Page 113 of Never Left You

“Slipped. Your. Mind? Carolyn, you were there the day he had his accident.” My voice began to shake. She knew damn well he was gone, and she was just trying to rile me up. Why? I hadn’t figured that part out yet. It was just her nature.

“Abs.” I heard Cash’s voice from behind me, but I didn’t take my eyes off Carolyn. Her expression went from fake remorse to shock once Cash appeared at my side. Her eyes locked on him, and her jaw went from being slightly open to the widest, fakest smile I’d ever seen. Cash touched the small of my back. “Carolyn.” He said sternly, any and all enthusiasm gone.

“Oh, I should have guessed.” She laughed then, the shrill sound carrying on through the back of the stands, echoing as if to mock us. “How long have you two been together?”

“Don’t see why that matters.” Cash’s fingers moved on my back, finding my waist to pull me close. “Congrats by the way.” He gestured to her stomach.

“It’s her third.” I repeated, looking up at him, just in time to witness the anger fill his face. He wasn’t hiding anything now.

“Third?” Cash looked shocked, almost, until he gave a small laugh. “How old are your kiddos?”

“Jada is two and Peter will be four…”

“Four?” He questioned, his body jerking with the word, a shock to his voice that even caught me off guard.

“Yes, Cash. Four. You knew I always wanted children.” She glared at him, then bounced to me. “Anyway, I’m sureyou twomust have other children besides Steven running around.”

Steven?

“Who?”

“She means Stetson. She always called him Steven, even though I corrected her every time and no, Carolyn…you know…we…” Cash began to stumble. I turned to him. Why was he stumbling? The relationship was new. We just became official last night. Why would the concept of kids make him stumble?

She hummed. “Well…”

I turned to Cash, placing my hand on his chest, feeling his heartbeat faster. He met my gaze, his jaw tense. “I’m going to go walk Charming around, I’m sure he doesn’t want to be in the trailer anymore.” I leaned up on my tip toes and gave him a sweet kiss, and then gave Carolyn one last nod. “I would say it was good to see you…”

“Wonderful to see you Abi. I’m sure we’ll see each other again before the event is over.”

I smiled, looking at Cash for reassurance, and once he gave me a nod of approval, I clicked my tongue and began to lead Charming out to the field, taking one last glance at the man I was falling in love with and the woman who broke him.

Thirty-Four

Cash

“Letmeguess,”Carolynsaid, taking a single step towards me as soon as Abi was out of ear shot. “You were fucking her before the ink on our divorce papers was dry.”

“Your oldest kid is four!” I shouted. Trying to contain myself I took a step back, my hands forming into fists, looking down at my boots. Why did Abi have to leave me here? I could really use her by my side right now. But for as uncomfortable as I was, I could only imagine how Abi felt. “Four? Carolyn?” I breathed.

“Almost four,” she corrected me.

“We’ve only been divorced for three.” I shoved my hands in my pockets. Realization hit me like a ton of bricks. “That means…” I trailed off. She had been cheating.

And she was pregnant when she left me.

And I had no idea.

I must have been so distraught, so upset that I refused to see that my own wife was cheating on me. I don’t remember seeing any change to her appearance or health during that time—but then again, the only thing I was really focused on was my own grief.

I heaved a sigh. “Don’t even mention my relationship with Abi when you werefuckingsomeone else before we even had divorce papers.” I looked up at her through my lashes, trying to swallow my anger.

She narrowed her eyes and inhaled, her hand circling her swollen belly.

“And who’s the unlucky guy?”

“Curtis Roster.”

“Roster?”

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