Page 67 of The Model

Letting out a defeated sigh, his shoulders slumped, and he turned to look at me. “Son, it’s not—”

“Don’t lie to me. All day yesterday, you acted like an entirely different man than the one who raised me. I tell you I’m in love with the woman of my dreams and we’re married, and you treated her like shit.”

His posture straightened. “You didn’t use those words.”

“Would it have mattered? No, I don’t think it would have.” I let out a disappointed huff. “Well, she is the love of my life. I love her more than anything, and I won’t let you continue to treat her like shit.” I looked over at the couch and then back at him. “Why were you on the couch?”

“We should probably sit down.” He picked up his coffee and sat down at the kitchen table. His eyes were haunted as he looked at me over the brim of his cup. Shakily, I made my way over and sat down on the opposite side of him. “You don’t want any coffee?”

“I’m trying not to drink any while Lexie’s pregnant. She loves coffee and can’t have any, so I’m supporting her the only way I know how.”

“That’s…” he gulped, “admirable of you. I can see how much you love her.” He gave a small nod. “Your mom and I were going to talk to you after dinner last night, but then you revealed a new wife and baby, and we thought we should wait until today.”

“Wait for what?” I finished off my bottle of water and crushed the plastic in my hand.

Sad eyes that matched my own looked back at me. “Your mother and I are getting a divorce. I moved out a few weeks ago and—”

Jumping up, my hands went to my hair and pulled at the strands. “Why didn’t she say anything when I talked to her?”

“Because she knew you’d blow off whatever job you were on and come running home.”

“Damn right, I would have.”

“And it wouldn’t have made a difference. She asked me to move out, and I had to respect her wishes.” His hands wrapped around his coffee cup as he looked down at it with a pinched face.

“What did you do to make her ask that of you?” My mother wouldn’t have asked unless he’d done something unforgivable.

“That’s between your mother and me.” His voice was hard, like it wasn’t his fault he was in this situation.

My body slumped in the chair. “Where are you living?”

“A couple of towns over in—”

There were only two things I could think of that would make my mom demand he leave and for him to live so far away. “Did you cheat on her?”

He let out a disappointed noise, and when his eyes met mine, they were full of tears. “It wasn’t planned, but that’s no excuse. I lost my way for a short time, and I betrayed your mother. Along the way, I found a woman who—”

Shooting up from my seat, I towered over him as my eyes narrowed into slits. All I could see was red. There was no way for me to hold back my contempt for him. “I don’t want to hear about her. How could you do that to the woman you loved while she was fighting for her life?”

Thunderous steps pounded down the stairs as I glared at my father. Never in my wildest dreams would I have thought he’d cheat, let alone when my mom was battling cancer.

“What’s going on?” My mother’s quiet voice broke our stare down. She moved between us, and the moment she saw my face, hers crumpled.

“Oh, Ryder, I didn’t want you to find out like this.”

Pulling her into my arms, I hugged her shaking body. “I knew something was wrong yesterday, but when I saw him sleeping on the couch this morning, I knew.”

“Now that he knows, I’ll be one my way. I know you’re mad at me, son, and it may take you a while to forgive me, but when you do, I’ll be here.”

My voice was hard as stone as I gritted out the words. “When that time comes, will you be accepting of my wife?”

Lexie came up behind me and lifted her hand to rest between my shoulder blades, and with that simple action, she took a little of my anger away. My body melted into hers. I wasn’t sure when she came into the room, but until she touched me, I didn’t know how much I needed her by my side.

“I…I hate to break this to you, but she might be after what little fame you have.”

“Ryder’s fame as you call it isn’t little.” Lexie stepped around me and moved between us. “Not only is he gorgeous, but he’s extremely talented and has a heart of gold. Everyone that works with him can see that, and they gravitate toward him. He’s going to be big, but I can assure you, I’m not here to ride his coattails.”

I wanted to laugh at the notion. If anyone was using someone in this relationship, it would be me. I was sure when news got out about our nuptials there would be plenty of people who would think that I had married Lexie to further my career. But I knew that if they saw us together, their opinion would change. There was no denying how much we loved each other or our chemistry.

---