Page 30 of Break

Oh well, I can enjoy the cheesy, meaty goodness tonight. Tomorrow it’s back to healthier eating.

James meets us near the dining room with a smile on his face, pulling the girls into a long, warm hug. He looks great tonight, healthier. He’s wearing a pair of navy slacks with a white dress shirt rolled up to his elbows. His strong, lean muscled forearms are putting on a good show. His blonde hair is swept over his forehead, he looks amazing.

And delicious.

He glances over at me and smiles tentatively at me. I wave and scoot past him into the dining room, not even thinking about giving him a hug. Not yet. I sit down and stare at all of the food around the table. It’s all from my favorite Italian restaurant. Three different types of pasta, garlic bread, and a massive salad.

Not too bad.

I plate up some salad and fettuccine alfredo and wait for everyone else to settle down before I start shoving it into my mouth. I groan out loud. My god, this is what I’ve been missing.

Pasta. Creamy, garlicky Alfredo pasta.

He pulls out a bottle of my vintage red wine and starts to pour two glasses. I clear my throat and shake my head. “None for me, please.”

He frowns at me and pours the second glass into his and sits down in his seat. “Why? One of the girls can drive you home.”

I shrug and focus on my meal. “Haven’t had a drink in a while.”

He scowls and shakes his head, shoveling spaghetti and meatballs into his mouth as if he hasn’t eaten in a week. He has always eaten like that since we were kids, when we didn’t know when we were getting our next meal.

The girls talk amongst themselves about some get-together happening next week, and I sneak glances at James, the same time he does with me. Every. Damn. Time.

He winks at me and I roll my eyes at him, leaning back and groaning when I finish my plate. “Thank you for dinner.”

He nods and wipes his mouth with a napkin, finishing off his wine. “Can we talk now? Or should we continue shoving our faces in silence?”

I look over to the girls and they scurry from the room like the hounds of hell are on their asses. Traitors. I huff and glance back over to James with a brow raised.

“I want to apologize, M. I wouldn’t have driven you out of our home… never. I was just excited that day in the clinic, I thought you would be happy for me. Finally settling down. No more one-night stands or puck bunnies… It’s just a work in progress. Alex is young, she doesn’t know how to act aroundsixteen-year-old girls that are basically like my daughters, hell, our daughters. She’s used to a different kind of life.”

I nod slowly and stare over his shoulder at the white wall, refusing to meet his eyes. I can feel my eyes start to well with tears and I cannot cry right now. Nope.

“She straight up told you at the last dinner I attended that she wouldn’t have moved in if I was living here. Hell, James… she’s trying to toss the girls out into a separate guest house when you guys move, she doesn’t even want them here now. How are you okay with a woman like that? Look at the décor around the house… last time I was here it was just a few crystal pieces, now even your furniture has changed.” I frown down at the glass dining table and shake my booty around on the uncomfortable metal chair. Literally everything has changed.

It’s so sterile and uncomfortable. It doesn’t even look or feel like a home anymore.

James and I came from literally nothing. We worked hard for what we had and we curated this home to be comfortable and loving, soft and warm.

He sighs and rubs his hand down his face. “I don’t know what to say. I’ve been into her for almost a year now. We met last Christmas and I saw her again a few months ago and now she’s here for good. I wasn’t planning on asking her to move in but it just came out of my mouth when she told me how she’s all alone in her mother’s vacation home. I felt bad.”

I hum and sip my water as I think about what to even add to this conversation. “It’s not just you and her, James. I’m going through a lot, too and I’ll figure it all out like I always do. Nolan and Landon have been there for me, along with the girls, and I’m fine. Just focus on your career and your new relationship, Iguess. The girls and I are out of your hair for you to pursue your own happiness.”

He grunts at me and pours himself another glass of wine, all the way to the top of the glass. “I don’t want them or you out of the house. I hate it.”

I chuckle mirthlessly and shrug. “Yeah? And how will Alex deal with having two teenagers in her new domain? No. They chose to live with me, and that’s how it’s staying. They don’t deserve to feel driven out of their own home, James. That’s how they feel. They know that Alex doesn’t like them, doesn’t like how we have your credit cards and access to your money and bank accounts. They overheard her talking about it with you the last time they were over at dinner. If you’re truly okay with dating a woman like that, that’s on you. But you’re losing your sisters, and you lost me.” I smile sadly at him, standing up, ready to leave.

“I… I can’t lose any of you, M. I feel like shit and don’t know how to fix it. I think she’s the one for me, regardless of how she acts in front of other people, she’s different with me. Fun, carefree. She’s gorgeous, doesn’t give a shit about hockey or my money. She came from money and doesn’t give a shit about what I do.”

I snort and shake my head. “If that’s how you really feel and what you believe, then that’s that. Thanks for dinner.” I wave and head to the living room, finding the girls watching a movie and sitting on their phones. “Ready to head out?”

Alyssa nods and stands, scurrying to the front door, not even looking at her older brother.

Caroline stays sitting and sighs. “I’m going to talk to him really quickly. I’ll meet you in the car.” I nod and follow Alyssa out to her SUV and get in the back seat.

“We heard… everything. We didn’t mean to eavesdrop but the acoustics in that house, man,” she snorts and sighs, spinning in her seat to glance at me. She presses her lips together and frowns. “We love you, Marie. We’re happy with you, and you’re right… he’s going to lose us to that succubus. There’s no way she doesn’t care about his money. Just look at the décor… that looks like it cost hundreds of thousands of dollars. Did you notice all of the family photos are gone from the walls?”

I shake my head and she clears her throat.

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