Chapters (39)
- Cover
- Title
- Author’s Note
- Glossary
- One
- Two
- Three
- Four
- Five
- Six
- Seven
- Eight
- Nine
- Ten
- Eleven
- Twelve
- Thirteen
- Fourteen
- Fifteen
- Sixteen
- Seventeen
- Eighteen
- Nineteen
- Twenty
- Twenty-One
- Twenty-Two
- Twenty-Three
- Twenty-Four
- Twenty-Five
- Twenty-Six
- Twenty-Seven
- Twenty-Eight
- Twenty-Nine
- Thirty
- Thirty-One
- Thirty-Two
- Thirty-Three
- Thirty-Four
- Acknowledgments
Geoffrey didn’t know Michelle beyond having been introduced to her by Bruce and Diane in the canteen. They’d chatted briefly a few times since. He’d seen enough to know she was interesting and beautiful, and felt he should show his gratitude for her “intrigue” by asking her out. He didn’t imagine anything would come of it; least of all, that he’d fall in love with a woman whose star shone so brightly—and who wasn’t coy about regularly polishing said star herself. But he did, and was even more surprised when she fell in love with him.
Marriage and work didn’t change how different they were. Michelle worked late and over the weekends, and spoke more about law than anything else. Geoffrey left all thoughts of work on his desk the instant he closed his office door and, because he never thought of it when he was elsewhere, he never spoke about the bank or what he did there when he wasn’t at work.
Michelle noticed what cars people drove and where they lived. Geoffrey noticed when people were sad and if they looked hungry. She was heads. He was tails. Geoffrey didn’t compete with her on any level. It was one of the reasons Michelle loved him. His indifference to wealth and status only bothered her because of what it might mean to their future as a family. But she’d always believed when they were married, she’d be able to shore up his ambition. As such, Michelle was shocked when he told her he wanted to give up his job.
She was used to getting her own way and, when she fought against his plan, Michelle was astounded he didn’t give in to her demands. She left him for a few days, which Geoffrey hated. But he didn’t capitulate. He disliked arguing and wanted peace, but he knew that if he didn’t stand his ground, not only would he be an unhappy banker, but he’d also be an unhappy spouse.
It was a critical time in their relationship, but Geoffrey believed the outcome sealed things for them. His love for Michelle never wavered and he was sure that his not giving in to her demands helped her finally accept exactly who he was. The years that followed confirmed to him that not only did the incident compel Michelle to recognise and accept him and his modest ambitions, but it also deepened her love for him. Geoffrey had never imagined, until that morning at the river, that the few days, all those years ago, when he and Michelle were at an impasse regarding his decision to leave the bank, might’ve spawned any drama other than the one that involved the two of them at the time.