The Ex

ANNA

“She’s been sleeping since yesterday afternoon,” Gavin’s sharp whisper broke through my cloud of sleep. “She needs to go to the hospital.”

“Mr. Powell, it’s three a.m., and she hardly got any sleep the night before,” an unfamiliar man spoke. “I’m quite confident this has more to do with exhaustion than the minor bump to her head.”

“Minor my ass,” Gavin snapped. “Her entire fucking face is bruised, Paul.”

“I can set up a CT scan—”

“That won’t be necessary,” I interrupted groggily.

I heard Gavin’s quick steps cross the floor.

“How’s your head?” he asked and gently ran a hand through my hair.

“It’s good.” I gave him a small smile. “Like he said, I think I just needed some sleep.”

I took in the dark circles and worried lines marring his face. “When was the last time you slept?”

“I’m fine,” he said dismissively.

“Fine my ass,” I mimicked his earlier tone and watched the middle-aged doctor cough to hide a chuckle.

Gavin shot the man he called Paul a look before turning back toward me.

“Someone needed to watch you,” he insisted.

“Well, it sounds like I’m all set.” I looked over Gavin’s shoulder and called out, “Right, Doc?”

“You should be fine,” he agreed.

I gave Gavin a look as if to say “see?” He scowled in return. We continued to stare at each other as the doctor packed up behind him.

“Should anything change, my phone is always on,” Paul said.

“Thank you,” I replied with a small wave.

Once he shut the door, I turned back to Gavin.

“You need to sleep,” I told him and shook my head when he started to argue. “It’s not really a question. You’ve been awake for at least twenty-four hours, probably more. You’ll start hallucinating soon.”

He still looked unsure, so I decided to do something slightly drastic—at least for me. I reached out for his hand and gave it a gentle tug before scooting over.

He looked taken aback before grinning and sliding under the covers next to me.

I lay down on the pillow facing him and watched as he did the same. I was surprised to see the same uncertainty I felt reflected in his eyes. He reached out tentatively and stroked my cheek, and I found myself leaning into his touch.

“My lawyer emailed back my proposal with the changes we discussed,” he said after a moment.

“Oh.” I felt a pit form in my stomach.

His eyes searched my face. “You don’t seem happy.”

I looked away. “I’m not sure how to feel. I never thought this is how I would end up getting married.”

He looked thoughtful. “How’d you picture it?”

“Falling in love with a man ready to get down on one knee, for starters,” I told him. “This feels…dirty.”

“Millions of people every year think they’ve found their soulmate, only to end up divorced with nothing to show for it,” he reasoned. “This isn’t dirty. It’s a logical choice. We are both smart and attractive and have the opportunity to build a life together.”

“Love isn’t supposed to be logical,” I argued.

He took a deep breath and pursed his lips.

“Annalise, you’ve been on thirteen first dates in the last month alone,” he pointed out. “Only a few times have you given the guy a second look because they don’t measure up. Eventually, you would end up settling for one of those bozos because you felt like you were out of options. Is this not a better option?”

“I’ll choose to ignore how you came to know how many dates I’ve been on,” I huffed, and he shrugged. “You don’t know that I would never have found ‘the one.’”

“If there even is such a thing,” he reasoned. “I like to believe standing by a spouse is a choice.”

His words struck me in a way I didn’t think he realized. He raised an eyebrow when I found myself staring at him.

“It’s nothing… You just reminded me of something my mom used to say,” I said quietly.

“Oh?”

I cleared my throat. “Part of a happy marriage is choosing to love someone every single day.”

“Hmm. That’s not so different from what we’re doing.”

“Of course, then my dad married the Wicked Witch of the West before her body was even cold, so…” I sighed and shook my head.

“You don’t get along?” he asked.

“I’m surprised it didn’t come up during your surveillance.” He didn’t necessarily deserve my animosity, but the topic of my dad’s remarriage tended to bring out the worst in me.

“Honestly, I’d like to hear it from you,” he said gently, catching me off guard.

“Why?”

“Because I want to know you, Annalise.” He pushed a strand of hair behind my ear.

A lump formed in my throat. Between his genuine curiosity and soft touch, I worried I might come undone.

For the first time, I wanted to tell someone the painful details of my formative years. Finding the words to do it was another hurdle in and of itself.

“Well,” I started, “my mom was diagnosed with cancer when I was a teenager. She passed away when I was sixteen. Then my dad married his new wife a few months later.”

“Months? That’s…quick.”

I swallowed, trying to keep my voice even. “I, um, I think he was probably seeing her before Mom died? But he’s never admitted it.

“Anyway, she came with two kids in tow. Dad really wanted to make things work, and she really wanted me gone. I moved out the day after I graduated high school, and I haven’t heard from them since.”

There was a heavy pause. “Annalise…I’m so sorry. That’s terrible.”

His sympathy pulled at a pain I tried to keep buried deep. “It was a long time ago. Besides, things worked out pretty well. If I had stayed, I might never have ended up at Powell.”

Instead of saying anything, he pulled me against his chest and wrapped his massive body around mine. I stiffened at first, but he ignored it, running his finger comfortingly along my back.

Eventually, I let myself relax and felt his breathing even out shortly thereafter.

Lying cocooned in the safety of his embrace, it was easy to let myself believe what I felt between us was real, even if only for a second.

***

The sun was peeking through the edge of the curtains when I next awoke. Gavin was still snoring lightly, and I knew he needed sleep, so I carefully slipped out of his arms that were still hugging me tightly.

He mumbled something incoherent before settling once again. If I thought he was good-looking in the daylight, a peacefully slumbering Gavin was enough to convert a nun.

I was worried I might wake him, so I tiptoed down the stairs. After using the restroom, I headed to the kitchen. Part of me worried Margaret would already be there, but I was pleasantly surprised to find I had the place to myself.

After digging through the oversized pantry and cupboards, I was able to find the things necessary for my morning coffee. I breathed in the aroma as the fancy maker brewed and released a contented sigh.

Something told me I would never really get accustomed to the idea of someone doing things like this for me, and I wasn’t sure that I wanted to.

I decided I would talk to Gavin about it at some point. There were definitely things I wouldn’t mind help with. Laundry, for example. But I hardly thought having someone to wait on me hand and foot was needed.

I was in the middle of replying to a text from Kristina when I heard the elevator announce someone’s arrival. For a moment, I assumed it was Margaret or one of the other staff before a melodious voice called out.

“Gavin?” Chelsea Mark’s greeting floated over me like a plague. “Honey, are you okay? You weren’t answering your phone.”

I was rooted in place and heard her kick off her high heels in the entryway.

“Gavin?” she called again. “Are you here?”

Something was wrong. Why was she here? Better yet, why did she still have a key?

Did I just spend the night in the arms of a man who wasn’t as single as he claimed to be? Hadn’t I agreed to marry him?

A moment later, she turned the corner into the kitchen, and her plump, pink lips parted in shock as our eyes met. She was as beautiful as I remembered her—slender and tall, with a willowy frame.

Her high cheekbones and pert nose rested below light-green eyes and thick waves of auburn hair.

“Oh!” she gasped. “Hi, Anna. Are you picking something up for Ga…vin…”

Her voice trailed off as she took in the coffee mug I was holding and the T-shirt and leggings Magaret had given me the day before. I was sure my bedhead and lack of makeup didn’t do much to hide the fact that I’d just woken up.

“Ohhhh,” she stretched the word knowingly. “I see.”

“Gavin let me stay over after the attack,” I explained, but it sounded a little lame even to myself.

“Right.” She nodded, and I saw her eyes narrow slightly. “Naturally.”

I wanted to tell her it wasn’t what she assumed, but I realized I didn’t actually owe her an explanation. She and Gavin weren’t together anymore.

In fact, he was more mine than hers if the impending nuptials were anything to go by.

I tilted my head at her and forced my shoulders back.

“What are you doing here?” I asked with some forced confidence.

She jutted her chin at my new tone. “Checking on Gavin,” she answered coolly. “As I usually do after his face is plastered all over the news.”

She leaned against the counter and crossed her arms around herself tightly.

“Word to the wise,” she said slowly. “Don’t get your hopes up. There’ve been plenty of girls over the years who catch his eye. I’m the only one who ever held his attention for any length of time.”

I felt my hackles rise at the same time a knot of uncertainty tightened in my stomach.

“All of them were as young and naive as you,” she enunciated every syllable. “He will have his fun, and I’ll be waiting for him when he’s done.”

I raised my chin, despite the tears pricking my eyes. I had never been one for confrontation.

“It’s not like that, Chelsea.”

She laughed sarcastically. “Sure it’s not, sweetheart. How do you think this all plays out? Some Cinderella story where the billionaire marries his secretary?”

“That’s exactly how I see it playing out.” We both jumped at Gavin’s deep voice.

Chelsea recovered first.

“Thank goodness!” she cried and hurried toward him. “I was so worried about you!”

Gavin stopped her with a firm hand when she tried to hug him.

“What are you doing here?” he asked in a flat tone.

She looked up at him with big, round eyes and pouted her lip slightly.

“You weren’t answering your phone,” she explained and gently stroked his arm. “I wanted to check on you.”

“I’m fine.” I watched his face soften slightly as he took in her exaggerated concern.

I frowned when I realized her antics were having the desired effect on him.

I barely registered anything they said as she slowly wrapped an arm around his waist and pulled him into a hug.

When he didn’t resist, I spun on my heel and promptly exited the kitchen.