Shocked, Lourds froze.
She smiled at him sadly. “I love you, Thomas. God knows that I do. And I wish that things were different. But they are not. I am limited. I am only one person. I cannot do my job and be anything like what you want and deserve.”
Confused, Lourds shook his head. “Layla, I won’t ask you to change, and I wouldn’t want you to. You know that. I understand — better than most — just how much your work is a part of who you are. I would never take you away from that.”
She was silent and her lower lip trembled. “I know, Thomas, and I love that about you, but I just can’t. These past few weeks have proven that to me. I am needed at work, but I want to be with you. I especially wanted to be with you when you were walking into so much danger.”
“I made it through.”
“I know you did.” She smiled. “The problem is me. If I cannot give you everything I feel a wife should in her marriage — her time, her commitment, her love — then I will only be unhappy with myself. Trying to be with you and not be able to be the wife I want to be would destroy me. Do you understand?”
Lourds tightened his grip on the ring box and took it back. He pushed it once more into his pocket. “I do.”
She stood up, then leaned down and kissed him on the forehead. “This has to be goodbye, my love. I wish there was another way.”
“Me too.” Lourds knew better than to try to ask her to change her mind. Once she’d made her decision, there was no changing it. And he knew she was pulled in too many directions. He’d seen it.
Without another word, she turned and walked away.
Lourds let her go. He drank his wine and slowly decompressed, trying to figure out what he should do with himself. Then he took out his phone and called Marias.
“Hello?”
“Have you ever had a woman break your heart?”
Marias hesitated. “I am sorry things did not go as you expected.”
“The question stands.”
“Yes, I have had my heart broken several times.”
“First time for me.” Lourds took a breath. “What do you do when it happens?”
“You chase after other women—”
“No.”
“—drink yourself stupid—”
“Not appealing in the slightest.”
“—or throw yourself into your work.”
“Now that is something I’m good at. Where are you?”
“At the museum.”
“Working?”
“Yes.”
“Could you use another pair of hands?”
“Of course. I’ll put on a pot of coffee. I was planning to call you in the morning anyway.”
“I’ll be there in just a few minutes.” Lourds put his phone away, picked up his hat and backpack, and headed for the door.
About the Author
New York Times bestselling author Charles Brokaw is the author of The Atlantis Code, The Lucifer Code, and The Temple Mount Code. Charles Brokaw is a pseudonym for an author, academic, and college educator living in the Midwest. He’s had a rich and varied life, and is fascinated by history, human accomplishment, and archeology.