There was a lot of fretting about me being alone, but eventually, Mom and Dad ushered everyone out. Everyone except Dorian. He sort of hung back as everyone was leaving, and I got the strong sense that something was very wrong.
His eyes were glassy like he was about to start crying at any moment, and his hair looked disheveled. He must have been nervously running his hands through it the entire time I was upstairs because it had looked perfect at the wedding.
Mom lingered in the doorway waiting for Dorian to leave, but I gave her a nod to go on. Dorian had stayed after I asked everyone to leave, so I wanted to know what was going on.
“You look like you really have been at a funeral,” I said after Mom closed the door. “Surely you’re not that upset on my behalf, right? Something else is going on?”
“Oh, Kinsley, I don’t want to drop this on you today of all days, but I don’t know what else to do. Seeing Thorn walk away like that just opened up all this awful, raw pain for me. I’m being so selfish, but I was hoping maybe we could just be miserable together for a little while. If Thorn comes, I promise I’ll leave right away. I’ll slip out the back door, and I won’t even interrupt things with him. I know I’m being selfish,” he said again. “I just need my best friend for a little while, and then I think I’ll be okay to go back to my apartment. We can eat snacks and watch movies, and I won’t even talk.”
“Dorian, what’s wrong?” I asked and gave him a huge bear hug.
After we’d parted from the hug, he said, “I think Isaac and I are getting a divorce for sure. He’s talked to a lawyer and he didn’t want to come to the wedding because he didn’t want to give me any false hope.”
“No,” I said. “I’m so sorry, Dorian. I thought you guys were working things out.”
“I thought we were too,” he said, and a single tear broke free and ran down his face. “I really thought we had some good talks this last week, and I could have sworn he was at least going to come visit me.”
“He’s not even going to try moving to Coventry? I think that’s what you guys need. A fresh start here will do wonders for your marriage,” I said.
“That’s what I’ve been saying too, but the times he’s visited, it hasn’t been that great for us. So, he doesn’t think living here is going to do any good,” Dorian said.
“But those times he was upset about you working and resentful of having to stay behind and watch over the mirror. All that’s behind you now, and I know you’re working hard. You’re making your own money now too. He has to see that,” I said.
“I think that’s one of the things that’s bothering him the most, actually. He’s not working now. We’ve only gotten a couple of crappy offers on the house too, but there’s money in our bank account now because I am making money. It’s weird, but I think he’s resenting it,” Dorian said. “I don’t think he wants to move here and depend on me.”
“That’s a huge mess,” I said. “Please don’t give up. You guys have been through so much, and I’m sure you can work it out. We just need to find him a job here. He can’t resent you for being successful if he’s working too.”
“You have enough to worry about, Kinsley. You don’t need to concern yourself with my husband’s… maybe soon-to-be-ex-husband’s employment,” Dorian said.
“Hey, I don’t know everyone in this town, but I’m sure someone in my family does. We can find him something. Didn’t you say once that he was a chef?”
“Well, he was more of a cook in that job…” Dorian said. “He doesn’t like to tell people that, though.”
“We’ll find an opportunity for him here, and you can present it to him. You said he doesn’t have a job, so he’ll at least have to consider it,” I said. “And, you need to seriously consider taking one of those crappy offers on your house. Stop trying to maintain two households on your growing income. Cut ties with the past and move on. I think that will help you both so much.”
“I think so too, but I’ve got to convince Isaac. He’s got one foot out the door already.”
“We will figure this out,” I said.
“I will figure this out, Kinsley. You’ve got your own issues with Thorn and a baby on the way,” Dorian protested again.
“I think I’d rather dwell on your troubles than mine,” I admitted. “Plus, it’s going to be a while before the baby gets here, so I need something to keep me occupied. Don’t want to get in trouble with the law again.”
“How about for right now we worry about some ice cream?” Dorian suggested. “Think there’s any in your freezer?”
“I’m sure I can dig up something,” I said.
Chapter Two
I woke up the next morning on the sofa. There were three empty ice cream pints and dirty spoons sprawled all over the coffee table. Dorian was gone, but he’d covered me up with a blanket. Meri snoozed behind the crook in my knees.
Sitting up gently so as not to disturb him too much, I swung my legs over the side of the sofa. Fortunately, they didn’t get caught in the blanket.
Before I picked up the containers and spoons, I checked my phone. There was one message from Thorn.
It was just a heart, but there were no words. It looked as though it had come in at about three in the morning.
Nothing else.
For a brief second, my heart leapt happily. Maybe it wasn’t Dorian that
