She wiped her cheeks. “Oh, there’ve been others. I have no idea how many, but I’m sure the number is getting up there. I’m beginning to think that’s why he wanted the divorce—so he wouldn’t have to feel guilty about lying to me all the time.”

And now he was trying to make her feel tawdry and cheap? “He said what he did to punish you. You realize that.” Tobias had plenty of counseling sessions in prison, during which the psychologist talked about control issues and triggers and how people used them—or reacted to them.

“Punish me for what?” she countered.

“For daring to do what you want. He’d rather have you sitting around being miserable without him. He’s jealous.”

“That’s what I keep telling myself, but it’s all so confusing and hurtful.” She closed her eyes as though she was summoning strength and calm. “I can’t seem to find a way out of it,” she said as she opened them again.

Axel was finally coming to his senses and recognizing that he’d let something really great get away from him. He was acting as though he was ready to come back, but she probably wasn’t sure she could count on his loyalty or his fidelity, not after what she’d been through. No wonder she was confused.

Tobias came to a stop at the light, his stomach churning as he realized what he had to say. “If you want to fix your relationship with him, now would be a good time.”

“What do you mean?”

Feeling as though he had an anvil sitting on his chest, he collected his resolve. “He’s obviously regretting the divorce.”

“But it’s already final.”

He tightened his hands on the steering wheel and forced himself to continue, to take this all the way. “That doesn’t mean you can’t fix things.” When she said nothing, he risked a glance at her. “I can drive you back to your sister’s, Harper. Really. Then you can call him and try to work things out. Is that what you want?”

She didn’t respond. She just kept staring out the window, but fresh tears rolled down her cheeks. That answered his question right there, didn’t it? So why not make it easy on her? If Axel really wanted her back, reuniting was the perfect ending for her, exactly what she’d been hoping for all along.

He thought of the moment he’d seen her in the coffee shop, staring off into space as Axel’s latest hit played over the sound system. Not only was she still in love with her ex, Axel was the father of her children.

As difficult as this was, he had to back away.

It was already time, he decided, even though he’d been hoping for much longer.