by E. L. Todd
“What’s Sara up to?”
“I guess I could see if she’s free tonight. I’ll let you know.”
“Great.” He smiled. “I’d love for you to be there.”
“Really?” I whispered.
“Yeah. Always.” We were in the back office, so his arm circled my waist and he gave me a kiss on the lips.
God, that was nice. My arms immediately circled his waist, and I pressed myself farther into him, needing that hard body against mine. He woke up my body from a deep hibernation, making me feel more alive than I’d been in a long time.
When he pulled away, it didn’t seem like he wanted it to end.
Neither did I. “You wanna come over later?” I didn’t know if he already had plans with Lady or someone else, but if I reserved him first, I might get him for the night. I pressed my lips tightly together as I waited.
“Yeah.” He kissed the corner of my mouth. “I’ll be there.”
My stomach clenched as it tied up in knots. He made me feel weak and lightheaded every time he kissed me. “Okay…”
He walked out first, and then I followed. I headed in the opposite direction toward my house and pulled out my phone to check my messages. I didn’t have my cell phone on me when I was working because it was too distracting. If the school needed to call me about Rose or Lily, they knew how to get ahold of me.
I had a few messages from Evan. And I knew it was the real Evan, not his psycho whore. Can we talk?
There were a few other messages from him. I’m gonna swing by after work. Hope to see you then.
I wondered what he wanted to talk about. Maybe he saw the messages his girlfriend left. Unless she erased them, there was no way he could miss them. I walked to my house and found Evan’s BMW parked in the driveway. He leaned against the passenger door in his slacks and collared shirt with his sunglasses on. He was texting on his phone, so he didn’t see me walk up.
“Hey.”
He looked up then shoved his phone into his pocket. “Hey. Just got off work?”
“Yeah. I didn’t see your messages until now. Everything alright?”
“Uh, yeah.” He rubbed the back of his neck, the uncertainty stretching across his face. “Actually, no. I know this is a weird question but…did Rebecca text you from my phone last night?”
So she must have deleted the messages. What a psycho. “Why?”
“I noticed my phone wasn’t where I left it, and I know she’s looked through it before…and our entire conversation had been deleted.”
I admitted she was hot, but why was he seeing her if she was this crazy? “Actually, yeah. I asked if you wanted to get dinner with the girls and me last night.” I pulled out my phone and pulled up the conversation. “And this is what she said.” I thought it was better if he read the messages himself.
He rubbed his chin as he scrolled through them. “Jesus…” He kept scrolling until he got to the very end. “God, I’m so sorry, Amelia. She’s really insecure sometimes. She’s always been kinda jealous of you.”
“Me?” I asked incredulously. “You left me for her. Why would she be jealous?” She was ten years younger than me and ten times fitter. I was a single mom with two kids. There was no competition.
He winced at my comment. “I’m not sure why she’s like that.”
It made me wonder if my hunch had been right. That Evan hadn’t been spending time with the girls because Rebecca didn’t want him to. I’d judge Evan even more harshly if that were the case. “You should tell her to get over it. Whether she likes it or not, you and I are gonna be in each other’s lives forever. We have two daughters.”
“I know…”
I wouldn’t baby this woman, and neither should he. The fact that she acted this way made me concerned. I didn’t think I’d ever feel comfortable with her being alone with my girls, not if she was this insecure. And it was even more insulting that Evan left me for a woman who lacked class. He really preferred to be with someone that rude over me? Was I that terrible? Before I could think about it any further and pull myself into another bout of depression, I shook it off. “Well, I should pick up the girls. I’ll see you around, Evan.”
“Could I come along?”
I wanted to make a jab and ask if that would be okay with this girlfriend, but I chose the high road. “Yeah, sure.”
We drove down Dolores and past Mission Ranch until we reached the elementary school. Their play area overlooked the ocean and Point Lobos, and I couldn’t believe children had such a spectacular view during the school day.
I parked the car, and Evan and I walked onto the school grounds where the children waited for their parents after the bell rang. School hadn’t been dismissed yet, so it was just a group of parents waiting in the courtyard.
Evan and I stood together, not having anything to say.
My phone vibrated in my pocket, so I pulled it out and looked at the screen. I had a message from Ace. I shouldn’t have kissed you at work. Now it’s all I can think about.
My lips pulled into a wide smile that I couldn’t resist. Ace’s mouth felt incredible against mine, especially with his powerful arm around my waist. It wasn’t an appropriate time to say anything back, so I stashed my phone in my pocket.
Evan watched me the whole time. “So, are you dating Ace?”
My head snapped in his direction at the comment, wondering if he had the nerve to read the message on my phone. “You already asked me that.”
“And I never got an answer.”
“I told you you didn’t deserve one.” I didn’t want to be hostile when Evan and I were doing well in our new co-parenting relationship, but I wouldn’t put up with that kind of disrespect. He didn’t get to leave me for someone else then question me about who I was fucking.
“I’m just asking in a friendly way. Curious to know who my girls are spending time with.”
“Of course they spend time with Ace, whether I’m dating him or not.”
Evan continued to stare at me like he wasn’t satisfied with that response. “He used to have a thing for you when we were younger. I wondered if he would make a move after I left.”
“Why do you care, Evan?” I thought I detected a hint of jealousy, but that would be ludicrous. This man ended our marriage so he could be with someone else—who happened to be a weirdo.
“Of course I care. Why wouldn’t I?”
I didn’t want to talk about this anymore. It was strange and uncomfortable. I only saw him as the father of my children, and I no longer possessed any other affection for him. I would always love him, in a way, but I’d made my peace with our divorce. Now I just wanted to be civil partners. Nothing more. “How’s work?”
Evan didn’t answer, knowing I was just trying to change the subject.
The bell rang, and the girls finally got out of class.
Thank god.
They both ran up to their father like it was the greatest thing in the world seeing him there—even though I picked them up every damn day. They shared hugs and then talked his ear off on the way back to the car.
I drove back to the house without barely getting a hello from my own daughters. They talked about the school day and what they learned in their science classes. Evan seemed genuinely interested in everything they had to say.
We got back to the house, and the girls kept running their mouths.
“Can Daddy stay for dinner?” Rose asked.
“Can you?” Lily asked her father.
Ace wasn’t coming over until later, so I didn’t see why that would be a problem. And I wanted Evan to spend as much time with the girls as possible. Unlike his girlfriend, I wasn’t evil. “Of course your father is welcome.”
Evan smiled at my response. “If it’s okay, I’d love to stay.”
“Great.” We went inside, and I got dinner ready while Evan helped them with their homework. For a second, it made me sad because this was exactly what we used to do. Evan helped with their schoolwork while I focused on the laundry an
d dinner. He helped them get ready for bed while I did the dishes and vacuumed the living room. It was still chaotic, but I didn’t feel quite as alone. “Dinner’s ready.” I set the kitchen table, and we all gathered around to eat.
Evan’s phone kept ringing, but he chose to ignore it, hitting a button through his jeans and not even looking at it. When it happened three more times, he finally pulled out his phone and turned it off.
I assumed that meant it was Rebecca—and she wasn’t happy he was here.
It was the first time we’d had dinner together at the table since Evan left me, and it made me realize how much I missed it. I missed having the four of us together. I missed being happily married before Rebecca came into his life. Everything was perfect until that one day he laid eyes on her.
If that hadn’t happened, this would be another normal evening.
Before I could get choked up about it, I asked the girls about their homework to change the direction of my thoughts. I refused to let Evan think I missed him. I refused to let him know I was still hurt.
I refused to let him win.
We’d just finished dinner when someone knocked on the door.
That could only be one person.
Evan eyed the door then turned to me, accusation in his eyes.
It would be easy, even satisfying, if I told him I was sleeping with someone else. But I held on to my stubbornness, refusing to stoop to that level. The second I did, it would mean I cared about hurting him, and that didn’t paint me in a good light.
I left the dishes in the sink then answered the door.
Ace stood there in jeans and a blue hoodie, looking handsome with his styled hair and sexy grin. “I know I’m early, but I got tired of waiting.”
When I looked at him, I forgot about the fact that Evan was still sitting at the kitchen table. I probably should have told Ace to come back later, but he shouldn’t have to leave just because my ex was there. That wasn’t fair to either of us.
Now Evan would know beyond a doubt Ace and I were something of an item.
“Come in. I have leftovers if you’re hungry.”
“No, thanks. I had a protein shake for dinner.”
“What kind of dinner is that?” I asked with a chuckle. I stepped aside so he could come in.
“The kind that keeps me looking like this.” He patted his rock-hard stomach and stepped into the house. It took him a second to realize Evan was sitting at the kitchen table. Ace’s eyes landed on him, and he stared him down before he recovered from his subtle surprise.
This should be fun.
But Evan was probably going to head home soon anyway. He had a jealous girlfriend waiting for him. “Can I get you a beer?”
“Sure,” Ace answered.
I grabbed a bottle from the fridge and popped off the cap before I handed it to him.
Ace stood there and took a drink, obviously caught off guard that Evan was there.
Evan stared at him without saying anything. The girls were in the living room with their toys, but nobody was watching them at this point.
Geez, it was tense.
Ace walked into the kitchen and finally made the first move. “What’s up, man?” He sat down at the opposite end of the table, brushing it off and acting cool.
“Just spending time with the girls. What about you?” Evan couldn’t hide the accusation in his expression, knowing exactly why Ace would stop by at eight in the evening just before the girls went to bed.
Ace took a long drink of his beer. “Just stopping by.”
Evan kept staring at him.
Ace didn’t blink, holding the look without flinching.
I was witnessing a standoff right in the middle of my kitchen. “Well, I should put the girls to bed. It was nice seeing you today, Evan. The girls really liked the surprise.”
Evan reluctantly tore his gaze away from Ace, not wanting to drop his guard. “Let me put the girls to bed.”
I hated putting them down. It was one of the biggest hassles of the day. If I let them be, they’d be running around until midnight. “Be my guest.”
“Awesome.” Evan left the table and walked into the living room. The girls didn’t give him any argument at all, doing exactly as they were told and going with him down the hallway.
That was a pet peeve of mine, something all moms probably had to deal with. I was the one who was always there to take care of them, but they gave me attitude because they didn’t like being disciplined. Their father was the one who ran off with another woman and was never around, but they worshiped the ground he walked on. Hopefully, they would appreciate me one day.
Ace finally dropped his defensive posture and turned his soft gaze on me. “Evan dropped by again?”
“Yeah. He was waiting for me at the house when I got home from work. We picked up the girls together and had dinner. He’s been here all day.”
“If I’d known, I wouldn’t have stopped by so early.”
“Ace, you’re welcome to come over whenever you want. I don’t care if he’s here.”
He gave me that sexy expression without even trying. “Yeah? Because I can tell he knows about us.”
“Don’t care if he does.”
His expression lightened, a small smile coming onto his lips. “Good to know.”
Evan returned a few minutes later with his hands in the pockets of his slacks. “Rose needed a story before bed. Lily was out the second her head hit the pillow.”
“Sounds about right.” I left the table and walked Evan to the door. “They always put up a fight before bedtime, but they fall asleep so easily once they’re tucked in.”
“Yeah, I remember.”
Sometimes I forgot he’d witnessed all of that. He’d been gone for a year, so I was used to it just being the three of us. I brushed off his comment and opened the front door. “I’ll see you around.”
He took another look at Ace before he stepped out. “How long has this been going on?’
I knew what he was referring to, and I was surprised he had to audacity to question me about it—again. I stepped out and shut the door behind me. “Why do you keep asking me about it, Evan? When you told me you were in love with another woman and wanted a divorce, I didn’t ask when it started. I didn’t ask when you began to sneak around. So what makes you think you can ask about my personal life?”
Evan rubbed the back of his neck as he looked through the front window. “I’m sorry, you’re right. I just…I guess I’m jealous. It’s weird for me to see you with someone else.”
“It’s weird for you?” I couldn’t keep the exasperation out of my voice. He had a lot of nerve saying that to me. My temper immediately flared, and the rage circulated through my veins before it landed in my heart. “We’ve been divorced for a year. I waited a lot longer to move on than you did, that’s for sure.”
His shoulders immediately slumped with the weight of my blow. “I’m not saying it’s right. I’m just telling you how I feel. We were married for eight years.”
“And you left me for someone else.” I said it as calmly as I could, even though my heart was breaking all over again. “I gave you my heart and our children, but that wasn’t good enough. You left anyway.”
He bowed his head. “I know…”
“So if I want to be with Ace, it’s really none of your concern. You need to mind your own business, Evan.”
He continued to stare at the ground, his hands in the pockets of his slacks. It didn’t seem like he was leaving anytime soon. “I guess things have been different lately. I feel like I just woke up from a dream or something…”
I had no idea what he was talking about. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
He raised his head and faced me head on. “I can’t explain it… I was going down a path, but now I don’t remember how I got there.”
Still didn’t know what he was saying. “Evan, you should go home. You’re tired.”
“I’m always tired,” he said with a sigh.
I didn’t want to keep having this cryptic conversation out in the cold. I had a beautiful man waiting inside for me, a man who would wipe away the thought of Evan the second his hands were on me. Ace wasn’t just my lover, but one of my closest friends. Whenever we were together, I felt safe.
Sitting outside and talking to Evan just made me feel lost. “Good night, Evan.” I walked back into the house without waiting for him to say it back. I was officially done with this conversation.
I walked into the kitchen and found Ace at the table where I left him.
Ace didn’t ask anything, but his eyes were heavy with curiosity.
I changed the subject before the conversation could even start. “How’d it go with Blade?”
“I haven’t gone yet. He gets off work at ten.”
“Oh.”
“Do you think Sara can watch the kids for a few hours?”
I sat down and pulled out my phone. “I haven’t had a chance to ask, but she’s always interested in extra money.” I pulled out my phone and texted her before I left it on the table.
Ace drank his beer in silence, the muscles of his forearms shifting every time he tilted the bottle to his lips. “She won’t even need to do anything but sit on the couch and watch TV. They’re already asleep.”
“Easiest money I’ve ever heard of.”
Ace continued to drink his beer, his eyes on me.
“Why do you keep staring at me?”
“When something is beautiful, you look at it, right?”
A restrained smile crept onto my lips. “You know you’re gonna get laid. You don’t need to feed me a line.”
“It’s not a line. I don’t use lines. In my experience, they don’t work.”
Ace didn’t need lines because he was the sexiest guy in this town. He could land any woman he wanted without even doing anything. “Did he say anything about me?”
I didn’t want to tell Ace the truth, but I wasn’t sure why. I guess Evan annoyed me with his questions. He had no right to expect anything from me after what he did. It opened a can of worms, and I didn’t want to bring that drama out into the world. “No.”