“I can’t believe her ex showed up here.”
“I can. Fifteen years have gone by, and in that time, I’ve had more women than I care to admit, but none of them even came close to giving me what she did, and I know that no one ever will.” I run my hands over my face then turn to look through the screen door. Lea is standing in the living room with her hands on Rhonda’s belly and a smile on her face that notches her beauty up tenfold. “He fucked up, and I’m not excusing what he’s done, but he took a shot at coming here and being her shoulder to cry on, thinking she didn’t have anyone, hoping he could somehow fill the void that runs deep inside her.”
“Still, total dick move,” he rumbles, but my eyes are still on Lea as she smiles, roaming her hands over Rhonda’s stomach.
“Yeah.” It was a dick move, but I got it. Sometimes in life, you’re only given the shot at something beautiful once, and when you have it in your grasp, you’ll do anything to keep it, even if you end up crushing it in the process. Watching Lea in this moment, I know this is where she is supposed to be. I hate we had fifteen years stolen from us, but know that if things go my way, we’ll have sixty to make up for it.
Chapter 9
Lea
Lying in bed, looking up at the ceiling, as the light from outside shines in through the window, casting shadows on the bumpy surface I pray for sleep. Even though it’s after one in the morning, the night looks more like dusk. If I’m going to stay here, I’ll need to buy darker curtains and blinds, because I’m used to sleeping in pitch black and the light, along with my brain that never seems to shut off, is leaving me exhausted. I guess right now I have a good reason to not fall asleep.
My ex-husband is in town—well, I guess he actually isn’t my ex. Then, Austin…I have no idea what is going on with him. Something has changed; I don’t know when, but I can feel it in his touch and see it in the way he looks at me. And that scares me more than anything has in a very long time.
I roll to my side to face away from the window then hear a light tap, tap, tap coming from the front door. I frown then hear it again. Ben and Rhonda left around nine, and Austin stayed until ten only leaving then because he had to get up at four for an opener. When I walked him to the door he gave me a long hug and a kiss to my forehead then whispered his lips over mine before walking to his truck leaving me wanting more. Running my fingers over my lips absently I get up, turn on the light, and pull my oversized cashmere sweater off the back of the chair. Quietly going to the front window in the living room and peeking out through the blinds, seeing the car that Ken had driven here earlier today is parked out front.
“Goddammit,” I hissed under my breath, looking at the door again when the tapping starts back up.
“Lea, I know I shouldn’t have shown up. I know I should have signed those papers. I’m sorry, Peaches, but I really have nowhere to go. The hotels are all booked, and there are no available flights until Sunday. Can I please come in? I’ll sleep on the couch.”
“This cannot be happening,” I mutter. There is no way I want to be in the same state as my ex-husband, let alone under the same roof, but I do know he is probably telling the truth about the hotels and the flights, so I feel conflicted and wish for once I didn’t have a conscience.
I pull my bottom lip in between my teeth, debating what to do. Lights flicker through the dark living room, an engine cuts off, and a door slams.
“What the hell are you doing here?” I hear come from Ken, and I frown at the door as loud banging starts.
“Lea, open up.” Now Austin? Are you kidding me? What the hell is this?
As soon as I open the door, Austin puts his hand on my belly, pushing me back into the house, then shuts the door behind him.
“What are you doing here?” I frown.
“I asked Zach to drive by and, if he saw Ken’s car, to call me,” he explains then glares at the door.
“Lea, can I please talk to you alone?” Ken calls. My mind begins to race. This is not what I need—not tonight, not when I feel like my body is about to shut down from lack of sleep and stress.
“He said he can’t get a flight until Sunday and that there are no rooms in town. I can’t just make him sleep in his car for two days.”
“He’s not staying here unless I am,” He says and I can actually feel his rumbled words vibrate through my body making me tingle.
“Pardon?”
“You heard me.”
I did hear him, but what the hell is going on? “This cannot be happening,” I groan in frustration once again.
“No one’s sleeping in my mom’s room, and that only leaves the couch and my bed, so unless you’re willing to sleep with him,” I jerk my thumb towards the door, “this isn’t gonna work.”
“I’ll sleep with you.”
“No.”
“Then I guess he’s sleeping in his car.”
“Don’t you have to work tomorrow?”
“I’m my own boss baby.” He shrugs.
“Fine.” I should just make the jerk sleep in his car, but I would feel horrible the whole time. “Stupid conscience.” I mutter under my breath.
Going to the door, swing it open, and look at my ex, a man I thought I loved, who I believed loved me, boy was I wrong. So completely wrong that, even now, guilt strikes me hard.
“You can sleep on the couch,” I tell him and without waiting for him to reply I storm off down the hall to my room and shut the door. I don’t even want to contemplate Austin sleeping in my room with me, but I would be lying if I said I didn’t feel better knowing he was here in the house.