She glanced at the calendar, surprised by how much time had passed. In a few weeks, she would need to get back to Naples and sign the paperwork to sell the house. And from there…
She smiled. Funny how she was back to not knowing what to do with her life.
Oh, the basics were in place. She was going to continue with her online classes and get a job where she could learn the antique business. That part was easy and set—it was the where that was more complicated.
“Knock, knock.” Mindy walked into the kitchen. Her friend looked relaxed and happy.
“Breakfast was delicious,” Mindy said with a smile. “You’ve been a very understanding hostess, as has your aunt. I wanted to tell you that Payne and I are grateful, and we’re leaving for the airport.”
Robyn tried not to show her glee. “You are?”
“Yes. We appreciate everyone’s understanding while we hashed things out.” Her smile faded. “You were right about Dimitri. I was a fool. I almost lost what matters most to me. But Payne wants our marriage to work, and I know now I want that, too. We’re both committed to giving all we have.”
Her humor returned. “And getting a good therapist.”
Robyn stood and hugged her. “I’m happy to have been somewhere you could run to.”
“Me, too. Thank you for everything. And next time I want to screw up my life, I promise to listen to you.”
Robyn laughed. “I doubt that, but thanks for saying it.”
“You’ll see. Okay, I’m going to say goodbye to Lillian, then we’re driving to the airport. Will you be home soon?”
“In the next few weeks. I have to get the house ready to sell.”
“And after that?”
“I’m not sure. To be determined. Fly safe.”
Mindy waved and left. Robyn turned back to her menu, but couldn’t focus. Not on that. Her friend’s question was the same one she’d been asking herself.
After she sold her house, then what?
She made her way to Lillian’s study. Her aunt had turned off the TV and settled out on the balcony, in the sun. A colorful blanket was pulled up to her waist, and her ever-present cup of tea was beside her.
“Sit with me,” Lillian said, holding out her hand. “I could use some good company.”
Robyn complied, stretching out her legs on the chaise next to Lillian’s. It was still a bit cool. but the sun would warm things up quickly.
“Mindy and Payne are leaving,” she said.
“Yes, she stopped by a few minutes ago.” Lillian’s eyes crinkled with amusement. “Not that I don’t enjoy all the company, but even this house was feeling a little crowded. You must be relieved she and her husband worked things out.”
“I’m happy for her. I’m sorry she made such a boneheaded decision, but hopefully they’ll get past it. I do worry that Payne won’t be able to let it go as quickly as he thinks and she hopes.”
“You speak from experience.”
Robyn thought about how she’d felt the first time she found out Cord had been unfaithful.
“I tried to let go of the past,” she said slowly. “To believe him when he said he was sorry and that it would never happen again, but I wonder if, in the back of my mind, I didn’t actually believe him.”
She looked at her aunt. “I gave up so much of myself to be married to him. I was too young. I got pregnant too soon. We were babies, pretending to be grown-ups.”
“You were in love.”
“Yes, but does that excuse bad decisions? I should have been more careful with my birth control.” She smiled. “Not that I regret my kids.”
“I know.” Lillian studied her. “They are the light of your heart and always will be, but you think about what could have been.”
“Cord was so excited to start his own business, and I wanted to make it happen. His happiness was more important than mine.”
Cord had wanted them to get going on building their life together. To support that, she’d worked sixteen-hour days, even while pregnant and with an infant. She’d let him decide when they could afford their first house, putting it off for several years so he could buy more boats for the company instead of telling him the business could wait so the four of them could get out of their one-bedroom apartment.
The first time she’d stood up to him had been when Harlow had been diagnosed with cancer. She’d walked away from the business to be with her daughter through every treatment. After work, when Cord showed up, Robyn had gone home to spend time with Austin, careful to make him feel he had her full attention.
“What are you thinking?” Lillian asked.
“That you and Leo saved us when Harlow got sick. Coming to stay with us kept the family together. Austin was little, and I had to be at the hospital all the time.”
“You know we were happy to help. Poor Harlow. She was so brave.”
“She was.”
Robyn thought about how, after he’d cheated, Cord had shown up here, begging her to come home. She’d been torn between the life she could have with her aunt and uncle and what it would mean to return to Florida. In the end, she’d gone home because of her kids. So they could be part of a family. Right or wrong, she’d made the sacrifice. She could forgive herself for taking him back the first time she’d caught him cheating, but after the second, she should have known better.
“Then he bought that damned house,” she murmured. “Without even talking to me.”
“It was very beautiful,” Lillian murmured. “Although not your style.”
She still remembered the shock of it. The kids had loved their new rooms and the huge backyard with the massive pool. Telling him she didn’t like it would mean breaking all their hearts. She wanted to say he hadn’t trapped her on purpose, but even today, she wasn’t sure he hadn’t had a master plan.
“I can’t surrender to a man again.”
“Darling, what does that mean?”
Robyn turned to her aunt. “I can’t make life decisions based on what someone else wants.”
“Is anyone asking you to?”
“No. Not directly.”
“Then indirectly?” Lillian smiled. “I assume we’re talking about Mason.”
“Maybe.”
Her aunt laughed. “Is there another man in your life?”
Robyn grinned. “No, there isn’t. Just him.”
“That’s what I thought. Now, how is he trying to control you? Has he asked you to stay?”
“No. I’m not even sure what he would think about that. Things would get awkward. I just don’t know where it’s going and what he’s thinking. I won’t be played. I want to be smart and make thoughtful decisions.”
“Then do. And talk to Mason. From what I’ve seen, he’s a very reasonable man. He’s not the type to play anyone.”
“What if he’s not the problem? What if I’m blaming Cord for a lot of things that are my fault? I never stood up to him. Sometimes I even anticipated what he wanted and did it. I don’t want to be like that again. I won’t be.”
“Hmm, so rather than take the chance, you walk away? If you’re not with him, you can’t make a mistake.”