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I felt like my brain was about to explode. “Exactly.”
“But you two are very close,” she continued. “Anyone could see that.”
“It’s one thing to be close—”
“And another to want to stay married,” Spencer cut in.
I looked straight at my brother. I had an inkling that he understood exactly what went through my mind. Penny and Gran both seemed to watch this through rose-colored glasses—which wasn’t bad, but it just wasn’t my style. Spencer could put himself in my shoes easier.
“My guess,” Spencer said, taking another sip, “is that you’d like things to stay as they are.”
“Yes!” I was perplexed by my family’s ability to see right through the muddled thoughts in my mind. Then again, perhaps it was easier to have perspective if you weren’t in the situation.
“That’s perfect,” Gran said.
“Is it? I mean, I’ve lived my whole life being happy as a bachelor.”
“You think this might be just a phase?” Spencer asked.
I shook my head. “Not exactly, but it’s all happening very fast.”
“That’s true.” Gran nodded. “But I think that deep down, we all know what we want and where our heart is. Sometimes it’s more useful to turn our mind off and let our feelings guide us. Sometimes the mind can get in the way of our own happiness.”
Hell if that wasn’t true. Today, I’d driven myself insane for no reason.
Gran was right—I did know what I wanted. Why the fuck was I fretting like this? I was always decisive. Always went after what I wanted. And I knew exactly what I wanted to do.
I rolled my shoulders and felt the tension between them disappear. “Right. Well, it was good chatting with you.”
Penny pointed at me, grinning. “You have a plan.”
“Yes, I do.”
“This is fascinating,” she murmured. Gran just beamed at me.
Spencer finished his glass before saying, “Don’t let us keep you from it.”
I nodded. “I’ll see myself out.”
After leaving their house, I checked the clock. I knew that Allison’s business meeting would last for another hour. I had just enough time to grab that bottle of Dom Perignon from the penthouse.
It was fantastic how clear things seemed now after talking to the family. I should have done that first thing in the morning.
I drove straight to the penthouse but didn’t bother going into the garage, as it would take too much time. Pulling into the temporary parking that was reserved for taxi drop-offs, I jumped out and hurried inside the building.
The doorman greeted me. “Mr. Whitley, we haven’t seen you in a while.”
I nodded. “Can you keep an eye on my car, please? Make sure it doesn’t get towed. I just need a few minutes upstairs.”
“Sure. You can count on me.”
I threw him the key and then headed up.
Frances came here regularly to bring me clothes, but I hadn’t been here in a while. When I stepped inside, I looked around. It almost seemed like a hotel, like it didn’t belong to me at all even though I’d lived here for five years. I went to the fridge, grabbing the bottle of Dom Perignon. It was the only thing inside. After that, I took one last look at the living room.
The only way I would return here was with my family. With Allison and the twins.
Chapter Thirty-Two