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7. She Asked for Space

GWEN

Toby wasn't dumb.

His mother told him he was. I hated how she always put him down. So what if he wasn't book-smart? So what if he needed a tutor—me—to help him pass the entrance exams to scrape into dental school? When that man set his mind on achieving something, he could move mountains. He was a doer.

So, there was a brain rattling around in that head of his, but sometimes it wasn't always as obvious. This was one of those times.

Toby sat on the edge of the bed, hair still damp, wrapped in nothing but a white towel, and a line furrowed between his brows. I could almost hear the gears grinding to turn the thoughts over in his head. When I told him to leave—to get out—the words floated in one ear and got stuck somewhere with all the other things that didn't quite make sense to a man who could build a crib without instructions but was hopeless at understanding simple long division.

Did he think I'd welcome him back with open arms after his confession? He didn't seriously think I'd be fine with him kissing another woman, did he?

"Gwen, it was only a kiss."

He did. He seriously thought that.

I balled my fists but kept them pinned to my sides. I said nothing. Toby could clutch at as many wishful thinking straws as he wanted, but my mind was made up. He was leaving, and besides spending time with Noah, he would not be welcome back again.

Toby shifted uneasily on the bed. The line between his brows pinched deeper. My silence was unnerving him. "Gwen, we could have talked about it. I could have explained what happened." When I still said nothing to ease the tension between us, he sighed. "Did you have to blow up our entire life to become clickbait for the vultures on the internet?"

Anger exploded through my veins, but I pulled the reins in tight to hold back any sign of my outrage. "What other choice did I have? Everyone saw the photos. Our family. Our friends. You act like what you did means nothing, but people gave a big thumbs up to the photo of you being kissed by another woman. You humiliated me. You're the one who invited the vultures in. You stole my last shred of dignity and put it up in lights for the whole world to laugh at." An ache bloomed deep in my chest, and I could only stare at the floor as even more pained words tumbled out. "As if I hadn't lost everything already..."

Toby's voice cracked with emotion when he said my name. I kept my eyes on the floor. I wouldn't give him the satisfaction of seeing me almost break again. "We should have fought that," he said. "Your career—"

I steamrolled right over his attempt to change the subject. "If I didn't stand up for myself this time, no one else would. You don't get to pretend you're the victim. You're the one who blew up our life when you decided to sneak off to that woman's house!"

Toby's voice was defensive when he snapped, "Sneak off? I was a selfish shit and didn't answer my phone when you called, but I didn't sneak off." The anger inside me reignited when he admitted to ignoring me when I needed him, but before I could open my mouth to unleash, he floored me even more when he said, "You knew where I was. You said it was fine for me to go to that damn party!"

"Are you high?" My laugh was bitter. "I've never uttered one word to suggest the amount of time you spend with that woman is fine."

"Kay said—"

"Kay said." I mocked his words with another laugh. That nickname again. I loathed hearing it on his lips. "Do you have any other affectionate names for your assistant you want to share? Sweetheart? Baby?"

Toby dragged his palm down his face. Took a deep breath. "I call Kayleigh by a nickname just like I call the clinic manager Judes, and Ian's always been Coops. If it bothers you—" I straightened my spine, squared my shoulders, ready to bat away all the new crap he was spinning. He quickly reconsidered his words. "Clearly, it bothers you. No more, okay? I won't ever make the mistake of calling her a nickname again. But Gwen, if you weren't okay with me being around her, why did you say I could go to the party—"