My Best Friend's Ex (Daring Divorcees)

by Shannyn Schroeder

  Trevor pointed to the ground. “What are you doing?”

  “Oh.” She straightened and rubbed her dirty hands on her shorts. “I looked out the window this afternoon and it dawned on me that Lisa’s garden was empty. I thought I’d fill it.”

  She turned off her music and stepped back. From this angle, the garden didn’t look any better than it had when she was on the ground. Hmmm. Maybe once the flowers grew in some, it would look better.

  “It’s…interesting.”

  She nudged him. “Come on. It’s not that bad.” With another glance at her work, she added, “Okay, so I’m not a gardener. I was just trying to do something nice. And I needed a project to get me off my ass.”

  “Why?”

  “I spent the day on my computer looking for a new job.” She gathered the tools she’d been using and tossed them in the bucket to put back in the shed.

  “A job?”

  “I have some proposals out for more freelance work, but I’ve been thinking about seeing if I can find something local.”

  “To stay local?”

  “Yeah.” She turned toward her house, and he followed.

  “You don’t want to travel anymore?”

  “I don’t know.” In her kitchen, she reached into the refrigerator and pulled out a couple bottles of water. “I’ve been traveling for twenty years. I’ve seen a lot of the world, and I love to travel, but now…”

  “What?”

  She didn’t know what to say. Was it too early to talk about their relationship as a reason? “I told you I’d be here to help with the kids. That’s hard to do from the other side of the world.”

  Something flashed on his face, stealing a bit of the brightness of his smile. “Oh. I guess you’re right. But don’t turn your life upside down because of the kids. I think I kind of have a handle on this parenting thing.”

  She drank some water to give herself a minute to gather her thoughts. The air was thick with awkwardness. “It’s not just the kids,” she started.

  “No?”

  Was that hope in his voice?

  “Even before Lisa died, the travel was getting to me.” She was still dancing around the situation.

  He said nothing.

  “Jeez. This is stupid,” she announced. Slamming her bottle on the counter, she said, “What are we doing?”

  “What do you mean?” he asked.

  “As I said, I’ve been toying with the idea of slowing down on the travel, and Lisa’s death and the kids are a convenient excuse, but part of why I’m looking for a local job is because of you. Because of us.”

  He continued to stare at her, and Callie began to think she’d fucked up again. “I know we only spent one night together, but it didn’t feel like we were just scratching an itch. Correct me if I’m wrong about that.”

  “You’re not.”

  “Then I shouldn’t feel like an idiot taking us into consideration when I’m figuring out my life and my career. Should I?”

  He took a deep breath and released it slowly. Setting his water bottle down beside hers, Trevor stepped closer. He took her hand and waited for her to make eye contact. “I’m glad I’m part of the equation of your life. But I don’t expect you to give up what you love because of me.”

  “It’s not because of you. I have no intention of taking a job I won’t enjoy, but this feels important. My career has always taken first place on my list of priorities. Maybe it’s time to switch things up.”

  “Do what you need to do. Leaving the career you built is something you might end up regretting. And if you do it because of us, you’d resent me.” His thumb stroked across her knuckles. “I’ve wasted enough years dealing with disappointment and resentment. Whatever you choose, do it for you.”

  His words were right. They were diplomatic and what she should’ve wanted to hear, but she wondered if they were honest. Trevor had always teased her about her continent-hopping and not being around. Part of her even wished he’d asked her to stay. Wasn’t that a kick? That was the main reason every other relationship she’d ever had fell apart. They’d asked her to stay, and she’d booked the first flight out of town. Ultimately, though, Trevor was right. She needed to figure out what she wanted.

  “So what do you want to have for dinner?” he asked.

  “I have stuff for sandwiches,” she offered.

  “Sure.”

  He put his arm around her shoulders and pulled her into a hug. Kissing the top of her head, he said, “I’ll be here whatever you decide about work.”

  As far as commitments went, it wasn’t too bad. She’d never had anyone willing to just be there for her. Except Lisa.

  Trevor turned and began pulling food from the fridge. Callie watched him and thought of Lisa. If you’re watching, I hope you’re okay with this, Lisa, because I think I’m falling for him.

  …

  For the next three days, Trevor spent the night in Callie’s bed and woke with her in his arms. The rest of their time together was much like it usually was: they ate dinner together, watched TV, and talked about their days. It had been so long since he’d had a partner in his life and in his bed that he’d forgotten how awesome it felt to have a woman in his arms.

  He knew they needed to address their relationship in regard to the kids, but he didn’t know how to bring it up. They’d spent four days in their own little bubble, but he knew it couldn’t last. Hannah and Evan would be home in a few days.

  He’d spent the day trying to figure out what to say. He was falling for Callie, but he didn’t think he was ready for their relationship to be open to the kids. What if something happened between him and Callie? They’d already lost so much. He needed to be sure before they told Hannah and Evan about their relationship.

  But he didn’t know how Callie would take it. Or if she would agree. It seemed that when it came to the kids, they butted heads more than anything. He’d worked later than usual, something he often did when he needed to think. He liked being on the job site alone. The solitude gave him peace with his thoughts.

  By the time he parked the truck in front of the house, the sun was setting. He’d texted Callie hours ago to let her know to eat dinner without him. Determined to talk about the kids tonight, he’d bought her a bouquet of flowers. He’d wanted to bring something to remind her that she was important to him.

  At times like this, he wished he wasn’t an alcoholic. A normal man would bring a bottle of wine to share and have a conversation. What was he supposed to do? Bring her a bottle of pop? Shaking his head, he grabbed the flowers and walked down the gangway straight to the backyard.

  He passed the garden that Callie had worked on earlier in the week. It looked even sadder now. He didn’t have the heart to tell her that he didn’t think it would last. He knocked on the door and turned the knob without waiting for an answer. “Callie?”

  She came running around the corner, her smile huge. “It’s about time. I’ve been waiting forever.”

  The emphasis on “forever” made him smile.

  Pointing at the flowers, she said, “What are those for?”

  “You.” He held them out, and when she grabbed them, he pulled her close for a kiss. Seeing her face was a stark reminder to him how she brightened his day. She filled all of his dark, lonely places with sunshine. Doubt about the necessary conversation crept into him.

  When she pulled back from their kiss, she said, “Hello.”

  “Hi. What’s up?”

  “I have news. Let me put these in water. Go have a seat. Are you hungry?” She bustled around the small kitchen taking care of the flowers.

  “No, I’m good.” Instead of going to the couch, he watched her. Even her movements seemed happy. There was a lightness in her body. He had no idea how it felt to be that way, but being near her made him feel like a better person.

  When she finished putting the flowers in a vase, she grabbed his hand and pulled him toward the living room. They settled on the couch.

  Callie sat clo
se enough for her legs to brush against his, which made it hard for him to focus. She took his hand. “I got a job offer.”

  “Already? That’s excellent. Congratulations.” He brushed hair off her shoulder.

  “Well, don’t congratulate me yet. It’s not quite the kind of offer I thought I’d get.”

  Unease crawled over him. He’d seen this look on Callie’s face before. When they were young, every time she planned to hit the road, she had a similar look. But he waited, hoping to hear something else.

  “A travel agency reached out to me through some mutual acquaintances. They plan themed trips around the world. They want to hire me to go out for three weeks later this summer and bounce around taking pictures for a new tour they’re setting up.”

  Three weeks? That wasn’t so bad. He wasn’t thrilled about it, but they’d survive. Something on her face told him that wasn’t the worst of it, though—or maybe in her mind, it would be the best of it. “Okay,” he said cautiously.

  She took a deep breath and released it slowly. “The thing is, they want to use that trip as a test of sorts. If they decide they like my work, they want to hire me on for a longer project. Their goal is to update all of the photos for all of their tours.”

  “So more than three weeks.”

  “I don’t know how long the whole project would last. Easily a year or more. But the money is phenomenal. And I would get to literally travel the world, go to places I’ve never been.” Her voice was no longer as eager as it had been when she started.

  “I thought you wanted to find something local. Settle down.” The words sat heavily between them. Their relationship was new, so new. They weren’t at a place of committing to settling down. He knew in his gut that if he made demands of her, he would lose her. She’d run.

  “I was looking for something here. But this fell into my lap. I don’t know if I want to take it. I have a Skype call with the home office in Italy tomorrow morning. That’s why I’m talking it over with you. We have this thing going on and there are the kids. But at the same time, this is an incredible opportunity.” Her eyes studied his face, searching.

  Unfortunately, he had no idea what she was searching for. He wasn’t going to tell her to go, but he also knew he had no right to ask her to stay. “It does sound exciting.”

  His enthusiasm was nonexistent and his voice flat, but he wasn’t trying to be an asshole. He’d just started trying to wrap his head around his relationship with Callie and now she was talking about leaving. Again.

  She shoved his shoulder. “Yeah, that sounds like you’re really happy for me.”

  “I am happy for you. They’d be stupid not to hire you. But I’m a selfish bastard, and you’re talking about leaving me for three weeks.” His conviction there was solid and true. He would miss her. Desperately.

  “We could talk or FaceTime.”

  “That’s not the same.”

  “We could be naked while we do it.”

  His dick perked up at the mention of her getting naked. “As much as I might enjoy seeing you naked on the screen, I’d rather have you sharing a bed with me.”

  “Ahh, Mr. Booth, you sure do know how to sweet-talk me.” She rose up and straddled him, bringing her body flush against his.

  He instinctively bucked his hips up, his dick like a heat-seeking missile. He reached up and threaded his fingers in her hair as he pulled her in for a kiss. All thoughts of her conversation and his intended one fled when her tongue touched his.

  For now, they had each other, and nothing from the outside world could intrude. They had time to deal with it all later.

  …

  Callie’s head was spinning again. The life that she’d been living for a couple of decades, one of regular travel and irregular sex, seemed like a distant memory. She and Trevor had spent every night for the past four nights together. Sometimes, they just talked until they fell asleep. But usually, they had sex. Not that she was complaining.

  Having someone in her life on the regular was weird. She found herself consulting him on everything, from what to have for dinner to what she should do about her career. She wasn’t even really sure why. She’d spent her entire life going it alone. Trevor was bothered by the job offer, even though he tried to be supportive. Kind of.

  She knew he didn’t like her traveling. He was the kind of guy who needed structure and routine. He hadn’t always been that way. It was one of the side effects of being sober. Needing to control everything in his life. So while he didn’t try to control her, she understood that her life and career made him uncomfortable.

  Lying in bed, naked with Trevor, she stretched and thought about the job for Around the World Travels. It was an exciting opportunity. And three weeks wasn’t that long to be gone. Her typical trips were two to three weeks anyway. But it was the extension of a long-term job that niggled at her. Would she want to travel nonstop for the next year or two?

  Trevor was right. She’d said she wanted to dial it down and stay at home, but the travel bug had its teeth firmly in her whenever she thought about it. Ringing brought her fully awake. Her alarm. She rolled out of bed and scrounged for an appropriate shirt to wear while she talked to the rep from Around the World. They wanted to Skype to talk details.

  Downstairs, she started a pot of coffee and set up her laptop. She had about a half hour before the call, so she organized her notes and questions. As she sat to drink her coffee, Trevor came downstairs wearing his clothes from yesterday, looking rumpled and sexy.

  He set his phone on the counter beside her, kissed the side of her head, mumbled, “Morning,” and trudged off to the bathroom to brush his teeth. While he was in the bathroom, she poured him a cup of coffee. If she’d learned nothing else about Trevor this week, it was that he was a man who absolutely needed his coffee in the morning.

  As she put his cup down, his phone jingled with some crazy tune that told her it was Hannah. Every time Trevor turned his back, his daughter changed his ringtones.

  “Hey, Hannah’s calling. You want me to answer it?” she yelled.

  “Sure.”

  Callie scooped up the phone and hit the accept button for a FaceTime call from Hannah.

  “Hey, babe. What’s up?”

  Hannah filled the screen with a scrunched-up face. “Didn’t I call Dad?”

  Trevor came in and took the phone from Callie’s hand. “You did. I was busy so Callie answered so I wouldn’t miss your call.”

  Callie couldn’t see Hannah anymore, but there was a pause. She slid his coffee over to him. He took a gulp.

  “What are you doing at Callie’s? It’s like six in the morning there.”

  He set his coffee back down. “Uh.” Rubbing a hand through his messy hair, he said, “I got her a new air conditioner.”

  Yeah, like four days ago. And he kind of had been there since.

  “I’m heading to work in a few minutes,” he continued.

  Callie waited for him to tell the truth. She shot him a look that called him out on his bullshit. While she hadn’t expected him to tell his daughter they’d just been rolling around naked, she didn’t expect him to flat out lie either.

  His return look was semi-apologetic.

  “I’m calling because we’re coming home today.”

  “What? Why? I thought I was picking you up on Sunday.”

  “Yeah, well, it’s way more boring here than we remembered.”

  Callie snickered. “Told you,” she yelled loud enough for Hannah to hear.

  “Whatever. Tell Callie she was right. Grandma said she’d drive us back today.”

  “Okay. Does she want me to meet her halfway?”

  “Nah. She wants to spend as much time with us as she can.” Hannah’s voice dropped. “I think she wants to stay with us.”

  “Fuck,” Callie said. She didn’t think it was loud enough for Hannah to hear, but Trevor did. It was his turn to give a dirty look.

  If Diane was here, Callie couldn’t imagine what that would do to her re
lationship with Trevor. Hell, she couldn’t imagine what it would do to Trevor. The woman wasn’t exactly in his fan club.

  “Can you talk her out of it?” he asked quietly.

  “I’m trying, Dad. We’ll be home in a few hours. See you for dinner?”

  “Definitely.”

  “Bye.”

  Trevor clicked off and set down the phone.

  “What was that?”

  “What?” he asked. His face revealed that he had no clue.

  “Why did you lie to Hannah?”

  He took another gulp of coffee. “What was I supposed to say? I wasn’t ready for her to ask about why I’m here.”

  “How about you tell the truth?”

  “Yeah, I’m going to tell my teenage daughter that I spent the night with her mom’s best friend.”

  “You don’t need to make it sound sleazy. We’re adults, Trevor. And they’re not toddlers.”

  He dumped his coffee in the sink and rinsed his cup. “Look, I’ve been thinking about this. I don’t know if now is a good time to tell them about us. They just lost their mom. You’re an important part of their lives.”

  Anger bubbled up at the possible implications of what he was saying. “Let me get this straight. You don’t want to tell the kids, why exactly? Because you’re embarrassed that you slept with me? Or this is a fling that will end and you’re afraid it’ll get ugly?”

  He shook his head with a clenched jaw. “Neither. This thing between us is new. They’ve had a shitload of adjustments in their lives over the last couple of months. Dumping another on them right now probably isn’t the best thing for them. Besides that, I don’t want them to start making assumptions about us.”

  “Assumptions like what? We’re a couple? We’re in a relationship?” Her voice rose every time she opened her mouth. Any minute now she’d sound like a hysterical banshee. “I’m sorry, Trevor. I guess I was already making those assumptions.”

  “I don’t want them to get too attached to someone who might leave!” He was shouting now, too.