Page 19 of Old Fashioned
But to them, money and reputation talked.
Everything else was null and void.
“You know, it’s a shame we’re not together anymore,” Randy said. “We could finally get that boat you’ve always wanted, take Paige out to the lake for long weekends in the summer…”
“Yep, it’s sure too bad,” I said, not feeling badat all. If Randy should have known anything by now, it was that his money didn’t mean a damn thing to me. I’d even told the judge I didn’t want alimony, though it was owed to me. All I asked for was child support — and eventhatwas nothing, in the grand scheme of things.
“How’s your littlejobgoing?” he asked next, changing the subject away from his unethical nature. “I heard you pulled a kid out of the game for no reason and that’s why the team lost last night.”
I resisted the urge to grind my teeth together or scream or shove him backward so hard that he hit his ass right on the pavement. Instead, I blinked, took a long breath, and smiled.
“Parker is one of our best running backs. It was unfortunate that he was injured in the third quarter, and I’m sure the team missed him once he was gone, but his injury was one that needed closer assessment before he could be cleared to play again. As for why we lost, I have my own opinions about that, but I recommend you talk to Coach. He’s the expert.”
I chuckled internally at my sass on that last comment, but when I turned to my ex, he was watching me with disdain.
Randyhatedthat I divorced him, but I knew he hated evenmorethat I was working. When I got pregnant, he made it very clear that I was expected to stay home and take care of Paige and the house.Theywere my job, now. It didn’t matter that I had a passion for school, for learning, for the human anatomy and the way we push our bodies past their limits in athletics. It didn’t matter that I’d already had an internship at the hospital two towns over, or that there was a junior college baseball team talking to me about coming on as their athletic trainer after Paige was born.
Honestly,Ididn’t matter to him — not really. He’d made me feel that way, made me feel precious and special and doted on, like I was his entire world. The moment I said yes to being his wife and that ring was slipped onto my finger, his true colors came out.
And I was already pregnant.
I shook off the ghosts threatening to join us in that park, turning my attention to where Paige was asking yet another little boy if he wanted to play catch with her. She held her football hopefully, her eyes wide.
“Oh, trust me, I plan on talking to Jordan. I’m sure this whole town does,” Randy replied. “Last night’s game was a mess, and if he has any hope of bringing another championship home, he’s got a lot of work to do.”
“Mmm,” I answered, exhausted by trying to be nice to the man who’d been my own personal hell for years. My eyes flicked to where a gaggle of women were watching me and Randy more carefully than they were their kids, and I knew without a doubt they were gossiping about the divorce, likely painting me as the villain this town wanted to believe I was.
How could anyone leave sweet Randy Kelly?
He’s such a great officer, and an amazing father.
She had nothing going for her. She was lucky to have him.
Why is she even staying in Stratford if she doesn’t want to be with him?
But they didn’t know me.
They knew nothing.
“Well, thanks for meeting up,” I said dismissively. “I’ll text you on Wednesday after practice to figure out where you want to meet.”
“I could just come by to pick Paige up,” he offered.
“No.”
He frowned. “I used to live there, too, you know. That’s my house, too.”
“Not anymore. Public places, Randy,” I said, a warning in my eyes. “Court’s orders.”
An evil smirk bloomed on his face, like he knew something I didn’t, but instead of revealing his secret, he just offered me a wave and headed toward his truck in the parking lot. That smirk of his was one I knew well, and it elicited a deep wave of chills that cooled me to the bones.
As soon as he pulled out of the lot, I took what felt like my first breath since he’d shown up. My body was always tense when he was near, senses on full alert — as if I might need to run or fight at any given moment. I rubbed the back of my neck with a sigh, turning to find Paige on the playground.
When I did find her, my body tensed right back up.
“Shit,” I said out loud, already jogging toward where she was standing at the opposite edge of the park. She still held tight to her football, but instead of pestering some kid her own age to play catch with her, she was talking animatedly to a very tall, very shirtless, very muddy Jordan Becker.
He wore an amused smile as he listened to my daughter, huge biceps crossed over his bare chest. His eyes flicked to me when I was ten yards away, and he smiled even wider before he turned his attention back to Paige.
