Nothing.
Asshole.
I slammed the phone down on the counter.
Kelly strolled downstairs a few minutes later and wrapped her arms around my waist before standing on her toes to kiss me.
I turned my head.
“Hey, what’s up?” she asked, kissing my neck.
“Rick called.”
I could feel her stiffen against me before sliding down and stepping away from me.
“Were you snooping on my phone?”
Knowing there was no point in denying it, I told her I saw his name and answered it. “Why is he calling you first thing in the morning? What’s going on with you two?”
She strode over to one of the bar stools, spun to face the beach, and then back toward me. Even though her body turned in my direction, her eyes landed anywhere but mine.
“I don’t know what’s going on. We’ve been talking. More. A lot.”
Gut punch.
“I thought we talked about this. You were going to keep me in the loop. What gives?”
“I don’t know. I really don’t. He’s different. He wants to try. He says he wants kids, the dog, the picket fence. Everything.”
A growl rumbled in my chest. “He only wants you because you’ve moved on. You believe him?” My anger simmered.
“I might. My mom does.” She paused. “I knew you were upset at dinner last month when she brought him up and I didn’t want to fuel any fires.”
“Fuel the fire? Give me a fucking break, Kelly.” My voice lowered. The simmering turned into a slow boil. “If you want to get back together with him, then do it. Don’t play both teams. Are you fucking him?”
“He’s my husband.”
“So that’s a yes?”
“No, we’re not having sex. He wants to, but I told him I’ve been seeing you.”
I knew he was being an asshole on the phone. Asshole.
“He acted like he didn’t know anything about me during our chat. But he has every right to be pissed some guy is answering his wife’s phone first thing in the morning.”
“I was separated and getting divorced when we met. And I’m not cheating on you with my husband.”
“Sure feels that way. Everything is different now.”
She blinked at me, finally meeting my eyes.
“Are you breaking up with me?”
“You’re married. Still. Despite my reputation, I don’t fuck around with married women.” I’m not my father. Her marriage status changed everything for me.
“Seriously? I’m still separated. We don’t even live in the same house anymore.”
“Fuck the details. I’m not going to entertain you while you figure out if you want to stay married. No way. I’m not that guy.” I tossed my coffee cup into the sink, where it clattered around but didn’t shatter.
“Wow. Kind of harsh, John.” I could see her eyes getting wet with tears.
“Tell me about it. Last summer you were all about moving forward, falling for me. How you couldn’t believe you overlooked me in high school. What a catch I am. You used me.”
“I didn’t. I swear. I meant all of that, I do. You’re a catch. I’m the one who’s confused. I don’t want to lose you.” Her voice wavered and cracked.
“You never had me. You never did.” I crossed my arms.
It was her turn to say ouch. Wiping her tears, she pushed back from the counter and stood, her body swaying in my direction, but she didn’t move toward me.
“What do you want me to say to make it right between us?”
“‘I divorced my husband’ is a good place to start. Until that point, maybe we need to keep our distance. I’m not getting involved in your divorce. Make up your mind and let me know.” I stuffed my fists into the front pockets of my jeans and leaned against the fridge.
“That’s it? You’re done?”
“Done.”
My anger had returned to its simmer, beneath it hid a bruised ego and a scratched heart. This moment was the reason I didn’t get involved in relationships. Drama. I didn’t need the drama.
Buried even further beneath the anger, ego, and scratched heart lingered fear. I pushed it down and covered everything with my practiced
Asshole.
I slammed the phone down on the counter.
Kelly strolled downstairs a few minutes later and wrapped her arms around my waist before standing on her toes to kiss me.
I turned my head.
“Hey, what’s up?” she asked, kissing my neck.
“Rick called.”
I could feel her stiffen against me before sliding down and stepping away from me.
“Were you snooping on my phone?”
Knowing there was no point in denying it, I told her I saw his name and answered it. “Why is he calling you first thing in the morning? What’s going on with you two?”
She strode over to one of the bar stools, spun to face the beach, and then back toward me. Even though her body turned in my direction, her eyes landed anywhere but mine.
“I don’t know what’s going on. We’ve been talking. More. A lot.”
Gut punch.
“I thought we talked about this. You were going to keep me in the loop. What gives?”
“I don’t know. I really don’t. He’s different. He wants to try. He says he wants kids, the dog, the picket fence. Everything.”
A growl rumbled in my chest. “He only wants you because you’ve moved on. You believe him?” My anger simmered.
“I might. My mom does.” She paused. “I knew you were upset at dinner last month when she brought him up and I didn’t want to fuel any fires.”
“Fuel the fire? Give me a fucking break, Kelly.” My voice lowered. The simmering turned into a slow boil. “If you want to get back together with him, then do it. Don’t play both teams. Are you fucking him?”
“He’s my husband.”
“So that’s a yes?”
“No, we’re not having sex. He wants to, but I told him I’ve been seeing you.”
I knew he was being an asshole on the phone. Asshole.
“He acted like he didn’t know anything about me during our chat. But he has every right to be pissed some guy is answering his wife’s phone first thing in the morning.”
“I was separated and getting divorced when we met. And I’m not cheating on you with my husband.”
“Sure feels that way. Everything is different now.”
She blinked at me, finally meeting my eyes.
“Are you breaking up with me?”
“You’re married. Still. Despite my reputation, I don’t fuck around with married women.” I’m not my father. Her marriage status changed everything for me.
“Seriously? I’m still separated. We don’t even live in the same house anymore.”
“Fuck the details. I’m not going to entertain you while you figure out if you want to stay married. No way. I’m not that guy.” I tossed my coffee cup into the sink, where it clattered around but didn’t shatter.
“Wow. Kind of harsh, John.” I could see her eyes getting wet with tears.
“Tell me about it. Last summer you were all about moving forward, falling for me. How you couldn’t believe you overlooked me in high school. What a catch I am. You used me.”
“I didn’t. I swear. I meant all of that, I do. You’re a catch. I’m the one who’s confused. I don’t want to lose you.” Her voice wavered and cracked.
“You never had me. You never did.” I crossed my arms.
It was her turn to say ouch. Wiping her tears, she pushed back from the counter and stood, her body swaying in my direction, but she didn’t move toward me.
“What do you want me to say to make it right between us?”
“‘I divorced my husband’ is a good place to start. Until that point, maybe we need to keep our distance. I’m not getting involved in your divorce. Make up your mind and let me know.” I stuffed my fists into the front pockets of my jeans and leaned against the fridge.
“That’s it? You’re done?”
“Done.”
My anger had returned to its simmer, beneath it hid a bruised ego and a scratched heart. This moment was the reason I didn’t get involved in relationships. Drama. I didn’t need the drama.
Buried even further beneath the anger, ego, and scratched heart lingered fear. I pushed it down and covered everything with my practiced
Similar Books
