Page 6 of Make You Mine

“Okay, Chandler Bing.”

“Funny, but also accurate.”

“Sarcasm is how we Darlingtons survive the horrors,” I explained to Ren. “Sometimes it can get a bit dark.”

“Right? What would we do without it?” Noah grinned. “So, I’ll be back with your extra ranch.”

“My relationship with ranch is arguably my longest-lasting relationship outside of the family. I love how you always remember.”

“Unfortunately, it’s my superpower. I never forget anything.”

“Oh, honey?—”

“I’m alright.” He waved off my sympathy and returned to the kitchen.

“Poor kid.” Ren turned his eyes back to mine. “I’ll hold off on expressing my opinion of his dad.”

“He’s a prick.” I waited until Noah was out of earshot. I was never one to hold back, except in front of the kids. “I hate him. If I could kick him in the junk every morning to start my day, I’d do it. Who needs coffee? Am I right?”

Noah had been the one to catch his dad in the act with their next-door neighbor. He’d also been the one to catch my ex when he’d come over to my place to drop off some sourdough bread he had baked. Paige had taken him directly to their therapist for an emergency appointment, worried about the double whammy trauma of busting both of our exesin flagrante delicto.

He burst out laughing. “No one better dare cheat on you.”

I looked away without answering. But I’m sure my expression said it all. It still stung that I’d missed all the signs.

Maybe my mother was right, and I was too trusting. One thing about Paige and me is that our taste in men was terrible. I, along with my mother, blamed our father for this. Dad had daughters all over Honeybrook Hollow—Paige and I had three half-sisters from the women he was with after our mother. And yes, he’d cheated on all of them.

“I’m sorry, did I strike a nerve? I didn’t mean?—”

“Let’s just say I’m disgruntled, disillusioned, and disgusted with the entirety of mankind and leave it at that.”

“I didn’t mean to bring up something painful.”

“Not your fault. You’re not the one who cheated on me—with my business partner, I might add. You’re not the one I wasted almost two years of my life on. And he wants to share the dog we got together, which I have to decide what to do about. All of this keeps him in my life when I would much rather forget he exists. Damn it.” I picked up a fry and stuffed it into my mouth to stop the rant. “It’s best not to get me started,” I mumbled with my hand in front of my face to hide my chewing.

“Hey, no worries.” His eyes were understanding. “If there’s anything I can do, let me know.”

“There’s nothing to do. We weren’t married. I’m never getting married. I knew better than that, at least. I let him sort of move in with me, but he’s gone now, thank god.”

“You don’t have to need a divorce to ask for my help.” His eyes went dark. “I know what it’s like to feel powerless or trapped in a situation you can’t control—” He cleared his throat. “Now I’m the one who shouldn’t get started.”

“Looks like we have something in common.” I held my glass up for a toast.

He clinked his beer to my iced tea with a sardonic grin. “Like recognizes like. Apparently, the saying is true.”

“It absolutely is.” The bar’s entrance door opened, the motion catching my eye. I spat out the small sip of iced tea I had just taken, the sticky liquid soaking the table in front of me as I sputtered out a cough, and my stomach bottomed out. Grabbing the napkins with shaking hands to wipe up my spill, I slunk down in my chair, praying that I had somehow turned invisible in the last five seconds. “Fucking hell.”

He turned to look. “What’s happening?”

“Speak of the devil, and he shall appear.” I stared into my glass, watching the ice cubes bob on the surface and wishing I had another shot of tequila to drink instead.

“Your ex?”

I nodded, slipping into a mental abyss while the sounds of the bar drowned out my thoughts. I was too pissed to speak as the lying, cheating, dog-stealing scumbag noticed me and smiled as he waved a hand over his head to get my attention.

He cheated on me. We broke up, and he moved on. He wants to make peace with me, so I’ll start talking to my partner again. Apparently, she’s taking her betrayal hard—she’s all broken up about the fact that I won’t forgive her. He keeps insisting that we can all be friends again. Um, no thank you.

“You’re not welcome here, Dick!” Paige shouted. “I have the right to refuse service to lying, cheating, weasel-faced buttholes. Get the hell out!”

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