Dear Ex-wife Marry Me by Twin Bridge

Athena stepped out of the lounge and made her way to the curb, still trying to process what had just happened.

She and Doris were friends, but Athena had never heard a word about this before. Whenever Doris mentioned Tyler, it was always with a roll of the eyes and a laundry list of complaints-calling him a jerk, saying he was irresponsible with women, swearing up and down that he wasn't worth anyone's time. After Athena confided that she liked Tyler, Doris had pulled out all the stops to talk her out of it. Athena would have bet anything that those two would never get together.

She got into the waiting rideshare and told the driver to take her home.

Meanwhile, Tyler shoved the woman beside him away, suddenly stone-cold sober. "What are you doing?"

Doris, who'd acted on a drunken impulse, stared at him in shock, her mind going blank. She quickly wiped her mouth. "Sorry, I had too much to drink."

It was the truth—she was drunk enough to do something so reckless. Tyler was Athena's boyfriend now. Doris had thought she'd gotten over her old feelings long ago.

Tyler glared at her, scrubbing his mouth with the back of his hand in disgust.

"This can't get back to Athena. Go home."

Doris felt her heart sink. She'd always secretly liked Tyler, but whenever she talked about him to others, she'd exaggerated his flaws, hoping to keep other women away. When she realized Athena and Tyler might be a thing, she'd tried to convince herself to move on.

Yet here she was, doing the very thing she'd sworn she wouldn't.

Guilt warred with a strange sense of closure. At least, she thought, this could be the end of her years-long crush.

When she returned to the lounge and saw Athena was gone, she immediately asked around.

"Where's Athena?"

"You were out for, what, ten minutes? She left right after you, came back alone, said she wouldn't wait for Tyler and headed out."

Doris felt a wave of panic. Had Athena seen what happened? If she had, wouldn't she have confronted her-maybe even slapped her? Why would she just leave?

Athena was gone, and immediately headed out

cab straight

when he arrived. He rang

intercom, saw

word, she turned off

he'd gotten himself tangled up with Doris, then he could deal with

just never

shower and went

the hallway outside

time spending the night in the corridor, but tonight was different. A thunderstorm was raging outside, lighting flashing and rain hammering the windows. The draft in the hallway was icy,

sinking right through him. The weather had turned colder, and

voice was barely

twice more, but

he knocked weakly, but there was still

up on the floor and tried to sleep, shivering through

the next morning

himself to stand, his whole body felt numb and out of control, like he might collapse at any moment. Seeing no sign of Athena, bitterness welled up insides

soften toward him. Why did she shut him out again overnight? He couldn't understand it.

for his phone and called

him all night, but Tyler hadn't answered.

up, Bert sounded more

know how many times I

pick

"Where?"

I think I have

her place and you

let