“Yes,” she answered quietly, and he knew that she was already practically dozing. “When are you coming home?”

He yawned, relaxing further into his pillow before remembering he had some cleanup to take care of. “I’ll be back sometime tomorrow evening. We’ll have dinner if it’s not too late.”

“Mmmm K,” she agreed. “Night, Mark.”

He said his good nights and waited until she ended the call before tossing his phone aside. He left the bed and took a quick shower before collapsing back onto the soft surface. As his mind relaxed and his body drifted, he couldn’t help but find it strange that after a shitty evening, he was going to sleep happier than he had been in a while. And somehow he didn’t think it had anything at all to do with phone sex.

Chapter Seventeen

“Please tell me you aren’t still going to marriage counseling with Bill,” Ella pleaded.

“I’ve only been one time,” Crystal said defensively. “But he’s pressuring me to go again.”

Ella ran a hand through her hair in frustration before looking at the baby monitor on the table beside her. Sofia had gone down for a nap right after Crystal arrived, and she was still moving restlessly in her crib. When the baby quieted again, Ella said, “Tell me the absolute truth. Are you thinking of taking Bill back?”

“What?” Crystal gasped. “No! Of course not. I’m happy as I am.”

“Okayyy.” Ella drew the word out as if her patience were being tested. “Then why are you going to marriage counseling with him? For God’s sake, Crys, that’s whacked. Do you realize what kind of message you’re sending the man? He no doubt thinks you’re going to end up remarrying sometime in the not so distant future. That’s certainly what most would believe. And what about Mark?”

“Things are good with him,” she said happily. Actually, things were great there. They’d been going out for over a month, and the only times they weren’t together in the evening were the few times he’d been out of town on business.

“That’s good.” Ella smiled before lowering the boom. “And what does he think about you attending a therapy session with your ex-husband? I can tell you what Declan’s opinion would be on the matter, and it’s hard to believe that Mark is that understanding.”

Crystal shifted in her seat before dropping her head back on the sofa and staring up at the ceiling. “I—er, I haven’t really told him,” she mumbled, hoping that her sister couldn’t understand what she was saying. She should have known better.

“That’s pretty much what I thought.” Ella snorted unhappily. “Crys, are you trying to ruin your life? I’ll admit, when you and Mark first started spending time together, I was a tad concerned that you would get hurt, and Declan was frantic. But you two have been so good for each other. Everyone says that Mark is a changed man, and you’re just . . . glowing. I’ve never seen you this happy before, even when you were a newlywed. But you’re playing with fire here, and I don’t understand why.”

Crystal pinched the bridge of her nose before looking at her sister and admitting softly, “He keeps crying.”

“Mark?” Ella shrilled, looking amazed.

“What? No! Of course not. Bill. It’s as if he’s broken out of the cold shell he’s always lived in and now he’s this whole new emotional person that I don’t recognize. Each time I try to tell him that I’ve moved on and there is no hope of us getting back together, he breaks down. He said that he just needed me to be his friend and support him while he’s getting help. I mean, he doesn’t have anyone else, and he wants to change.”

Ella blinked rapidly before pursing her lips. “Honey, I think it’s great that Bill is attempting to better himself. And, of course, knowing how softhearted you are and the history between you both, I would expect nothing less than for you to be a friend to him. But, that being said, you’re going to marriage counseling at his request. Which indicates that you’re working on issues as a couple—to have a future together again. I’m very much afraid that Bill is manipulating you and taking advantage of your good nature.”

Crystal chewed her bottom lip as she pondered her sister’s words. In truth, she’d wondered the same thing more than once. But he seemed so sincere. And he hadn’t made a move on her romantically—well, other than holding her hand during the session. “I don’t know what to do,” she finally admitted. “I know I shouldn’t care whether he suffers or not because he never cared or noticed when I was. But he just seems so lonely and lost, and I feel kind guilty that I’ve caused it.”

Ella reached over and put a hand on top of hers. “That’s why you’re the woman you are, sis. You have a huge heart, and you don’t want the person who made you miserable to be sad. But regardless of whether it’s genuine or if he’s messing with your head, it has to end. It’s not fair to you, to Bill, or most of all, to Mark to keep this going. Tomorrow, you need to call him and tell him that you can’t do it anymore. Don’t meet him in person, because you won’t be able to handle it if he gets emotional.”

“All right.” Crystal sighed. “I know you’re right. I guess I’d just been hoping that Bill would lose interest in me again—you know, kind of like when we were married.” Smiling, she added, “I certainly don’t want to lose Mark.”

“How are things with DeStudo?” Ella asked with a mischievous grin. “You know everyone’s talking about the whole romance of the year, right?”