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

a

pattern in her life: everything she tried to hold onto inevitably slipped away, even a mere

placed it beside Zoey. “Drink

and tried to sit up, her stomach churning

her

distress, Cornelia nodded. “I'll leave for now and check on you later. The nurses will bring your

you've lost too

Zoey had lost a

but

zoned out, wearing a hospital gown with the

threaten to break her.

to reality, followed

look up.

presence made her turn. Standing by the

able to stay composed, but

Liking him was

tiny white dog inside. “To make it up to you,” he said, his voice as detached

moment of supposed amends.

Zoey blinked, uncomprehending.

shock, given it was the first the'd cto see

of soup and flung

deliver the word he had hurled at

“Get out.”

brow furrowed. “What did

it at his

she repeated, her voice

then he saw

gown hanging

looked at him, the light that used

frozen, unable to

best he could muster

offer compensation, a gesture of politeness in