Submit to His Passion

Chapter 22

The next week passed quickly for Lindsay. After the initial shock of Kevin agreeing to her terms, and dumping her and Faith, she decided it wasn't worth her emotional energy. She knew it was an excuse to avoid talking with Faith. By Christmas the divorce would be final and she'd have enough money to do whatever she wanted.

Discovering what she wanted was a minor detail. Nick or freedom to be herself.

The third Wednesday in November marked six months since she returned to Carburg. It was an unseasonally warm day. Lindsay did her usual routine of work, go home and clean, then pick up Faith and meet Nick so they could spend the afternoon and evening together.

On the way to school, her phone rang. It was Cassie. "Hey bitch," Lindsay said, a throwback to good-natured name calling they engaged in in high school.

"Hey bitch. I have a radical idea."

"Radical? Does it involve selling body parts?"

"What? No. Just listen." She could see Cassie wave her hands as her frustration grew.

"Okay fine, I'm listening." Lindsay bit her lip to keep from laughing.

"You could buy or take over Holly's business. Faith is in school. You could work from home at night." Move in with Nick. Stay in Carburg. Get married. Have his babies. She saw a lifetime of happiness flash through her eyes. "Or start your own accounting office.

Lindsay shook away the fantasy of a happy drama free life here. It was possible. "That's... a great idea."

"I know. Then you can... You know. Be happy."

"I'm not sure happy is the right term. I'm still living in Carburg."

"Yeah, married to hot stud Mr. Matthews who makes you come three times every night and bends you over his knee to spank you. I can see how unhappy you'd be." Cassie rolled her eyes. Lindsay heard it over the phone.

"Nick is not the problem. What if I don't know how to be happy?"

"Uh hello, fuck Mr. Matthews for the rest of your life. He loves you and he loves Faith."

"And how long before he figures out I'm a mess?"

"Or maybe you are not a mess. Sure you're anxious, you always have been. Lins you deserve happiness. Please, let yourself." Cassie's voice choked in her throat. "Shit, I gotta go. Brody—No." The call cut off.

Lindsay rolled Cassie's words around in her head. She deserved happiness. Nick deserved happiness. For some reason she made Nick happy. She didn't want to hurt Nick.

She opened the door to the school and stepped into the warmth. Lindsay stomped the snow off her boots. They were the only item she had left from her marriage. Over the fall she had replaced her clothing with sexy, fun and colorful clothing including lingerie for Nick's pleasure. It was freeing. And she needed to toss these boots as soon as she could replace them.

The bell rang and Faith came out. Then Nick came down the hallway, in his coat, carrying his bag filled with papers he'd need to mark over the weekend. His senior class had finished their papers on Hamlet. She tried not to get giddy as she reached for him. People stared at her, but this time with jealousy.

"I need to grab groceries. Would you lovely ladies like to come with me?"

"Yes," Faith said. "Can I get candy?"

Lindsay shook her head. "We'll see."

"Please?" Faith pressed her hands together under her chin.

"Let's go," Lindsay said. She hooked her arm in his and he took Faith's mitten in his other hand.