Ina Garten Revealed That She Almost Got Divorced From Jeffrey, And It's Kind Of Shocking

“He packed his bag and went home to Washington with no plan to come back.

I buried my emotions and threw myself into my work.

Just look at them!

Jeffrey Garten in a suit and Ina Garten in a black dress with pearl necklace attending the TIME 100 Gala

The couple have been together for averylong time.

They got married back in 1968(!!!

Ina-heads (Garteners?)

There were certain roles that we played, and I found them really annoying, she says.

I felt that if I just hit the pause button, I would get his attention.

“I didnt pay enough attention to him.

Ina and Jeffrey, both smiling, stand on the red carpet at the "Mary Poppins Returns" premiere. The woman wears a dark floral dress, and Jeffrey is in a suit and tie

I just wanted everyone to leave me alone so I could concentrate on the store.”

“Jeffrey was fully formed and living the life he wanted to live.

I needed that freedom.”

Ina Garten smiles at an event, wearing a dark top and a striped scarf with fringe

Ina says the decision to separate was “the hardest thing I ever did.

I told him that I needed to be on my own.

I didnt say whether it was for now…or forever.”

Ina Garten and Jeffrey Garten smiling and conversing on the red carpet at the Time 100 event. Ina wears a patterned dress with a pearl necklace, Jeffrey in a suit

“‘What can I do to change your mind?’

Sure enough, he did and the rest was history.

“He was that determined to convince me he was serious about making our marriage work.”

Ina Garten smiling, wearing a dark blouse and a pearl necklace, standing against a dark backdrop at an event

It changed him, but it also changed me too.”

you might read more of the excerpthere.Be Ready When the Luck Happenssees release on Oct. 1.

Ina Garten and Jeffrey Garten on the red carpet for "Bullets Over Broadway: The Musical," with the show's branding displayed in the background

Ina Garten in a kitchen, wearing a denim shirt and standing near a countertop, surrounded by kitchen appliances and utensils

Jeffrey Garten and Ina Garten stand together on a red carpet; Jeffrey is in a black tuxedo, and Ina is in a dark blouse with a pearl necklace, holding a snakeskin clutch

Ina Garten smiles, wearing a classic black blouse and a gold necklace, standing in front of a red background

Man in black tuxedo and bow tie standing with woman in a brown jacket, both smiling, against a backdrop with repeating text "Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater."

Jeffrey and Ina Garten, smiling and holding hands, with Jeffrey wearing a suit jacket and Ina in a casual, elegant outfit with a pearl necklace

Jeffrey Garten kisses Ina Garten on the cheek while hugging her tightly. Both are smiling warmly

Ina Garten smiles while wearing a blue patterned scarf and black top at an event

Ina Garten and Jeffrey Garten pose beside a large Noah's Ark-themed cake at an event. Ina is wearing a black outfit with a red shawl, while Jeffrey is in a tuxedo

The couple have been together for averylong time.#

Ina-heads (Garteners?)#

There were certain roles that we played, and I found them really annoying, she says.#

“Jeffrey was fully formed and living the life he wanted to live.#

Ina says the decision to separate was “the hardest thing I ever did.#

you might read more of the excerpthere.Be Ready When the Luck Happenssees release on Oct. 1.#