fferent about what you’re trying to pull off now that your concern about losing it all won’t get in the way?” Sam asked.
“That’s not driving me now. I need to get this last thing done and then I can give her what she needs. I just worry she won’t want me anymore.”
“You don’t think she still loves you?” Bob put his hand on my shoulder.
“I think she’ll always love me, but maybe not be in love with me, if that makes sense.” The thing that hurt me to my core was how she’d look at me. Like I was a disappointment. I swore I could see her love for me leaving each time I looked into her eyes. She didn’t look at me the same as she had back when we dated and early in our marriage.
“I wouldn’t worry about it if you’re really going to follow through,” Bob reassured me.
“I don’t know. She’d talked to a lawyer before her cancer diagnosis.”
There was a collected of, “oh” in the group. That made me feel worse. It solidified that feeling like I was on the edge of losing everything, only now I knew what that really meant. I never wanted to be homeless and hungry again, but I could survive if I did. Losing Terra and my kids, that would be the end of me.
“Open communication is always the best course of action,” Sam said.
“She’s not talking to me. She won’t pick up when I call or respond to my texts. She’s not sleeping in our bed.”
This time a few winced.
“She may not be talking or even wanting to listen, but that doesn’t stop you from talking or texting. You can’t give up, Brayden. The minute you stop trying, then your marriage is over,” Denise said.
I rubbed my hand over my chest because my heart ached so fucking bad.
“You still have time,” Bob patted me on the shoulder. “Don’t give up.”
This time I left group feeling worse, and at the same time even more committed to get this project done asap.
When I got back to the office, Kyle was waiting for me. “We’ve got a problem.”
Fuck. No more problems. “What?”
“I put the new paperwork on your desk.”
I looked over the paperwork with several crossed out items and penned in changes, none of which I found acceptable. I sat back in my chair feeling completely defeated.
“I have an idea,” Kyle said standing in front of my desk.
“Let’s hear it.” Why couldn’t anything go right, just once?
“Bidding war.”
I arched a brow. “Is that possible?”
“I think so. If you’re serious about this.”
I leaned forward and looked Kyle directly in the eyes. “I’m serious.”
There was a flash of disappointment, which I understood. Things would be changing for Kyle and everyone else here. But as much as I liked Kyle, Terra and my family came first. This was my best course of action.
“You don’t think I’m doing the right thing?” I asked anyway. He deserved to have input since this was going to affect him.
“I do. I don’t necessarily like it, but I get it. And I want to help you achieve this.”
“Thank you, Kyle.”
He stood. “I’ll go make a couple of calls and see what sort of trouble I can stir up.”
I laughed. “You’re good a trouble.”