The Wright Boss(56)

"The part where we got married and said our wedding vows. I took those seriously, Landon. I guess you didn't."

I sighed. This was a conversation I did not want to have. "I took them seriously," I told her. "You know I meant those words when I said them, but things have changed. We've changed. I think it will be better for both of us if we move on with our lives."

"I can't just stop loving you," she said, her voice soft and hesitant.

An act. I saw it for what it was. There was nothing soft or hesitant about Miranda. There never had been. She was commanding and fiery and filled a room. It was what had endeared her to me once upon a time. But our fairy tale wasn't ending in a happily ever after.

"We're not having this conversation."

"Yes, we are," she snapped back.

"I'm afraid not. I have work to do. And you should go home."

"How can I go home to an empty house?" Miranda demanded. Her hands were on her hips, and she'd gone from pouty to angry in the blink of an eye.

"Why should I care?"

"Because I'm your wife!"

"And, soon, you'll be my ex-wife."

"How can you be so uncaring?" she asked. "How can you just throw me aside like this? Is there someone else?"

My face pinched at just the wrong moment, projecting that I was seeing someone else … Heidi. And Miranda knew me too well not to judge my facial expressions, my annoyance with her question, as anything else but the truth.

She gasped. "Who is it? Are you cheating on me?"

I sighed and rubbed my forehead. "I have never cheated on you. And I can't currently be cheating on you because we're separated. And, if you'd just sign the paperwork, we'd be divorced."

"So, you are seeing someone then?"

"This conversation has no purpose. If you're here to annoy me, then congratulations. You've succeeded." I held my hands up in frustration.

There was no way in hell I was going to tell her about Heidi. No way that I would ever mention dating someone else until the divorce was completely final. Nothing would make Miranda drag her feet more than knowing I had already moved on. No matter that I had checked out of my headspace with Miranda a year ago. I did not want this to last any longer than it had to.

"Is that what you think? That I'm here to annoy you?" She sank into her hip, and her nostrils flared. "I think this entire thing is fucking insane, Landon. I'm your fucking wife. There has to be a reason for this motherfucking madness. Either you've found someone else or you've gone clinically insane." 

I huffed. "Really sweet. Now, I'm clinically insane?"

"No," she grumbled. "I think you're with someone else."

"What is it going to take for you to sign the papers?" I demanded to change the subject.

She bit her cherry-red lip and looked at me as if this were the first time she had thought of the question. I knew by her eyes that it was not. "Nothing."

"I don't believe you. You're already getting half of everything that's not covered in the prenup. What more could you want from me?"

"Everything."

"Well, you can't have everything."

"Then, just you."

"No. You know what? I'm not having this conversation with you any longer. I'll have my lawyer contact you, and if we can't settle this in a reasonable way, then we'll go to mediation, or we'll go to court. Your choice, Miranda."

Her eyes were wide with alarm, as if she had finally realized that I was serious.

"Take me to dinner tonight. Have one more night with me."

"No," I said at once. I didn't want to spend any more time with her than I had to.

"And I'll sign."

I paused. Was she serious? One dinner, and she'd end all of this? It seemed too good to be true. And you know what they said about things that were too good to be true.

"I don't believe you."

"I swear it."

Just then the door crashed inward, and Morgan's face appeared in the door.

Oh, man, how I loved my sister for her impeccable timing.

"Heyyyyy!"

"Oh, Morgan," Miranda said deprecatingly. She raised her chin a notch and flashed her a fierce smile that could only be seen as a threat. "How good to see you. As always."

"Same, Miranda. What are you doing here? Just took a wrong turn and ended up in Lubbock, huh?" she asked in the slow voice usually reserved for misbehaving toddlers.

"I'm here to see my husband. You don't have to be so patronizing."

"Oh, big words. So adorable," Morgan said.

I tried not to laugh. "Morgan."

"Are you going to let her talk to me like this?" Miranda asked, whirling on me.

"You think I have any control over her?" I asked.