Page 28 of An Ex Affair

Mom squinted at me. “Stay? You’re staying with me again?” Her face transformed into a beatific smile. She rushed over andhugged me, trapping my arms at my side. “Why didn’t you tell me sooner?”

Her glasses were jabbing me in the chest. I shook my head and saw Tully watching us closely. “I didn’t know I had to say a magic password to get you to hug me.”

“Oh, you…” Mom grumbled, releasing me and stepping back. “So, what’s going on?”

“You didn’t call her?” Tully sounded a bit accusatory.

Honestly, I hadn’t thought this out. The two of them would band together against me. I could already feel it. They’d always gotten along. Well, except when I told Mom Tully was divorcing me. Mom had taken my side and explained to Tully that while she loved her too, she needed to be there for me in the aftermath.

“Mom. Sofia had a small electrical fire last night.” Mom gasped and I kept going. “She’s fine. We’re all fine. But I moved her into the carriage house, which means Tully and I need a place to stay for a week or two. Can we stay with you?”

Mom beamed, hands clasped like she was saying a prayer of thanks. “Absolutely! This will be so much fun! Like a sleepover!”

I shook my head. “No. Not like a sleepover.”

Mom pushed my arm toward the hallway. “Go put your stuff in the yellow room.”

Mom had painted Warrick’s old room yellow after he and Em had moved into their own place. It wasn’t a mellow yellow either. More like neon. I grimaced, but obeyed, trekking back down the hallway to dump my bag on the double bed. It would be like sleeping on the surface of the sun, but beggars couldn’t be choosers. I glanced at the wall separating my room from Tully’s. There wasn’t possibly enough two-by-fours or thick enough insulation between us to keep me from lying there at night listening for her.

When I came back out, Mom had Tully cornered on the couch. “I really think firemen holding geese will be just the thing they need to go viral. Don’t you?”

“Mom,” I groaned.

Tully nodded. “I’m not sure about geese, but maybe a furry dog or cat?”

I shook my head, eyes wide, motioning my finger across my neck while Mom’s back was turned. Tully’s gaze flicked up and over Mom’s head to see me. She rolled her lips inward, trying not to laugh.

I dove in before Mom could come up with any further harebrained schemes for my fundraiser. “Sorry, Mom, but Tully and I have to go. We need to take pictures at the station and make some flyers. Can I bring home dinner for all of us?”

Mom stood up, disappointment written all over her face. I felt kind of bad. She’d been lonely since Dad died. “Grass?”

I nodded and gave her a hug, kissing the top of her head. “Of course. I’ll get your favorite. See you tonight. Maybe we can all watch a movie and make popcorn?”

Mom’s face lit up and I felt like less of an asshole. Tully joined me as we walked out to my truck, both of us assuming I’d drive us to the fire station. I’d always been the one to drive when we were together.

That whiplash feeling was back. We were living together. Working together. Spending time together.

If I wasn’t careful, I was going to fall in love with my wife all over again.

Ahem.Ex-wife.

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

Tully

There wascomplete silence on the drive over to the fire station. Which was a change for us. I’d always been the chatty one in our relationship, but Colson hadn’t been quiet either. Grown-up Colson was much more serious. I wasn’t sure if age, his profession, or our divorce had made him that way, but I was finding it disconcerting. I wanted to ask what he was thinking, just to get some conversation going, but I had a feeling I didn’t actually want to know. If his outburst last night was anything to go by, he had some pent-up feelings and now was not the time.

“I was thinking the sloganFrom Flames to Famewould be really cute,” I blurted out as the fire station came into view.

Colson grunted and made the turn, the truck bouncing over the curb as we parked around the side of the station.

“You know, because you’re getting your own calendar. You could become famous hot firefighters. At least to the town. Or maybe it’ll go viral, who knows?” I was rambling, and given thelook Colson gave me as he threw the truck in park and took off his seat belt, he knew it too, but wasn’t going to call me on it.

“Just what we want,” he mumbled, sliding out of the truck.

I bit my lip and shook my head at myself. Bringing up the topic of fame was probably not the right move. Colson had never cared about such things, probably less so when he had to watch his ex-wife become famous. He yanked open my door, startling me. I slid out and forced my shoulders back. Joey came out of the station’s side door and held it open for us.

“Hey, Tulson! It’s like a trip back to high school seeing you two arrive together.” He laughed at his joke, while Colson and I awkwardly refused to look at each other. Tulson was the name they all called us back when we were together, long before celebrities started going by portmanteaus.

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