“That I wanted an escape from all the sadness and fighting. That I resented Ash. You said that once and it was true. The more you fixated on her, the more resentment I felt. I couldn’t get over it. I punished you for loving Ash. I see that now. It wasn’t fair.”

No, it wasn’t. She’d always wondered if she were crazy, making it all up in her head. But it was true.

“But you spent so much of your life thinking that if you saved everyone, it would somehow make up for losing Robbie. You gave so much to everyone else, and there was nothing left when you got home. You never saw how much I suffered. I’d failed Annie and when we got together, I told myself, ‘I’ll never let Becca down.’ But I did. And yet you never once acknowledged that. Not once. Hell, I almost hoped when you’d discovered those pictures, the texts from that trainer, that you’d ask me why. But you didn’t. You just shut down and pushed me away, just like you did with the baby. I realized that would never change.”

It was as if Christian had doused her in cold water, his words setting in. She’d been so selfish, making it all about her sorrow, her loss, her desire for a child. “I guess I didn’t take you into account.” She sighed. “I wish… I wish we’d done things differently. That we could go back and do it all again.”

“I don’t know about that. I mean, look at what you gained in the process. You wanted to be a mother and you are. Ash brought you back to life.”

That was true, Becca thought. “And you fell in love again,” she said.

Christian tensed ever so slightly, but he held on tight. “I wasn’t looking for anything serious. Joanne and I were supposed to keep things casual. That’s what we both agreed. Somehow things evolved and grew. I know it’s hard for you to hear me say this, but I do love her. Joanne’s not complicated.”

Becca snorted. “I find that hard to believe.”

He chuckled. It was so strange to be here, in this bed with him, laughing and talking as though they hadn’t broken each other’s hearts. “Okay, she’s quite complicated, but it’s different. You and I were so young when we met, but we’d already been through so much, and that baggage is hard to escape. Maybe this was how it was all meant to be. Things would be different if I didn’t think you were happy, but you are. I know you are.”