Page 3 of Staying for You

“Let me guess. Gretchen?”

“Yup.”

He rolls his eyes and grabs a beer from the fridge, pops open the top, slams the door shut, and leans against the counter as he guzzles down a large drink. “She’s so obnoxious.”

It used to bother me that my best friend and husband (now ex, thankfully) didn’t get along. Now it just makes me laugh.

“She loves me,” I remind him with a little dig about how he didn’t love me. Never in the way a husband should love his wife. He only loved me for what I could offer him. A life where he could do whatever he wanted all day long with no responsibilities.

“Yeah. A little too much,” he mutters.

That was always his reasoning. He claimed that Gretchen has always beeninlove with me, even though she’s happily married — to a man — with three kids.

“Jealous?”

He scoffs as if that’s the most insane idea he’s ever heard. “Hardly.”

“Right. What are you doing here?”

“I live here?” He’s genuinely confused as to why I’m asking. I know his lawyer has received notice from mine regarding him moving out. I’ve been nice enough about it for the last two months. I’m done.

“Not since we signed our papers that officially granted me the house and you with, well, nothing.” That’s not entirely true. He didn’t end up with nothing but I have a kick ass lawyer who was relentless in making sure that Scott got what was coming to him after discovering the numerous affairs he’d been having.

“You know that’s bullshit.”

“Why is it bullshit? Just because you and I were married? What did you contribute to our life together?”

“Plenty,” he grunts then sucks down more beer.

“Oh, yeah?” I cradle my warm mug in my hands and take a sip. “What were those things? Aside from, you know, cheating on me every chance you got.”

“Don’t start.”

“No, really. I’d love to know what this whole ‘plenty’ adds up to. We don’t have kids to care for. Not even pets. We have someone who cleans the house, groceries and anything else we need are delivered, I do the cooking and work. You told me that you would help me manage all my administrative and marketing duties but you didn’t, instead told me to lean on my PR company for that. Which, thank goodness I did because they’re geniuses. So, tell me, Scott… you do what exactly?”

“I put up with your ass for the last eight years.”

Exactly as I’d expected him to answer. Finally. “There you go. At least you’re finally honest with me.”

He’s silent for a moment before he mutters, “You knew my feelings.” Ahh. Hisfeelings.Otherwise known as: he thought he was doing me a favor by marrying me because no one else could possibly ever love me.

Finishing off the last of his beer, he sets the can on the counter, crosses his ankles and rests his hands on the counter, leaning back. The picture of casual. But I know him. He’s far from it. He’s pissed. Defensive. Ready for a fight that he can’t win.

“It’s time to move out, Scott.”

“And where do you suggest I go?” His voice is hard while his posture remains relaxed.

I barely hold back the hysterical laughter that threatens to bubble out of my throat. “Like I care. Didn’t you meet enough people, and by people, I mean women you fucked, over the past few years that you could stay with?” I ask, single eyebrow rising. If there was ever a time for the use of the single eyebrow gesture, it’s now.

He narrows his gray eyes at me. I used to think they were so pretty. Unique. Oh, how wrong I was. They’re nothing but boring and void of emotion. “Give me a break, Cami.”

My eyes flare. “Nah.”

“Fuck, you’re a bitch.”

I smile, sip on my tea, and hum under my breath, tapping out a rhythm on the counter with my fingertips. It’s a gesture I know grates on his nerves, which is why I’m doing it. To him, it’s the equivalent to if I were dragging my nails down a chalkboard. I was never a petty person but he treated me like shit for so many years and I no longer care. “I doubt it would be much fun to live with a bitch. Here’s me giving you an out. It’s my home. Gather your shit and leave. If you’re not out before the end of the day tomorrow, I’ll have my lawyer get involved again.”

He stands up straight and takes a menacing step toward me, raising a finger and pointing it in my direction. “You can’t even fight your own battles anymore? You insist on throwing lawyers into the mix at every turn!”

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