Page 73 of Nothing to This
“They’re used to you at home!They’re used to you at bedtime!I told you, I warned you, as long as I didn’t doubt your ability—”
“The first day you came into this office we talked about traveling for work,” he argued, matching her vehemence.“You know I have to go away sometimes.I told you we could travel together, that’s what I intended to—”
“Children need routine, Jamison.You can’t just drag them around the world because it suits you!”
“It’s their birthday, Rylee!I’m allowed to treat them!”
“You should’ve talked to me if you wanted to take them with you.Was that it?You wanted to sneak them out the apartment when I was asleep?”
He grabbed her arm.“What the hell are you accusing me of?”
Throwing his hand from her, she retreated to the door.“Take your hands off me!”He backed off a step, holding up his hands in surrender.“Go have fun, JD.We were fine without you for long enough.We don’t need you, we never did.”
Slamming out of the office, she grabbed her purse and rushed down the stairs.Catching him in a lie cut her deep.He’d only been in their lives full-time for around a month, but she had expectations.That was her mistake.She’d built up a reliance on him, and he’d let her down; something she should never have given him the power to do.
She was hurt and her eyes heated.JD had never made her cry before.She didn’t like it and swore right then that it wouldn’t happen again.
TWENTY-SIX
“Look, you’re not going to get anything from me except my complete unadulterated support,” Brenna said, watching Kye go back and forth on the swing.“I told you the first night you and the kids stayed with me that my brother was an idiot.I said it last night when you and Sky stayed over again.”
Seated on a bench in the park not far from her apartment, the joy on her son’s face as he tried to make the swing go on his own gave her hope.He wasn’t doing a half bad job.Sky would demand to be pushed, but Kye was all determined effort.A quality magnified since his father moved in.What would happen when said father disappeared from their lives?
At that moment, Sky was at the ball with her father.Her little girl brimmed with excitement all day.Matching her daughter’s exuberance wasn’t so easy knowing disappointment lurked on the horizon.
“If you don’t want Kye and me to stay over—”
“I do, honey.”Brenna picked up her hand.“You know I love having you.Lotta will be back tomorrow.I’m not sure how I’ll tell her I’ve been sleeping with another woman the whole time she’s been gone but…”
Feeling pathetic, she mustered a laugh, and appreciated Brenna kissing the inside of her knuckles.“I don’t know what to do, Bren.The kids are so psyched for their birthday party in the park this weekend.I don’t know how to tell them their dad will be gone twenty-four hours later.”
“Make him tell them,” Brenna said.“Have you talked to him since… you know… the Gabby date?”
Their fight in the office had taken place two days ago.
“It wasn’t the date that upset me, it was the lie,” she said for what felt like the fiftieth time.“I’ve been professional at the office.I haven’t been alone with him.I won’t be alone with him.”
“And you’ve been sleeping at my place,” Brenna said and dragged her across the bench to embrace her.“You know it’s your apartment.You can kick him out.”
Maybe that was why she’d been staying away rather than asking him to leave.If she told JD to go, she’d be the bad guy in the eyes of the kids, and there was the chance he’d never come back.
“I suppose I’m going to have to make nice before the birthday party.The kids haven’t noticed we’re not happy with each other because they’ve been so busy this week.If they have to see us in the same room together or at the same event…”
“Yeah, you two aren’t great at hiding how you feel about each other when you’re standing side by side.”
Her phone made a noise; she pulled her bag closer to get it.“What’s that supposed to mean?”She read the text that popped up.“He and Sky are leaving the party.”
“It’s not even nine.”
“This is late for a four-year-old, believe me,” she said and stood up, hooking her purse strap over her arm.“Kye!Come on, little prince.”When it looked like he was trying to stop without much success, fear gathered on his face.“Just wait, I’m coming, baby.”
She and Brenna headed over there.
“You know, you could tell him to stay at the hotel.The event is at a hotel, right?Sky would love getting a big fancy room.”
“It wouldn’t be fair to do that without Kye,” she said, smiling when she stopped the swing and picked up her boy.“Ready to go?”
“I want Daddy to tuck me in,” Kye said.
