“Sit. I’ll bring you a glass.” I sat down, and he was back a minute later with a stemless crystal glass of sauv blanc. “Put your feet up, sweetheart.”

“Are you cooking? I can help if you want.”

“Yes, I’m cooking, and no, I don’t need help. I’ve got it covered. Relax, Bear. Let me take care of you tonight.”

I propped my feet up, sinking into the plushness of the dark-blue couch, and relaxed. For all of ten minutes. I admittedly wasn’t good at relaxing. I grabbed one of the printed documents from my purse and headed to the kitchen, where I received a chastising look from Axel. “You just couldn’t sit still, could you?”

I came up behind him and wrapped my arms around him as he cooked some chicken breasts in a pan. “I missed you,” I told him, kissing his back. “And I needed more wine.”

He picked up my glass and refilled it, handing it back to me and saying, “I would have brought you more.”

“I wanted to show you something,” I said as he parked me on a barstool at the island. I slid the divorce papers from Evan across the island to him.

I watched him over the rim of my glass as he picked up the document and scanned it before saying, “Congratulations?”

“You don’t seem all that surprised,” I said.

“Bode might have let it slip,” he told me as he went back to the stovetop.

“Seriously? Bode is usually so good at keeping his trap shut.” A scowl crossed my face.

Ax looked over his shoulder and shrugged. “Don’t be mad at him. He thought I already knew.”

My surprise came through in my voice. “You’re defending Bode? What have you done with my growly, jealous Axel?”

He pulled the meat out of the pan and then walked behind me and wrapped his arms around my waist, growling in my ear. “Growly Axel is right here, baby. But I’ve gotten to know the guys the past few days. They’re all right.” He kissed my ear before going back to his cooking.

“I’ve got something else to show you, too, but I think I’ll wait till dessert,” I teased, knowing that this one would truly be a surprise since I had told no one except my lawyer.

Axel dimmed the lights, and we ate dinner by candlelight. He was sweet and romantic as we sat across the cherry-wood table from each other and made goo-goo eyes at one another. As soon as Ax went into the kitchen to get dessert, I pulled the document from my purse and put it face down on the table directly in front of his chair; then, twenty seconds later, I felt apprehensive.