Regretting The Wife He Threw Away

"I just don't think he needs to be at the hospital all the time. We're divorced, after all-he's my ex-husband now. There's no reason for him to be hovering around like this."

"Oh, I get it!" Stella tapped her chin thoughtfully. "You're worried that with him taking care of you, you'll end up falling for him again—and then, before you know it, you two are back together?"

Briony rolled her eyes. "Maybe you should go back to grade school and brush up on your reading comprehension."

Stella burst out laughing. "Kidding! I know what you mean, don't worry."

Briony shot her a playful glare. "You're impossible."

"Bryn, he's the father of your child. Even if he's just looking after you as a friend, that's perfectly normal. Besides, he's got resources, and from what Cedric told me, Stewart's not exactly swamped these days. He's got time, and he wants to help out. Why not just let him?"

"It just makes me feel weird."

"Weird?" Stella arched an eyebrow. "What's so weird about it? It's not like you need him to hey! Ow! Did you just hit me?"

Briony glared at her. "You really can't keep that mouth of yours in check, can you?"

Stella rubbed her arm where she'd been smacked, then looked at Briony, falling quiet for a moment before sighing in defeat.

"Bryn, you really haven't noticed how much Stewart's changed?"

"I have."

don't want to

staring up at the

kid together!" Stella cut in, her tone matter-of-fact. "Look, I'm hardly Stewart's biggest fan, but as a woman—and a brand mom deal with all this postpartum craziness-I get it. You and Stewart will always be connected because of your child. And you went through hell together! I heard he nearly lost the use of

despite herself, the memory of that day flashed before

her closely, but Briony's expression was unreadably

best friend, Stella couldn't tell what

split up on bad terms and both moved on, sure, I'd say there's nothing left between

get back together, but he wants to look after you as the father of your child. Don't tell me there isn't a little hope mixed in with that. As long as there's love, there's always hope. It's a slow burn, Bryn. Maybe you can turn him down for a year, or two, or even five- but if he never gives up, how long can you hold out?

look out the

sky was a brilliant blue, dotted with

her voice soft.

it through this year was uncertain. How could she think

understood what weighed on her

so violently, that Stellanet found herself wishing Briony would live a little

said, "Bryn, if Stewart wants to stay by your side, just let him. Who cares what he's thinking? The only thing that matters is that you get the care you need. And if you

stared at her in

only gone a couple of months. How

the abou sighed. "I've been thinking about my life a lot

me

shot her