Page 129 of What Started In Deception

Will’s gaze snapped to his. “I assume you’re referencing my marriage that’s falling to shit.”

Ty shrugged because they had to start somewhere if they were ever going to move beyond the surface-level, shoot-the-shit vibe that they had going on whenever they hung out together. “Yeah, we can talk about that if you want. Lyd’s mentioned a couple of things.”

Will moved to settle the bar back on his shoulders but stopped. “I don’t know how to fix things. I don’t know how else I can tell her that I’m not cheating on her.”

And this was what he’d been waiting for. Or sort of. He abandoned the treadmill altogether and headed Will’s way. “Why do you think she thinks that?”

Will jerked his shoulders. “Fuck if I know. She keeps telling me I’m being secretive, but what I am is fucking overwhelmed at work. This partnership thing is no joke.”

Ty nodded, hearing clearly Will’s frustration. “That sounds really tough, man.”

Will sighed as he shook his head. “I would never cheat on her.” He shook his head again. “From the first moment I saw her… She was the most beautiful woman I’d ever seen. She still is.”

Ty nodded again, understanding perfectly Will’s sentiment, remembering the breath-stealing moment when Lydia had walked into Marney’s store.

“When Lydia introduced us, we hit it off immediately,” Will continued. “We were like magnets that you couldn’t pull apart. We’ve made a good life. We have great kids, but I feel like it’s all slipping through my fingers.”

Ty studied Will’s miserable gaze, liking him despite the questions swirling around his conduct, wanting nothing more than for him and Mac to figure things out. “You’ve told her all of this?”

Will shook his head. “Not recently, no. She has her guard up. She won’t let me in.” Will wiped at his face again. “Lydia was pretty upset with you yesterday after the whole helicopter thing.”

Ty nodded, trying to figure Will’s point. “Yeah, things were a little rough when I got back.”

“But they’re okay this morning?”

Ty nodded again because they were a hell of a lot better than that. He could still smell Lydia on his skin, even after they took another shower.

“How’d you fix it?”

“We talked. I apologized.”

“And then?”

Ty scratched at his chin. “Do you really want to go there?”

“Exactly,” Will said as he pointed his finger at him. “That’s the way things have always been with Mac and me. We get pissed off at each other—not very often—but when we do, we fix things. We talk, and then we go at it. But everything is different this time.”

Ty sighed. “I’m the farthest thing from a relationship expert. Lydia’s the first woman who’s ever managed to knock me flat on my ass, but what if you show Mac instead of telling her?”

Will frowned. “What do you mean?”

Ty shrugged. “I don’t know. Plan a special evening. Something that’s just for the two of you. Something that has nothing to do with your career or the kids. Remind her of what you two have.”

Will’s brow stayed furrowed as he nodded. “I like that.” He smiled now. “I like that a lot.”

Ty smiled back. “Good.”

“Yeah. Mac won’t want to go too far away from the kids, but I can book us a room at one of the local inns. I’ll fill it with flowers and take her out for a nice dinner. We have a great babysitter that we rarely use, but I can give her a call.”

Ty shook his head. “Lyd and I can watch the kids.”

“If Hazel isn’t available, I’ll totally take you up on that. Hazel works at Everly’s preschool. It’ll be good for Ev to see a face that she hasn’t seen since school ended for the year.”

Ty nodded. “That makes sense.”

Will tossed the towel into the basket and headed toward the door. “I’m going to get this planned. I need to make things right with my wife more than I need to work on my quads.”

Ty grinned. “I can’t argue with your logic.”