I was afraid of being alone—”
She jerks away from me. “Don’t you dare try to talk to me about relationship advice, you whore.”
I reel backward as though struck. My whole face has gone beet red. “I’m sorry we didn’t tell you, but—”
“Don’t you dare call her that.” Lark’s voice breaks through the room, low and rough with sleep and fury combined. He’s in nothing but boxers, yet he still manages to look more put together than Sheryl in her neatly pressed business attire. He crosses the room to my side and wraps one arm around my shoulders, protective. Bracing. “Your issue is with me, Sheryl, not Cassidy. Don’t drag her into this mess.”
“You’re the one who invited a third party into our marriage,” Sheryl snaps.
“Our marriage has been over for years,” Lark replies coolly. “You know it. I’ve told you a million times. Cassidy’s right, Sheryl. You need to accept this. Move on.”
She laughs, high pitched and mean. “You already know my terms, Lark. If you want to call it quits, the company’s mine. End of story. Otherwise, I’ll see you at counseling tomorrow.”
With that, she whirls on her heel and storms out of the apartment, back down the staircase. Only now does it hit me that she must have climbed all twenty flights up here just to do this. Yell at Lark in his own house.
He’s realizing the same thing, glaring as he crosses over to shut the door behind her and bolt it. “I told the doorman not to let her up anymore. Guess she still has a key to the service door though.” He sighs. “I’ll talk to building management about switching it.” Then he runs a hand through his hair, his expression sour. “I’m sorry you had to see that, Cass.”
“Don’t be.” I walk toward him, opening my arms. He wraps his around me and buries his face in my neck. “Your problems are my problems now, Lark. We’re in this together.”
He laughs softly, face still pressed against my neck.
“What?” I ask.
He turns to meet my eyes, smiling. “It’s just… nobody’s ever stood up for me like that before. Especially not to Sheryl. She even scares my own family.”
I laugh, too. “After today I can see why.” We both glance at the service door. Lark’s expression sobers. “Hey.” I nudge his side. “Don’t worry. We’ll figure something out. Some way to work around her. And if you have to keep going to counseling for a while to keep the business, I don’t mind. It’s a weird situation, but it’s fixable. Everything is.”
“With you on my team?” Lark leans down to kiss my temple. “I don’t doubt it.” Then he sighs and straightens, glancing toward the kitchen. “Right. Drama this early in the morning calls for a reward. I’m thinking waffles?”
I grin and let him tug me toward the kitchen. “Sounds good to me, chef.” But worry still nags at me, even after Lark seems to brush Sheryl off. I watch him whisk eggs and sift flour, and then pour the batter inti the waffle maker, the most delicious smell emanating through the kitchen. All the while he hums along to the radio and tells me about his plans for the day. And watching him, a heavy weight sinks into my stomach.
Is he going to have to choose between his dream company and me? And if so… how can I possibly ask him to make that sacrifice?
33
Lark
For once in my life, I’m early to my counseling appointment. I wanted to get here before Sheryl, because I wanted to see the look on her face when she walked in and saw me on the couch, my back ramrod straight, my hands fists on my knees.