Total pages in book: 94
Estimated words: 91595 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 458(@200wpm)___ 366(@250wpm)___ 305(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 91595 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 458(@200wpm)___ 366(@250wpm)___ 305(@300wpm)
His eyes are full of anger, and before, I would have tried to soothe it, but not anymore. “No,” he bites out, looking up at the sky. “I wouldn’t have cheated if the money weren’t involved. I would have just left you.”
“Well, this has all backfired on you, huh?” I say with a laugh, but there is no humor in the sound.
A tear rolls down his cheek, and I want to smack it off. “It wasn’t supposed to happen like this,” he says, his voice rough.
“What, me finding out?” I scoff, glaring at him.
“No, with Jackie. It just got out of control.”
“Yeah, God forbid you keep your dick under control,” I deadpan.
His eyes flash to mine. “I never meant to hurt you. I would have ended it way before if I didn’t need the money. You have to understand.”
“I don’t have to understand a fucking thing,” I snap, my eyes burning with tears. “You’re not sorry it happened, Stratford—you’re sorry you got caught. Yet you still haven’t apologized,” I remind him, my eyes daring him to look away.
“That goes unsaid,” he says so calmly, I want to throttle him. I confront him, and this is how he acts? Like I shouldn’t have found out.
I wasted years on him.
I shake my head, completely overwhelmed by this conversation and hating that my son heard him on the phone with his other family. It doesn’t matter. Stratford is nothing to me any longer. My boys will always be mine and will always love me. I know that, deep in my heart. Just as I know this man will never be anything to me other than the sperm donor of my perfect boys.
Boys I raised.
I step into his space and hold his gaze. “Well, this may go unsaid, but I’m gonna say it anyway.” I slam the papers into his chest. “Sign the papers, continue being a good dad, and then do what you do best.” I shove the pen into his chest next, and with pure venom in my voice, I sneer, “Forget I was ever your fucking wife.”
CHAPTER
FOUR
Dean
After we open the library doors and windows for ventilation, everyone is working together, not only to gather the six cats and two juvenile raccoons, but to take photos and start cleaning up. While the fire department may not do that in the big cities, here in Thistlebrook, there is no damn way Miss Alice is going to do this on her own. I make sure she understands the importance of checking the book drop for raccoons, because honestly, this isn’t the first time.
Those raccoons and cats have some kind of beef with one another.
While I am in chief mode, I still can’t kick the anger I have toward Nyle. He’s just…more of a pain than a help. I don’t even know why he “wants” to help. He just wants to impress Missy and be the doting husband, but he isn’t.
Plus, what the hell are my baby mama and my sister up to? That can’t be good. They’re a lot tamer now that Missy’s sister doesn’t live here, but back when we were younger, those three tore the town up.
I think I still have trauma from the late-night calls to come get them from various spots they decided to wreak havoc on.
I shiver at the thought and decide I need to call Missy to ease my mind. We finish up as quickly as someone can with cats and fornicating raccoons. Garrett is holding each raccoon by its scruff as he grins up at me. He has a boyish charm to him even though he’s my age. His eyes are dark, while his hair is sunflower yellow. Like me, he grew up here too. “Skyye need a pet?”
I snort. “No way. Missy would have my ass.”
“Speaking of Missy, how’s your sister doing?”
See? I think everyone has the same trauma I have. I mean, those three stole three pigs, dressed them up like the three little pigs and snuck them into the boys’ locker room on championship weekend. I played my final game smelling like pig shit.
They were terrors.
And yet, I’m super protective of their crazy asses. “My sister is married with three kids,” I remind him, fighting back my own grin. I feel as if I should defend my brother-in-law. If he can stay with her, he’s basically a saint.
Garrett doesn’t even flinch, just keeps grinning. “I’m holding out hope.”
I roll my eyes at that. I don’t even know how Sadie got Matt to marry her and make babies with her, yet she has guys ready to take his place. My sister is wild and reckless, but she’s not dumb. She knows what she’s got, and Matt is the real deal. He loves my sister, loves their kids, and loves Skyye. I’m surprised Skyye didn’t call him, honestly. Though, if Missy and Sadie are together, then Matt probably has the kids.