Page 76 of Staying for You

“You said she is a stripper. Not was.”

“She is. She’s still working the pole, big ol’ belly and all. Apparently there’s a big fetish for that sort of thing.”

Of course there is.

I gulp. “Is it… his?”

“According to them? Yes.”

I gasp and place my feet back on the floor from where they were tucked beneath me. He always said he didn’t want kids. “That fucker!” I rarely cuss but sometimes it’s just called for. This would be one of those situations for sure.

“Yup. But don’t worry. Chris is taking care of it. He called his brother, David, the one who used to be a cop, and they paid them both another visit at your place. He’s out of there for the time being, but he’s freaking pissed that he got caught. What a dumbass, though! He had the house lit up like he was having a freaking party. It’s not as if no one around knows you two got divorced. He’s just an idiot. Idiot, I tell you!” She’s probably shaking her fist in the air right now because that’s how she is.

“That he is.”

“He found out where you’ve been, said that it was bullshit that his home was sitting empty for all that time when he could have been staying there.”

“He’s such a fucker!” I repeat, because it’s true and bears repeating.

“He is.”

“What do I do?”

“Contact your lawyer, let him know what went down. You probably need to contact the police station and file a report. You know, since David is no longer a cop but still used his past to scare him shitless.”

“Good,” I grunt.

“I know. I wish I could have been there.”

“Me, too,” I admit. I stand up, letting the blanket fall from my lap and pace around the small space of the deck. Sighing in frustration, I end up growling and letting out a loud cry.

“That’s good. Let it out.” Gretchen encourages.

I put the phone down and spread my arms around me as I scream again. I know I look and sound like a crazy person but that’s what I’ve been reduced to. Once I have myself under control again, I pick up my phone. “I just want to know when I’m going to be free of him.”

“Well, probably never. He is your ex-husband, after all.”

Holding my phone against my ear, I lean down and grab my coffee with my other hand and make my way back inside the cabin. “Thank goodness for the ex factor there.”

“Couldn’t agree with you more.”

“I’m coming home early,” I tell her.

“No! No, you will not.”

“Gretchen, I ran away and it’s time for me to accept my reality.”

“You did not run away. You were fed up and needed a break. You’ve accepted it. The reality just sucks donkey balls and came back to bite you in the ass again.”

I feel tears threaten but I’m sick of crying over Scott and the things he’s done. I swallow hard, refusing to give him that. What scares me the most, though, is the strong feeling of wanting to discuss it with Owen. Get his advice and his opinion on what I should do.

“Why don’t you just enjoy your last week up there?”

“I’m not sure I can,” I admit.

“Well, I can’t say for sure, but I think that leaving early would be a bigger mistake than marrying Scott.”

I’m afraid of the same thing. But if I’ve learned anything from the last eight years with Scott, it’s that everyone is hiding something. And it’d be good to remind myself of this. To safeguard my heart and the only way to do that is to say out loud what I’ve been somewhat lying to myself about since Owen and I started.

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