Matched For Love(58)

“I know.” She shook her head. “I felt so awful about it, and I just wanted to spare you the heartache. But I couldn’t talk him out of it. He said he’d never lied to you and had to tell you. But I made Joe promise not to tell you about my cancer.”

“Why?”

“Because if you knew, you would have eventually forgiven me. That’s just the way you are, Lori. And because you are the most loyal person I’ve ever known, you probably would have insisted you take care of me during my treatments. And I didn’t deserve that. I moved back home with my mom during chemo. And then I’d read in the paper that Joe had been killed and I didn’t care if I lived anymore. But somehow I did.”

So Mel had been grieving too after Joe died. And had punished herself for her crime. That was just so… Mel-like. They both shared an overblown sense of duty to their family and friends.

She’d loved Mel almost as much as she loved Rachel. And like a sister, she probably would have forgiven her eventually. Especially under the circumstances.

Lori took another long sip to give herself time to wrap her head around it all. And suddenly realized how Mel must’ve felt about Joe. The same as she felt about Deek, and why she refused to fight for him and take away Asher’s mother, even though she knew Deek would be happier if she did.

Unobtainable love might be the worst kind of all. It sure felt like it at the moment, anyway. But as hard as that conversation had been to hear, her heart felt a little lighter knowing that Mel and Joe hadn’t set out to have an affair. And maybe she was a step closer to being able to forgive them for making a mistake. Neither had done it to hurt her, that had just been the byproduct. “So, how are you now? Are you better?”

She blinked as if surprised at the question. “Um, I’m in remission at the moment. The doctors won’t say I’m well until I pass the five-year mark, but they’re cautiously optimistic. Thank you for asking.”

“I’m hurt and upset with you, but I don’t hate you, Mel. I couldn’t ever do that even at my angriest moments. What the hell is wrong with me?”

“You suffer from an affliction called being genuinely nice. And I could tell you’d been crying before you got here. I hope I didn’t cause those tears.”

She and Mel really did know each other like sisters.

The honest concern in Mel’s eyes, and the reminder of the pain of the void in Lori’s life that had never been filled since Mel brought on the tears she’d been holding back for Deek. “I broke up with a great guy yesterday. I finally felt like I was going to be able to move on from Joe and find happiness again, but circumstances won’t let that happen. Got a few more minutes to hear about it?” If anyone would understand, she now knew it’d be Mel.

Her former best friend smiled for the first time all day. “It just so happens I do. Want another latte, or should we switch to wine?”

“Wine. And cake if they have it. This is a long story. And I haven’t forgiven you all the way, just to be clear.”

“Got it. So tell me about this guy.”



Deek sat across from Annie and Asher at Papa G’s as they waited for their food. He glanced over to the table where he’d sat last time with Lori and Emily, wishing they’d be there. It was a stupid thing to do, but they came to the restaurant often so that it could’ve happened. Too bad it hadn’t.

It was after that dinner with them that he’d come alive inside again, but he hadn’t even realized it then. It felt more like he was making a new friend, not that his heart had found a soulmate. One he’d never be able to talk to again.

It was depressing to think about.

About as depressing as when he and Annie had hammered out all the details for the dig money. They came to a formal agreement they’d both sign after the lawyer drew it up, outlining her visits home. If she broke the terms, the next installment of cash wouldn’t come. How sad was it that he’d had to put conditions in because he knew Annie would flake out of her visits home if he didn’t? All he could hope for was that by Annie coming home more often, she’d regain a connection with Asher and actually want to come home.

But he still had an even bigger decision to make about Annie. Where was he going to sleep later? It felt wrong to sleep with her, but she was going to be his wife, so he’d better figure it out.

He glanced Annie’s way as he sipped his soda. Asher was babbling on about how much he thought he should have a cell phone to her, but she wasn’t listening. She was too busy texting with someone. She’d been doing that all day.

He said, “Asher, knock it off. You’re not getting a cell phone.”