The Lock That Had My Husband’s Name And Hers Chapter 03

The old stone lookout was packed with hikers trying to get out of the wind.

Delaney and I found a spot against the wall. We had barely stopped when her phone rang.

It was an unfamiliar number.

She answered, listened for a few seconds, and immediately brightened.

“Really? That’s great. Thank you!”

She hung up and grabbed my hand excitedly.

“My husband ordered me something hot to drink. The delivery guy said he left it with the staff here at the lookout.”

“Wait here. I’ll go get it!”

She hurried off before I could say anything.

I leaned against the cold stone wall.

The lookout was filled with noise. Children were crying, couples were taking pictures, and tourists talked over one another.

But to me, the whole world felt terrifyingly quiet.

A few minutes later, Delaney came running back with an insulated delivery bag.

She pulled out two steaming vanilla lattes.

“Here. This one’s for you. It’ll warm you up.”

I took the cup and glanced at the delivery label.

The note was printed clearly beneath the order.

【Both with whole milk. Extra caramel. My wife gets cold easily, so please make sure they arrive hot.】

My wife.

He called her his wife.

I stared at the words, almost laughing at the irony.

Thayer knew better than anyone that I was severely lactose intolerant. Even a little whole milk could leave me sick for hours.

Back when we were dating, Thayer always remembered to have mine made with oat milk.

Now he was just as careful with Delaney’s order—whole milk, extra caramel, delivered hot because she got cold easily.

He used to remember every little thing about me.

Now he remembered hers.

I held the burning-hot cup without touching the lid.

“Your husband’s really thoughtful.”

Delaney took a sip and smiled contentedly.

“Yeah. He remembers all the little things.”

“Is your husband romantic?”

Romantic?

Three years of marriage flashed through my mind.

For our anniversary, Thayer had brought home two bottles of shampoo from a buy-one-get-one sale and told me it was practical.

On Valentine’s Day, he hadn’t even bought me a single rose. He said the whole holiday was just a scam designed to make people spend money.

I lowered my eyes.

“He’s more practical.”

Delaney took another sip.

“Nothing wrong with practical. That matters when you’re building a life with someone.”

Then she smiled.

“My husband’s more into making things feel special.”

She set her latte on the stone ledge beside her and reached beneath the collar of her sweater.

A silver ring hung from a chain around her neck. It was small, but against the dim stone walls, the metal caught the light sharply.

“Look.”

Delaney touched the ring with obvious affection.

“He gave me this when we went to Ireland.”

Ireland-the word struck me like a bullet straight through the chest.

I had thought they were sneaking around close to home. I never imagined he had taken her halfway across the world.

Delaney’s voice softened as she slipped into the memory.

“He said signing paperwork at a courthouse felt way too ordinary for something that was supposed to last forever.”

“There was this old legend about a chapel in Ireland. Couples who made their vows there were supposed to share a bond that could never be broken.”

“So he insisted on taking me there. We had a private vow ceremony in the chapel.”

“He even had a ceremonial marriage certificate made for us. It wasn’t legally binding or anything, but I thought it was incredibly romantic.”

Her fingers rested against the silver ring.

“He told me it meant we’d be together for the rest of our lives.”

I looked down at my own bare ring finger.

When Thayer and I got married, he had less than eight thousand dollars to his name.

We had rent to pay and equipment to buy for his company. I never asked for a big wedding or an expensive engagement ring.

We bought a pair of cheap silver bands from a little jewelry shop near the courthouse.

He had held my hand and said, “Baby, when I have money someday, I’m getting you the biggest diamond I can find.”

Now he had money.

And he had taken another woman to Ireland to promise her forever.

Meanwhile, I had become the wife who had settled for a courthouse marriage and a simple silver band.

“Why aren’t you drinking it?” Delaney asked. “Don’t you like it?”

I tightened my grip around the cup until my nails dug into my palm.

“It’s fine. Just a little hot. I’ll drink it later.”

Delaney checked the time.

“We should get going. My husband and Cambria are probably getting impatient waiting for me.”

“You’re here by yourself anyway, and the restaurants around here are expensive.”

“Come eat with us. My husband’s paying. It’ll be more fun with another person there.”

I looked up and met her eyes.

My stomach ached faintly from hunger and cold.

“Okay.”

I heard myself say it.

“Then I guess I’ll let him treat me.”

I wanted to see them.

The devoted couple who thought they had nothing to hide.

My best friend who had once sworn she would always have my back.

I wanted to see exactly what kind of performance they were planning to put on at this so-called family dinner.