Page 5 of A Forever Home
“You told me that your ex was unfaithful,” Roman said.
Della faced forward. Jerome’s unfaithfulness hadn’t just hurt her feelings, it had also hurt her pride. What was wrong with her that her husband had to find someone much younger and, some estimated, more beautiful? “I thought we were happily married. We had a great house and twin boys, and our lives seemed to be on autopilot. He was working late a lot, to provide for the family.” She laughed humorlessly because she felt foolish now for believing that lie. “Or so he said.”
“He wasn’t working late?” Roman asked.
Della was glad that he was at least participating in the conversation now, even if it was at her expense. “He was really with a woman ten years younger than me. She’s prettier and more successful, and she doesn’t have the body of a woman who’s carried not one but two kids at the same time.”
“I don’t think you’re giving yourself enough credit. You’re a very beautiful woman,” he said, lowering his gaze as he looked at her before returning his focus to the road.
She tried not to pay attention to the little thrill that ran through her. “Thank you for saying so. I thought it was just a fling. Just a phase. I still would have left him, but somehow that would have made it better than the fact that Jerome was in love with her.”
“Really?”
Della shrugged. “It was more than physical. It was an emotional affair too. He wanted our marriage to end. Our divorce was finalized this year, and he didn’t waste any time proposing to Sofia and getting her pregnant.” Della felt the familiar sting in her eyes. “At first, I was secretly hoping Sofia was carrying twins. Maybe even triplets. Not because children are a blessing—which they are, of course—but because it would give her stretch marks and all the things I was always so proud of until my husband cheated on me.”
“You should be proud of who you are. You’re a mom, and that’s incredibly attractive, if you ask me.”
She cleared her throat, feeling her cheeks flush again. “Um, thank you. I guess it’s hard to feel that way when my ex went behind my back the way he did.”
“Men can be stupid.”
Della laughed unexpectedly. “You’re a man.”
“I know. I can be stupid too.” He slid his gaze toward her, and her body warmed. “I’m not the kind of guy who would do what your ex did. I like to think I’m pretty loyal.” He cleared his throat. “When I can be.”
Della heard his phone buzzing in his pocket. “So, if that’s true, who are you working so hard to ignore on this trip? A girlfriend?”
Roman frowned. “I haven’t had one of those in over a year.”
And that fact shouldn’t make Della feel a small sense of relief. There were no romantic possibilities between her and Roman. “Then who is so desperate to talk to you?” she asked.
He blew out a breath as they drove under an overpass. She watched the lights flicker across his face, highlighting fine crow’s feet and laugh lines. He was so serious; she couldn’t imagine he’d earned those laugh lines with actual laughter. “The wife of one of my former employees.”
Della felt her mouth drop. “Why is his wife calling you?” And did she really want to know the answer? Roman seemed like a nice guy, but looks could be deceiving. Was he in a relationship with a married woman?
Roman glanced over. “It’s not what you’re thinking. It’s because I fired her husband. At Christmas. When their child is sick.”
That might be even worse than Della was imagining. “You what?” She blinked and shook her head.
Roman held up a hand. “It wasn’t my decision. The owner of the business I work for asked me to do his bidding. I tried to convince my boss to give Bob another chance, but he wouldn’t hear of it. He wanted me to fire him and set an example of work expectations.” Roman ran a hand through his dark waves of hair. Della’s fingers curled into her thighs because she wanted to do the same.
“What did he do that was so wrong?” she asked.
“He took off work to care for his sick kid.” Roman shrugged. “I would have done the same. But his family won’t be able to afford to eat or keep a roof over their heads without this job. To be honest, I think my boss didn’t want to foot the insurance bill for Bob and his family. I’m guessing the kid’s illness might be making the premiums spike.”
“That’s awful. How can you work for a person like that?”
Roman’s frown deepened. “I like what I do. We build the best buildings in the Dayton area. I’m proud of our work.”
“Just not proud of how the crew is cared for,” she said quietly.
Roman tapped his phone. “She’s left me at least a dozen messages, calling me everything under the sun. I’d change the circumstances if I could, but I can’t.”
“So you’re just not going to answer?”
“There’s nothing I can say.” His fingers tightened around the steering wheel.
“You could tell her the same thing you just told me.”
