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Erika

When Clark’s phone rang, his gaze flicked to mine It was loud in the trendy restaurant, and his phone was on silent, but it rested face down on the table, so I could feel the vibration of it through my elbows planted on the tabletop

He flipped it over and glanced at the screen, and he didn’t have to say anything forHis hesitant expression announced it was his boss, Derrick, and the software upgrade his co well

I pressed ether to hold in ht would be risky Clark had been a progra before we’d one off without a hitch

“It’s okay,” I said, pushing out a sh most of dinner”

He shot etic look as he stood and snatched up his phone It was too loud in here, so he’d take the call outside “Maybe they just have a question”

I quirked ht he was drea It seemed like the Nashville branch of HBHC couldn’t run without him I’d joked more than once that Derrick was his work husband and saw Clark fardown, or a single error in a line of code would cause ahim at all hours of the day

Even on special nights like this one

He wasn’t outside long, and when he came back to the table, he didn’t sit “They, uhneed me to come in”

Of course they do, I wanted to snap

My husband was an attractive man He worked out three times a ith a trainer, had a handsome face, and took pride in his appearance But I couldn’t look at him, too frustrated with the situation Instead, I stared at the remainder of the steak I’d ordered for dinner

“Hopefully it won’t take long,” he added “But I’m really sorry”

“It’s okay,” I lied, and forced brightness into my voice “I’ll take an Uber and see you at home Good luck with the system”

“Thanks” He leaned down and dropped a quick kiss on my forehead “Happy birthday, Erika”

That hat he lefta speck of passion I shouldn’t have been surprised My husband had never been affectionate, and over the last few years, his sex drive had faded to nothing—right as one, it seemed unlikely it’d ever come back