Page 38 of Love Is Ale You Need

I laugh. Honestly, I wish he could have been the one to whisk me away seven years ago. “Here’s the Cliffs Notes version. My junior year I met Kyle. Only a few month into dating I got pregnant. Kyle proposed, and I stupidly said yes. We got married. I took a year off and had Abby. Throughout the following two years, I was constantly wooed and swept off my feet by him, while he shamelessly did the same with countless other women.”

His arms wrapped around my legs, tense. “Shit. I’m sorry Rye.”

“Thanks.”

“Did you leave?”

I huff out a humorless laugh. “Actually, no. He left us.”

My body jerks as Trey comes to a halt. “Fuck. Rye.” He bends at his knees and releases his grip around my legs. As my body slides down his, my fingertips follow every ridge and valley on his chest until I’m on my feet. One hand threads through the hair on the side of my head and the other grips my waist. “Kyle’s a fucking idiot for letting you go. But also, I wouldn’t have this moment with you if he didn’t.” He leans in. I lift my chin and my eyes flutter closed, as I wait in anticipation for his lips to touch mine.

“Trey! Trey!” a woman’s voice sounds from several feet away. “Trey. I’ve been calling you, but you never returned any of my messages.”

My eyes pop open as Trey’s grip on me loosens. We both turn around. A leggy blonde and her equally leggy friend stand in front of us.

“Uh. Yeah. I’ve been busy,” Trey says as he searches for my hand, linking our fingers.

“You’re always so busy. We need to go out for drinks so you can relax,” the woman purrs.

“I’m on a date right now.”

“Oh, sorry.” The woman’s gaze wanders over me from head to toe. I’m sure sizing me up. “I thought maybe she was your sister or something since you don’t date.”

“Nope. This is my date.” Trey glances down at me before lifting our connected hands and placing a kiss on the back of mine. “And she’s definitely not my sister.”

“Oh. Sure. I’ll just… call you later.”

“Please don’t,” he murmurs under his breath. Once the woman is out of earshot, Trey faces me. “Sorry about that.”

“No. It’s okay. You had a life before me. And before whatever this date non-date is.” Things were going too good on our date, so it’s only natural something would mess it up.

“Don’t diminish what this is.” He gently squeezes my hand.

My phone buzzes in my wallet. Pulling it out,Kyleflashes on the screen and I roll my eyes. He’s like Beetlejuice. I said his name too many times tonight. I shove it back inside. Eventually it’ll go silent.

“Do you need to take that?”

“No. It’s nothing.” If it’s important, he’ll leave a message that I’ll ignore until morning. Unfortunately, it buzzes again, and I know I can’t continue ignoring it. Dammit for being a responsible adult. “Excuse me.”

Trey nods. I step to the side and answer the phone.

“What do you want, Kyle?” I spare a glance over my shoulder and Trey’s scrolling on his phone.

“Nice talking to you, too.”

“There are no pleasantries when it comes to us. I’ll ask one more time, what do you want?”

“I know I have plans this Wednesday with Abby—”

“You are not bailing on her again,” I whisper yell in my phone, hoping Trey doesn’t hear, but his head lifts my way, so I know my irritation didn’t go unnoticed.

“I have this important business meeting.”

“Bullshit,” I spit out. “You always bail on her. It’s like she doesn’t even have a father.”

“Rylee.”

My name coming out of his mouth makes my ears bleed. “Whatever Kyle. I’ll be the one to tell Abby you’re not coming to see her. Again. I’ll be the one who has to bear the disappointment on her face. Again. You need to figure your shit out and act like a father.”

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