I watch as he climbs in, starts the engine and drives us away.
I don’t say anything as he turns off to the beach and parks up in the carpark overlooking the sea.
He turns off the engine, undoes his belt and twists in his seat to look at me.
“So… your ex is football legend, Chad Jenson.”
I nod nervously. “He’s no legend in my eyes, but yeah… the one and only…”
He nods slowly, processing.
“Ethan told him I was seeing someone,” I say before he can ask, because it’s obvious he wants answers. “He said he mentioned it by accident – we were out together when Chad called.”
He narrows his eyes slightly. “You say that like you didn’t want Chad to find out…”
I shrug. “I don’t like him in my business.” It’s not a lie, but it’s not the whole truth. I didn’t want Chad to know about Brody because he’ll scare him off.
“You think that’s why he’s turned up here, don’t you?” he asks softly.
I shrug again. “Maybe. He was probably due to show up sometime this year, but the timing is… interesting.”
I stare out the window and think about the fact that he’s shown up here and now – no doubt on a mission to mess things up for me again.
“He’s done that before?”
I nod, my eyes drifting back to meet his. “A couple of times… I never told him anything much about my life, but when we still lived back home, he always found out everything I did... who I went out with… his old buddies kept an eye on me and who I spent time with. That’s the main reason we moved out here. To get some space.”
“How long ago did you move?”
“Five years, it was the best move I ever made. He hasn’t interfered in my business since we moved… there’s no real reason that he’d be here to do that now… but…”
“But it feels like he is, right?”
He thrums his fingers against the steering wheel. “Have the two of you ever tried to make it work again, you know, when you were older?”
That’s the question I was hoping he wouldn’t ask. It’s the one that will make me look like a silly naïve little girl when I answer it.
“There’s been a couple of… attempts,” I reply vaguely, even though I know he won’t leave it at that.
“He messed you around, didn’t he?”
I half nod, half shrug. “There was one time, Ethan was about six – Chad had been away for the entire football season. He hadn’t seen Ethan for months and months, and he called one day out of the blue… anyway, Ethan told him that Dave – a guy I was seeing at the time – had taken us to the fair… Chad lost the plot. He came home when he should have been with the team, he got rid of Dave and told me he wanted me back.”
“So, you took him back.”
“He told me everything I’d ever wanted to hear from him.”
It still hurts now, not that he screwed me over, but that I was stupid enough to let him.
“It lasted about two weeks. He went back to the team, partied hard, made the headlines with some bimbo in his lap, and I went back into the shadows to lick my wounds.”
I never let him into my heart again. I wish I could say the same about my bed.
“What an asshole.” He grips the steering wheel tightly, his knuckles turning white. “The way he looked at you today, Morgs… I didn’t like it.”
I didn’t like it either – even though it was probably only for Brody’s benefit.
The way he looked at me made me nervous.
He looked like he wanted me again.
I always told myself I was using him the same way he was using me, but it never felt like that when he left.
“That’s the way he always looks at me. That’s what he does.”
“He looked like he wanted to fuck you,” he replies harshly, and I feel my face heat.
I pop a shoulder, but don’t say anything.
He runs a hand over his face. “Please tell me that you don’t let that asshole have you like that?” He’s asking me a tough question, but I don’t feel judgement from him. He’s frustrated, yes, but he’s not judging me.
“Not anymore.”
He reaches over and takes my hand in his. “Morgs… you deserve so much better than that, than him.”
“I know.”
Only, I’m not sure I do know. I did let him waltz in and out of my life for over ten years after all.
“When was the last time?”
“Before we left town. We’ve only seen him a few times since we moved out here, and they’ve been flying visits.”
“Do you still love him?”
I shake my head. “No. I’m not sure I ever did. I think I could have, if he’d shown up for us… if he’d been the kind of man we deserved… I think that’s all I was ever hoping for, you know? That one day he’d come to his senses and we could be a real family.”
“Do you still wish for that?” Brody asks, and I don’t miss the hint of hurt in his voice.
“Do I wish that the father of my child would step up and be a dad? Hell yes – Ethan could use a real dad... do I want him to be with me….” I shake my head, “no, not anymore.”
His fingers wrap around mine a little tighter. “This is a lot to take in.”
That’s an understatement. I wouldn’t blame him for running a mile right now.
“I know, and I know it’s not what you thought you were getting yourself into when you asked for my number that night. You didn’t know I came with a kid and a dodgy ex. I won’t blame you if you need some time to process… I won’t even blame you if you decide it’s all too much.”
“Morgs, I—”
“Don’t,” I cut him off. “I don’t expect you to answer me about it now. Take some time. Think it through.”
He looks conflicted, but he nods.
“In fact,” I glance out at the crashing waves, “I might go for a walk – I can get a cab home, so you don’t have to wait.”
“I can drive you home.”
I shake my head. “I’m a big girl, Brody.” I lean across and kiss his cheek. “Take some time. I’ll do the same. A bit of space might do some good.”
He doesn’t reply, but nods once.
I smile tightly at him and open the car door.
Tears prick at my eyes – this feels like goodbye. I don’t want it to be, but that’s how it feels. Maybe Chad has succeeded without even trying this time.
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
Brody
“Should I have gone after her?”
“I don’t think you really need me to answer that question,” Olivia says, an unimpressed expression on her face.
I’ve just spilled my guts, telling her everything about Morgan and the situation with her ex.
“She said she wanted some space to think,” I argue.
“That’s girl code for ‘fight for me’.”
“That makes no sense.”
“Tell me about it.” She shrugs. “But that’s how it is; we virtually never say what we mean.”
“Why the hell not?” I demand.
She crosses her arms across her chest. “Now is not the time to try and figure out the world’s best kept secrets, B, now is the time to decide if you want the woman or not.”
“Of course, I want her. I never stopped wanting her.”
“Did you tell her that?”
“Not exactly.”
“Idiot,” she replies with a shake of her head.
I cross my arms, mimicking her position. “So, I’m expected to speak secret women language, but also say exactly how I feel in simple English without any hidden meanings?”
She groans. “Of course, you are! She’s the vulnerable one in this situation, not you. It sounds like she’s been dealing with a mind fuck of an ex since she was just a kid herself, and then you come along, waltzing into her life like a breath of fresh air… Do you really think that she expects anything other than for it all to turn to shit?”
I had
n’t thought about it like that.
Morgan is used to being let down… used.
But I’m not that guy.
“What about her ex? He’s here to cause trouble, I can tell,” I grumble.
“So, let him try. If you’re being a good man, then there’s nothing he can do to hurt you.”
I can think of plenty he could do to hurt me, all of which involve hurting Morgan, but I try not to think about that.
“Does he bother you that much?” she asks.
I nod. “He bothers me a whole fucking lot, and not because he’s her ex, but because he messes with her head, and because he’s a shitty dad. Ethan deserves better – they both do.”
“So, go be that better for them,” she says simply.
I huff out a laugh. She’s right. It’s just as easy as that.
I can be better, fuck it, I am better than him. I can treat Morgan the way she deserves to be treated.
“I can tell you care about this woman, so if you don’t do something about it, I might hit you,” she threatens.
“You think I’ve fucked it up beyond repair?”
She laughs. “Don’t be stupid. She’s given you an easy out here – now she’s just waiting to see if you take it or not.”
“I don’t want an easy out.”
“You’re telling the wrong girl.”
Of course, I am.
“Right. Good chat, Liv, thanks.”
“No problem, you big dummy.”
I head out the door immediately. There is somewhere else I need to be.
“Oh, and just so you know… you are so screwed!” she calls after me, and I shake my head with a chuckle.
I am so screwed, and I’m completely good with it.
***
I pull up outside her place and jog up the path to her front door. I rap my knuckles against the door, but there’s no answer.
I glance at the screen on my phone, there’s no reply to the text I sent on my way over here either.
I knock again, but the inside of the house is dead silent.
I left her at the beach over two hours ago, surely she should be back by now.
My mind races, imagining her ex following her to the beach and talking to her alone.
I don’t know if my blood runs cold because I’m worried he might hurt her, or because he might convince her that it’s a good idea for the two of them to try again.
I sit down on the front step and drop my face into my hands.
I pull my phone out again and try to call her. She still doesn’t answer.
I stretch out my legs in front of me, settling in. I’m not leaving until either I see her, or she calls me back, I decide.
Olivia is always calling me stubborn; I think it’s about time I started acting like it.
This is going to go one of two ways, and I’ll be damned if I go before I find out which of the two it is.
I sit for half an hour before I hear her voice.
I get to my feet and glance down the street. She’s strolling along, her shoes in her hands, her feet still with sand on them.
She must have walked all the way from the beach.
She’s talking on the phone, and the look on her face puts me on edge.
I was going to stand here and wait, but the expression she’s sporting won’t allow me to stay put.
I stride down the path, pushing her front gate further open and jog down the footpath until I’m standing right in front of her.
Her eyes widen and she stops walking as she watches me approach.
“Thank you, officer, yes I’ll be sure to let you know if I hear or see anything.”
I frown as I listen to her side of the conversation.
I don’t know why the hell she’s talking to a police officer, but whatever it’s about, I don’t like it.
My eyes rake over her quickly from head to toe, looking for any sign that there’s a hair out of place. If someone has touched her, I’ll kill them.
There’s nothing though, she looks perfect.
“It’s okay, it’s not your fault. Thanks for letting me know – I’ll call you if I notice anything else. Bye.”
She brings the phone down from her ear, her expression a mix of shock and confusion.
“What’s wrong, Morgs?”
My hands find her shoulders and hold her.
She frowns at me. “You’re here?”
I grin. “Of course, I’m here. You didn’t think I was going to give up that easily, did you?”
Her top teeth sink into her soft bottom lip, the corners of her mouth curling up into a sweet smile.
She presses forward, her arms wrapping around my waist, the side of her face pressing against my chest. She releases a deep breath that seems a lot like relief.
I sigh and breathe in deeply, the scent of her shampoo overtaking everything else.
“I’m so glad you’re here,” she says softly.
I pry her hands from my middle and bring her out in front of me so I can look her in the eye. I haven’t forgotten my question.
“Why were you talking to the cops?”
“They had to release him… the creep from the bar,” she whispers.
“What?” I reply harshly, “what the fuck did they do that for?”
“His lawyer found some missing paperwork… got him out on bail until the police can get everything in order. They’re still hoping to get a conviction, but it’s going to take a little bit of time.”
I don’t like this. Not at all. That prick could have gotten Morgan’s name by now – from there it wouldn’t take much to find her. She’s got a huge fucking sign out the front of her place with her phone number on it for crying out loud.
“For fuck’s sake, so he’s just out there, wandering around looking for his next victim? He could come after you.”
She shrugs. “I’m sure it’ll be okay.”
She’s not convincing me in the slightest.
My minds races and her conversation echoes in my ears.
“Hang on a minute, you said ‘I’ll call you if I notice anything else’, what the hell does that mean, Morgs?” I demand, dipping my head so we’re face to face.
She tries to avoid my gaze but I’m not having it.
“Morgan,” I warn.
“I thought I saw a car following me the other day – a white one. Then I swear I saw it parked outside the house this morning. It’s nothing, Brody, honestly… I’m just paranoid… but when they called today to tell me he had been out a few days, I thought it couldn’t hurt to pass along the info about the car.”
“Someone followed you and you didn’t tell me?”
She shrugs. “I don’t think they were really following me, like I said, I’m paranoid.”
Fuck that. Morgan is no fool, and if she has reason to believe that she was being followed, then I believe it too.
“If you see anything that makes you feel even the littlest bit uncomfortable, I want you to call me, right away, okay?”
“Does that mean you’re hanging around?”
I reach for her face, cupping it in my hand as I wrap my other hand around her middle to drag her against me.
I crush my lips to hers, my mouth owning her.
There’s no way I’m going anywhere.
She pulls away, her breath coming in heavy pants.
“I guess that answers that question,” she whispers, her fingers gripping my shirt.
“Promise me, Morgan,” I rasp.
“I promise,” she breathes before kissing me again.
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
Brody
“Ethan is going to stay over at Lachie’s tonight,” Morgan tells me as she appears on her front step, a glass of cold water in her hand that she offers to me.
I take it from her and down the whole thing in one go.
I’ve spent the past thirty minutes removing the sign from her front yard – she didn’t think it was necessary, but I didn’t agree. Not at fucking all.
It can go up
outside my place, or the gym or anywhere that isn’t here. Somewhere where there are security cameras to get past and me to deal with.
“Good. So, you’re free for the night then?”
I chuckle when I see the look on her face.
Her eyes are trained on my chest, her lip tugged into her mouth. I don’t even think she heard me speak.
It got hot out here, I had to take my shirt off. It was like I didn’t even have a choice.
“My face is up here, Morgs.”
“But your abs are down there,” she says with a laugh.
Can’t argue with that. I like her eyes on me anyway. It’s good for my self-esteem.
“You didn’t answer me?”
“Huh?” She tips her head to the side, her eyes finally meeting mine. “Oh yeah, I’m free as a bird, probably do something exciting like order a pizza and watch a movie.”
“Sounds perfect.”
She arches a brow. “You stooping to inviting yourself over now, slick?”
“Nope.” I shake my head. “You’re coming to my place where I know you’re safe.”
She rolls her eyes. “Oh c’mon, I told you I was overreacting. It was probably just a neighbour’s car parked on the street or something totally innocent like that.”
“I don’t give a shit,” I reply simply. “You’re coming with me, even if I have to drag you there kicking and screaming.”
I wouldn’t really, but given the sexy smirk on her face, I’m sure it won’t come to that anyway. She wants to come with me, I know she does.
“You’re awfully bossy.”
When it comes to her and her safety, fuck yes, I am. I already care too much about her.
I shrug. “I’ve had a hell of a day, Morgs – between meeting your asshole ex, thinking I was losing you and then finding out a creep that drugged you may or may not be stalking you, I’m about ready to throw you over my shoulder and handcuff you to something solid.”
“Well,” she grins, “why didn’t you start with the handcuffs?”
I chuckle and wipe the sweat from my brow on the back of my hand.
Her gaze drifts back to my torso. “You really are giving my neighbours a treat today.”
Mr. September: A Single Parent Romance (Calendar Boys Book 9) Page 8