Under the Table(51)

Chapter 20




“Derek.” Zoey stood the kind of straight that had Tristan taking his hand off the small of her back when she uttered the single word.

“Hi, Zoey.”

“What are you doing here?” she said as the initial shock started wearing off.

Derek looked different. His eyes were clear, his posture straight. Gone was the belligerent slouch. With a congenial smile, he crossed the space between them while outstretching his hand toward Tristan.

“Hey, man, Derek Sullivan. Nice to meet you.”

Another first. He was nonconfrontational in his greeting upon seeing her with another man. Tristan took his hand with a brief nod. “Tristan Malloy. Pleasure.”

Tristan’s manner was polite, but Zoey could feel the tension in his voice as well as in the room. After the handshake, Derek took Zoey by the shoulders and placed a light kiss to her forehead.

“I’m sorry, babe. I just couldn’t wait any longer. I missed you so much. You’re a sight for sore eyes.”

He was saying all the right words, had struck just the right tone. It was more unnerving than anything else.

“Where’s Ruth?” Zoey stammered, still trying to come to grips with what was occurring. Why hadn’t she texted her some sort of warning that Derek had come to the city?

“Her and Blake left right after they let me in,” Derek said. “She told me I could stay here tonight to save myself a hotel stay. She seems really happy. Maybe this guy is the one for her?”

Derek was casual in making with the chitchat, like he had no problem at all with his wife walking in, dressed in a tiny skirt, with another man. New Derek was so confusing. Zoey could feel her face start to flush again, this time with unexplained shame. Though she hadn’t done a thing wrong, she couldn’t bring herself to look directly at Tristan. She didn’t need to see him take several steps away from her; she could feel him moving away.

“I think it’s best if I leave,” Tristan said gallantly. “Give you two and this reunion some time alone.”

Zoey wanted to beg him to stay, to help her be strong and fearless, but the words couldn’t get past the lump in her throat. Her mouth wouldn’t open. All she heard was the pounding in her ears when she finally worked up the courage to turn toward him only to see his back walking away.

“Later, bro,” Derek called after him. “Nice to meet you.”

Once Tristan was gone, the fog started to lift and only the confusion remained. When she turned back to Derek, he was looking her up and down.

“What’s with the getups?” he asked once his gaze reached her face and they made eye contact. “You two at a costume party?”

“We were playing golf,” she replied slowly, so slow as to appear absentminded.

“Look at you, city girl living the high life.” His attempt at humor sounded more like an insult.

She felt her backbone trying to slip back into place.

“Derek, what are you doing here?” she asked again.

“My therapist told me if I took the chance and showed up early, it would be a good gesture to show you just how much you mean to me.”

“You went into therapy? Why am I just hearing about this now?”

“Because I was the one who screwed up and needed help,” he replied. “It wasn’t easy at first. I knew if I was going to make the changes you asked for, I wasn’t going to be able to do it alone.”

He sounded contrite, something that was new for him as well. But Zoey was still far from convinced.

“What angle are you working here, Derek?”

“No angle, babe. No games. When you left me, it was a real wakeup call. It sent the clear message that I needed to make some changes if I had any hope of getting you back. I passed the test for my real estate license. I already have a job waiting for me back home. Waiting for us. I want to give you all the things I promised you when we got married.”

“What about your other women?”

“I flirted, okay? I flirted a lot.” He sounded defensive then quickly reined it in. “And that was unfair to you. But I never slept with anyone else.”

“Not even while we were apart?” she probed.

“I was as loyal as I’m sure you were.” It was a perfectly designed dig to get her to back off the topic. And it worked.

“Let’s not get stuck in the past,” he said, real emotion starting to show. “I take full responsibility for our breakdown. In the ten months I’ve been sober, I’ve been doing a lot of reflecting. I was a rotten husband. Looking back, it’s easy to see why you wouldn’t want to start a family with the likes of me. I not only have you to thank for pushing me to change, but you’re also the reason I did it all.”

“I told you before”—she felt her own emotions start to come to life—“I’m not sure I want children.”

“That’s fine,” he was quick to concede. “Maybe we can talk about it again once you see what a great provider I can be.”

Zoey’s head was spinning. It was too much, too new, too soon. He was much like the Derek she fell in love with, only more mature and accommodating. To her own surprise, she heard herself say, “Maybe.”

“All I know is you told me I needed to be a different man, and I’ve been working hard toward that goal. I know I don’t deserve another chance, but I came here because I’m strong enough to hear your decision now. I’m hoping you’ll say yes. No, I’m begging you to say it. This is the last time. I swear.”