Ben didn't answer her question, because he didn't know. He felt it was true, but he recognized that what they were doing was unsustainable. And she had every reason to doubt the sentiment, after how he'd behaved over the past year. They'd had a few tolerable weeks, scattered throughout, but every time they'd fought it had come back to the same thing. She wanted this marriage: he didn't. Did it matter if he wanted her?

She was crying now, in a small and dignified way, not the way Ben had last night. His insides tugged again. She was so far away.

"Can... can I sit with you?" he asked, truly unsure what she would say.