Morning came too soon, sunlight spilling across Melinda’s face like a cruel reminder that nothing was as it seemed.
James was already dressed, buttoning his crisp white shirt in front of the mirror. His reflection caught her eye, and for a moment, she simply watched him carefully, cautiously.
The man who had once made her feel safe now seemed wrapped in questions she hadn’t dared ask.
“You slept like a rock,” James said, his voice warm and teasing as he adjusted his cufflinks. “Did you even hear the thunder last night?”
She gave him a faint smile. “Didn’t notice.”
He leaned over, kissed her forehead, then her lips. “I’ll be late tonight. Board meeting with the East Coast investors. You remember Thomas, right?”
She nodded slowly, committing the name to memory. “Of course.”
He kissed
