Free Denouement (The Darkness Series Book 3) by Cassia Brightmore Page A

everything she could to help them find their way back to the love they once shared.
    “He’s different, Aubrey. I know this is going to sound crazy, but I feel like he’s not the same man. He’s changed. There’s nothing about him that reminds me of the man I gave my heart to. I’ve tried so damn hard to get past it, but I can’t. He doesn’t want to be involved with the kids,” she furrowed her brow as she watched Caleb and Hope munching on the apples in a contented silence. “It’s like pulling teeth to get him to show any interest or pay any attention to them. Every now and then he will take Hope outside to play, but Caleb…he’s just shut off from him.” Nora let out a long sigh as she sat down at the table with her coffee.
    “I just…I just can’t help thinking that I made a mistake by agreeing to marry him.” She held up a hand at Aubrey’s sharp intake of breath. “I know. I know I sound like a horrible bitch, but Aubrey, you know me. You know that I’d never say something like that unless I really thought something was wrong.” Nora’s eyes pleaded with her to understand.
    Greta discreetly herded Caleb and Hope into the family room of Aubrey’s modest cottage style house. A few moments later, the sound of a children’s program came to life on the TV, leaving the two women to chat without any listening ears.
    “Nora, you don’t need to explain anything to me. If you feel in your gut, if you’re instincts are telling you that something is off–then you’re probably right. I’ve never doubted you before and I’m not about to start now. Have you asked Gabe to talk to someone? Maybe things seem off because he’s dealing with some sort of delayed post-traumatic stress from the kidnapping,” Aubrey suggested, hating the way Nora was doubting herself.
    “I brought the idea up once, and he shut it down. He’s not involved in the ranch as much anymore, doesn’t hang out with Theo. I’m completely at a loss as to what to do,” she confessed, draining the last sip of her coffee.
    The front door opened with a loud bang followed by a low, “Fuck.” Autumn entered the kitchen, looking between them with a frown.
    “Jesus, who died? What’s with all the long faces in here?” She headed straight for the coffee pot, her long red hair flowing out behind her. “Don’t tell me there’s been another murder, the whole town is already scared shitless of this lunatic.” She kept up a steady stream of chatter while she poured the hot liquid into the bright yellow mug that was reserved for her. Adding a healthy amount of creamer, she joined Nora and Aubrey at the table.
    “So, spill. What’s going on?” she pressed.
    Nora nodded at Aubrey, silently giving her permission to reveal the details of their conversation about Gabe.
    “Something has been off with Gabe lately. Nora came here to give them some time apart and make some decisions,” she explained.
    Autumn raised her eyebrows, surprised at the news. She snapped her mouth closed at the warning glare from Aubrey, swallowing what she was going to say and clearing her throat before attempting to speak again.
    “Well a little time with the girls never hurt anything. And you know what they say, distance makes the heart grow fonder,” she said with a wink.
    Aubrey rolled her eyes. “Absence. Absence makes the heart grow fonder,” she corrected. Aubrey waved her hand, not caring that she mixed up the saying.
    “Whatever. The point is, by the time you get back, you’ll have him eating out of your hand—maybe even begging to eat something else, if you know what I mean,” she teased with a knowing look. Aubrey groaned and threw a napkin at her.
    “What? She’s hot, Gabe’s hot…they might just need one night of passion to sort their shit out. My point is that this absence thing,” she shot a pointed look at Aubrey, “will have him ready and willing to do anything you ask to set things right again. I mean, come on, it’s you guys. Nora