Dear Ex-wife Marry Me by Twin Bridge

The housekeeper cinto the den with a message that set Fitch's teeth on edge. “Sir, Ms. Bennitt is at the front gate. Should I let

her in?”

Fitch felt an immediate distaste at the thought of seeing her. He had pegged her as a stable sort, never imagining she could stir up

such scandal.

“No,” he replied, his voice sharp with finality. After his brief response, he grabbed his coat from the rack and exited through the

back door.

It wasn’t until he pulled up to the pet store that he realized why he had driven there.

Ozzy was gone, and in a way, it was on his conscience. It only seemed right to get a new puppy for Zoey as a gesture of

atonement.

But as he walked among the rare breeds, his gaze kept being drawn to a memory of a scrappy little gray mongrel that somehow

seemed more sincere, more beautiful than the ones before him.

Hesitating only a moment, he chose a pristine white pup and, carrying it in a crate, inquired about Zoey’s whereabouts.

Learning that she was in the hospital, he immediately set off in that direction.

Halfway there, he realized that he wouldn't normally do such a thing for anyone else. His brow furrowed as he pondered whether it

was his involvement that had dragged Zoey into this mess to begin with.

Pressing the accelerator, he continued toward the hospital.

Zoey's fever had broken, and she was awake, though her lips were cracked and bloody. She said nothing, staring blankly at the

ceiling, haunted by dreams of Ozzy wagging his little tail, and then of Wendy heartlessly dropping him from a height. Pain throbbed

her—there wasn't a place that didn't

pattern in her life: everything she tried to hold onto inevitably slipped

of broth and placed it

slowly and tried to sit up, her stomach churning at the sight and smell

her stomach, “Cornelia, could I have a

her distress, Cornelia nodded. “I'll leave for now and check on

you've lost too

between the accident and the fever, Zoey had lost a

but found it impossible

Zoey leaned back and zoned out, wearing a hospital gown with the window ajar, letting

threaten to break her.

at the door snapped her back to reality, followed by its opening.

look up.

closed, and a familiar presence made

been able

liked Fitch? Liking him was

small crate with a tiny white dog inside. “To make it up to you,” he said, his voice as detached as ever, even in this

moment of supposed amends.

Zoey blinked, uncomprehending.

was the first the'd cto see her of his own accord. But then

of soup and flung it at

the word he

“Get out.”

his brow

laughed, reaching for a cup and throwing it at his forehead with

get out,” she repeated, her voice

react, to rage, but then he saw

withered, the standard-size hospital gown hanging loosely on her frame.

at him, the light that used

unable

the best he could muster was, “Don’t

politeness in response