Page 46 of What He Doesn't Know

I tugged at the end of the ribbon, loosening it again.

“Penguins game.”

“Ah, that’s right,” he said. “Hockey.”

“Yep.”

I retied the ribbon for a third time, finally satisfied, and slid the basket toward Reese. His fingers overlapped mine for just a second before I pulled them away, reaching for a few of the gift cards we had left to pair with a swag bag from the local golf shop.

“How are you guys?” Reese asked after a moment.

His question shocked me, so much so that I stopped to look at him, but he only continued his careful script on the new card.

“What do you mean? We’re fine, of course.”

“Fine?” He paused, meeting my eyes with a cocked brow.

I lowered mine.

“Yes, we’re fine. We’re wonderful. Today, he surprised me by redoing my library for me for Valentine’s Day,” I added, smiling as I wrapped the basket with cellophane. “It’s beautiful. And our anniversary is coming up soon, which is always exciting. I’m sure he has something planned. He always does.”

“That’s pretty amazing, that he redid your library for you. Was it in need of an update?”

“Not exactly, but he wanted to do something special for me. He wanted to make it a place I loved again.”

“Why did you stop loving it?”

I scratched my neck, not happy with the bow I’d just tied. I ripped the ribbon loose again. “I don’t know, I just did. Why are you asking so many questions?”

Reese looked at me then, stopping his script mid-word. “Just making conversation.”

“Well, we have a lot of work to do. Maybe we should just focus on that.”

I wouldn’t look at him again, not with his eyes searching me for something. I didn’t even know what he was looking for, but something told me that I needed to hide it. Something told me that if I even so much as met his gaze, he’d find what he was looking for.

This was why I’d been put on alert by him saying he’d be here, why my nerves had kicked in on the car ride over to the club. It was why I’d avoided time alone with Reese since the night we went up the Incline. Last time we’d spoken —trulyspoken — I’d reminded him I was married. I’d put distance between us, whether he wanted me to or not.

It wasn’t that I didn’t trust him, or that I didn’t want to be friends with him.

It was that I was too confused, too lost to be around someone who brought back so many emotions for me — emotions I’d long forgotten, and ones I never expected to feel again. I was trying to gain my balance with my husband, to find what we’d lost, to bring our love back to life.

That was my main priority.

I could still feel Reese’s eyes hot on my neck as the song changed, and when it did, he finally looked away. I took a breath at the relief of not being under his stare, but when he reached forward for the portable speaker we had, I followed his hand.

And that’s when I heard the song.

“Reese,” I warned. “Don’t you dare.”

He wore a crooked grin as his index finger tapped the plus volume button over and over, Billy Joel’s voice growing louder and louder as it echoed off the walls around us. We were alone in the room, but the entire country club was full with volunteers for the event as well as members enjoying their dinners just down the hall.

“Reese!” I scolded, trying to grab the speaker from his hands, but he stood, holding it high over his head as I jumped up trying to reach it.

Mom flew in the door in the next moment, her eyes wild and confused.

“What on earth is going on? Reese, turn that down!”

“Not before we dance!”