Page 40 of Guilty as Sin

“That was the point of the divorce, wasn’t it? And yes, she does. She came here with me. It’s where we broke up.”

“Came from where?”

“New York City.”

“Whoa. That’s a change.”

“It wasn’t to buy the cabin and go back to nature. That wasn’t in the picture. It was part of a very belated honeymoon. Or a last-ditch effort, take your choice. This part for me, and then Hawaii for her.”

“Which means…”

He sighed. “Right. Here you are, then. The writing was a success. The marriage was collateral damage. We’d been together a few years, and I’d done all right with the books. Fairly soon after we got married, one of them hit big, and then the others did. People came sniffing after the movie rights, and things heated up more. Caroline had grown up in Kansas and had always wanted to live in Manhattan, and we could afford it, and I thought, why not. It’s not my favorite place, but I’m working most of the time anyway, and I can do it anywhere, or I thought I could. So we moved, and we started wanting different things.”

“What kinds of things?”

“She wanted to be part of some scene. Social scene. I get invited places. I don’t go. She wanted to go. I felt pressure to get more books out. I needed to work. And I didn’t really want to be in New York at all, as it turned out.”

“You’re uncomfortable with crowds,” Lily said.

“I didn’t say I was uncomfortable. I said I didn’t go.”

“Uh-huh. Sudden noises? PTSD?”

He whipped his head around and stared at her. “What?”

“Commando, but got out? Working out at this minute at the end of the back row of machines with a clear exit route and your back to the wall? A writer, living alone in the woods?”

A long moment, then he said, “I used to have some issues. It’s under control.”

“Was the writing part of that? Part of the recovery?”

“Why do you want to know?”

“I’m interested. I’ve… known some people who’ve suffered.”

“Was it your ex? The cop?”

“No.” Now she was the one looking uncomfortable.

“Right,” he said when she didn’t go on. “The writing started as a recovery thing, yeah. A way to process, they said. I found out I could do it. I found out I liked it. I found out it helped. I found out I could make a living at it. And I didn’t have anything better to do. All good.”

“Except that it broke up your marriage.”

“No. The money broke up our marriage. Our priorities changed. That’s why I know Caroline’s not my stalker. We’re divorced. It’s settled. She’s got what she wants. Money, and a new bloke who likes to go to parties.”

“Fast settlement.”

“Because I gave her the apartment and half of the future paperback and ebook proceeds from the four books I wrote during the marriage.”

“Wow. No wonder you’re bitter and grumpy.”

This time, he laughed. “I wanted it over. I’ve written two books in the six months since she left. The first one has already made more than all those four combined. She should’ve stuck.”

“Living well is the best revenge. And what’s your author name? Maybe I need to look you up.”

“Oh,nowyou’re interested. Jason Black. And no. Revenge is the best revenge. But I don’t need revenge, not anymore.” It was true, he realized. When had that happened, exactly? “I’m good. It’s done. But she’s got nothing she needs from me, either. It’s not her.”

Lily nodded. “Makes sense.”