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He was relieved at her silence. And also sickeningly nervous.

He’d married her with the expectation that he’d only be living for three months. Sure, she’d been openly hoping for a few extra months to be together, but spending an entire lifetime married had never even entered the conversation.

What the hell were they supposed to do now?

He’d never truly accepted his impending death, so that should have made it easier to transition to his new reality, but it didn’t. His emotions had been on a roller coaster for the past few months, and he’d edged over the highest peak. Now he was zooming downhill at a breakneck speed without control and without any brakes.

He wasn’t sure how the human heart was capable of handling so many emotional ups and downs.

“Are you okay?” Eve asked at last after sneaking another quick look at him.

“I…” His voice broke, so he had to start again. “I don’t know.”

“It’s a huge thing to process. You don’t need to have clear feelings about it immediately.”

“Yeah.”

He did have a few clear feelings. Shattering relief. Dizzying confusion. Hot indignation that a sloppy mistake—a mistake—had led to so much trauma.

But it had also led to his marriage to Eve. To the experience of genuine romantic love for the first time in his life.

That wasn’t what Eve had signed up for, however.

She’d said she loved him. He’d believed her. And maybe—miraculously—those feelings wouldn’t change even though all their circumstances had been reversed.

He didn’t know.

He didn’t know anything.

Except he wasn’t going to die when he was supposed to.

That was a good thing.

Wasn’t it?

He should be happy. Overjoyed. Overwhelmed with a magical reprieve from tragedy.

But he couldn’t seem to feel… anything.

They were pulling up the long drive to the house, and he still hadn’t come to any revelations. Eve drove slowly into his spot in the garage, and Nancy had opened the connecting door into the house before she’d even shifted into park.

When Jude saw Nancy’s familiar face, his throat tightened painfully.

She was anxious. Waiting. No doubt his father was too.

They wanted to hear news. Find out the new prognosis.

And he was completely blank.

Eve got out of the car and walked around to open the passenger side door for him. He hadn’t even managed to unbuckle his seat belt.

Eve’s face softened as she leaned over to do it for him. “Sweetie, what do you need me to do for you?”

She only used the pet name for him when he was at his most pathetic. It didn’t bode well for his current state of mind.

He licked his lips. “I think I need… I need to be alone for a while. To try to… to process.”

“Of course. That’s fine, Jude. Of course you can process by yourself.” She glanced back toward where Nancy was waiting. “Can I… Can I tell them? They’re both so worried.”