Rough and Rugged: A Meet Me In Milwaukee Charity Anthology

Chapter Six

Marissa

Hours later, long after the rain had slowed to a comforting drizzle and the sky had gone completely dark, Marissa lay in Mac’s bed nestled into his side, lulled into a relaxed state by the sound of his steady breathing as he slept. Her body tingled with pleasure all over as she recalled the escalation of their passion into a coupling so intense, they had both shed tears.

And now she got it. She’d been so deep in her own feelings all these years, and so angry at the fact she’d been denied so much, that she hadn’t even considered how it had been for Mac. He’d lost a child, too. He’d had every right to be angry, to be sad, to be lost. Just like her. Everything he’d thrown at her earlier had been his grief talking, not hatred of her.

As he woke, she cleared her throat to speak.

“Mac, how did we get here?”

She took pleasure in the rumble of his laugh against her body as he responded. “Well, darlin’, it’s usually what happens when two people give in to their passion.”

Her insides warmed at the memory of all of the passion that had occurred over the last few hours. “No. I mean how did we get there? After being together for most of our lives, we just split. Went our separate ways. We never talked about it. And then, after a certain amount of time passed, I was stuck. I couldn’t move backward or forward. Ten years lost. Wasted. Time we’ll never get back.”

Mac pulled her up onto his chest, tucking her head under his neck. “I really don’t know. But what I do know is this. Despite how I acted toward you earlier, I never stopped loving you. Wanting you. Needing you. I just didn’t know how to tell you. I was stuck too. And I assumed you’d moved on, so I decided you were better off without me. I was hoping you’d found the peace you were looking for, and it appears you have, since you’re looking for that divorce decree. And the reason you couldn’t find that paperwork is because I couldn’t bring myself to sign it. Legally, you are still my wife.”

Marissa’s breath hitched and her eyes widened. She couldn’t believe what she was hearing. But before she could respond, he continued.

“Since I now know for a fact you’ve moved on, I’ll give you what you came for. I’ll sign the papers.”

“But Mac…”

“Don’t worry, Marissa. The fact that we slept together doesn’t have to change anything. We just got caught up in the moment. You deserve your best life, and that’s not here with me. Go back to Chicago.”

Marissa sat at her gallery desk, sending emails and making notes, preparing for a leave of absence. She’d been back in Chicago for two weeks. In that time, she’d thought a lot about her future. That future no longer included Andrew, so she’d returned the engagement ring. He’d actually appeared to be relieved, wishing her well.

As she worked, a song came on the radio that solidified her decision. She stopped what she was doing and listened, humming along to the lyrics of “We Don’t Fight Anymore.”

When the song ended, she thought if only she and Mac had fought, ten years might not have been wasted. And that’s why she was determined to fight now. For her man, for her marriage, for her life. She was going home.