Her eyes filled with tears. “He can say the ugliest things when he gets angry. He tried to tell me that I’ve never really been there for him, even though I did everything I possibly could to help him launch his career and to make him happy. Somehow he doesn’t remember how hard I worked so that he could gig with the band and wouldn’t have to worry about the rent. Or that I sang backup vocals on the first album even though I had such terrible morning sickness with Everly I could barely get out of bed. Or how I helped direct the first video—as well as starred in it—because we couldn’t afford to hire professionals and I’d had a little experience with that sort of thing in college. Or how I was alone in the hospital when I had Piper because he was touring and couldn’t make it back in time for her birth, and yet I was the one trying to make him feel better about scheduling the tour too close to my due date. Or—oh, never mind.”

She turned to face the window, ostensibly looking at all the holiday decorations as they drove past them, but Tobias doubted she was taking any of it in.

“People always say unkind things in a divorce,” he said. “Try not to let it get you down. I know that’s easier said than done, but—”

“I just never thought he’d be like this,” she broke in. “He spent so much time talking about how he still loved me and respected me, just needed his freedom and a break from the pressure he felt to do what I wanted or needed when he had so many other people at him already. And how we’d always remain friends for the sake of our kids and not let it get ugly between us.” She propped her elbow up against the door and rested her head on her fist. “But I guess all of that’s forgotten now that he’s feeling threatened. He also said I couldn’t have loved him if I’ve moved on so quickly, even though he’s the one who gave up on us and filed for divorce. And he said…” Her words drifted off as though this was the part that hurt the most.

“What?” Tobias prompted.

“That he thought I had more character than to fall into bed with the first guy I came across,” she mumbled.

More convinced than ever that he’d overreached, Tobias felt a little sick inside. “Is that how you view what’s happened between us?” he asked.

“No. Axel wants to characterize it as negatively as possible. That’s all.”

“He’s never slept with anyone else? Just you? I mean, since he met you…”