Page 105 of Come Back to Me

Colt: Why did you send Tee a ‘Dear John’ letter?

The text has been driving me crazy since I received it.

She told Zee and Zee made Colt text me. I see the writing in the sky—only a dumbass wouldn’t try to fix the situation when Zee and Tee are like sisters.

Happy wife, happy life.

“I wish I could have some of that,” I mutter to myself as I slump behind the wheel and drift down Main Street toward the detachment.

Of course, that admission makes my stomach twist.

Happy wife?

I grit my teeth and shove the thought aside. Like I’ve been doing all week.

I knew confessing would be an unmitigated disaster, but it’s so much worse than I thought. Work, while not as high-pressure as I’d prefer it, has helped.

Some.

When he calls for the millionth time, I suck it up despite being close to the station and answer, “What?”

“You just going to ignore me?”

“No.”

“Well? What the fuck is going on with you, Cody?”

I pull up outside the bakery and stare straight ahead.

“I know you’re there.”

“No shit.” I close tired eyes. “I can’t answer that.”

“Why not?”

“Because you don’t understand. You can’t.”

“Did you hear her playing the violin last night? At 3 AM?”

“I didn’t. I’ve been sleeping at the detachment.”

“You’re such a moron.”

“Yeah. I know.”

“Look, she’s upset, Zee’s upset, everyone’s fucking upset. Have you apologized to her?”

An apology—what’s an ‘I’m sorry’ supposed to fix when I broke her heart?

Sure, I’ve been trying. The blue chalcedony teardrop. A jar of her favorite coffee, overnighted from one of the bespoke coffee shops she liked in NYC, a coffee shop that doesnotdo deliveries, appearing in the kitchen cabinet…

But it’s not enough.

I can’t buy my way out of this.

Now would be a great time to know abruja.

“Cody? Jesus Christ. Talk to me. A ‘Dear John’ isn’t like you. Even in school, you wouldn’t be so insensitive. This is the opposite of who you are. It’s out of character?—”