Page 29 of Only You and Me

“Ugh,” I mutter to myself. As if he heard me, Ben’s light blue-gray eyes find mine across the room. I expect a flirty or charming smile, but that’s not what I get. Ben blinks his eyes slowly at me, a frown on his face, and shakes his head like he’s the one frustrated at seeing me.

What’s he got to be upset with me about?

* * *

BEN

I get that this wasn’t a planned marriage. But, until we confirm that it’s not legally binding, Trina could at least show me the respect of not dating someone else. Apparently, she doesn’t agree, based on the gossip I overheard when I was having a beer at O’Riley’s a few days ago. I’ve been pissed at her ever since. Whatever.

I spend the next hour trying to enjoy the March Madness final, but with Trina in the room, I can’t seem to relax. I finally give up and head into the dining room to chat with Annie, Emily, and Shayna for a bit. Poor Reynolds, he’s tried—unsuccessfully—to wear his twins down with some outside time and now they’re back inside and he’s trying to keep them entertained, while sneaking peeks into the living room to watch the game. Still, missing a game isn’t a terrible price to pay for the family he has. Maybe I can give him a break, though, and give myself a brief respite from the challenging job of not watching Trina the whole time I’m in the room with her.

“Hey, any of you kiddos want to go outside and play? We can play Monkey in the Middle, and I’ll be the monkey.”

My nephew Tommy and Reynolds’ twins jump at the chance. When their parents give me the okay, the three kids and I head outside. We run around the backyard, and the kids giggle when Ican’tget out of the middle. I tumble exaggeratedly around on the ground when I pretend to dive for the ball any time one of the kids makes an errant throw. They love it. Thank God it’s been unusually dry for this time of year, or I’d be a muddy mess.

“Uncle Ben, you’re bad at this game!” Tommy calls out.

Laughing coming from Jack’s back patio area catches my attention and I glance behind me to see Annie, Shayna, Emily, and Trina sipping wine while huddled by a propane-fueled gas pit. It’s early April, but the temperature is unseasonably high right now at sixty-two degrees, so the fire seems like a little bit of overkill. Who I am to judge, though? I’m running around keeping warm.

I tell myself not to look at Trina, but I can’t help it and I do anyway. Whereas all three of the other women are smiling and laughing, Trina holds her body stiff, a scowl on her face and her eyes flat.

“Yeah!” one of Reynolds’ twins agrees with Tommy. “Let’s play tag instead.”

“You’re it, Uncle Ben!”

All three littles take off running in different directions.

After about a half hour of playing tag, I’m tiring out and I thank my lucky stars when Annie lets the dogs out to play. The pups distract the kids from me. I make my way to the porch where Fitz and Reynolds are now sitting.

“Hey man, thanks for taking one for the team so I could watch a little of the game. Do you want me to go get you a beer?” Reynolds asks.

“No problem. It was fun. And nah, I’ll go get a glass of water and a cup of coffee. I’m driving.”

“Us, too,” Fitz says, and he and Reynolds both hold up soda cans.

I chuckle and head into the house, returning a few minutes later, a little better hydrated and with a cup of coffee. We spend another half hour hanging out and watching the kids run around with the dogs. Movement in my peripheral vision catches my eye and I peer up in time to see Trina climbing the steps to the porch and the rest of the women just standing from their seats and picking up their wine glasses, presumably to go inside.

“Fitz, you about ready to go? I’d like to get home to do some catch up work, if possible,” Trina says. She doesn’t once glance in my direction.

“Sure, let me say my goodbyes first.”

“No problem, I’ve got to go talk to Jack for a minute anyway about some work stuff. I’ll meet you at the car in a few minutes.”

Trina doesn’t wait for a response. She simply disappears through the door into the house and leaves me shaking my head.

I swallow down the rest of my coffee and stand, stepping off the porch to walk over and say goodbye to the rest of the women. I think the only person inside I need to say goodbye to otherwise is Jack, but I decide I’ll text him since Trina is likely still in there talking to him.

No sooner have I walked up to them when Emily, who’s tipsy, grins at me with a wide smile. “Ben, you’re so good with kids. When are you going to settle down, get married, and bring some babies to the group? We haven’t had a baby around in a while.”

I can only laugh. “Em, I think I’m pretty far off from that life. You know me, I like the single life.”

“As you always have, big brother,” Shayna chimes in.

I simply smirk at her and pretend that it doesn’t sting a little. Even my sister thinks I want to live a single playboy life. I guess I’ve built a reputation. True or not.

After I’ve said goodbye, I make my way down the driveway, then I stroll down the sidewalk to my car. I’m so deeply lost in thought that I don’t notice the beautiful blonde leaning against Fitz’s truck until she huffs. When I look up, I see Trina typing into her phone, her face pinched with irritation. I keep walking—it would probably be best if she didn’t see me, given how she acted toward me at the party.

No such luck.

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