“She’s at school. I had to take the day off since it’s a teacher service day.” Then he picks up his head, placing a few cut up bananas on Drew’s tray. “Where does Matty go to school? Weird they are all off today.”
I shrug because I don’t even know if the kid is in school. “Today is the first I even knew there was a brother.”
Treys smile breaks into a stifled laugh. “And how nice of you to free him from Paige.” He wiggles his brows as though he knows something I don’t.
“Don’t.” I warn, but he just laughs, which makes Drew start laughing. Suddenly, a one year old finds my kindness amusing.
“Come on. I really liked talking with her until you made the bone head move and ventured over to that table full of girls.” Drew’s slimy hands reach out for more banana and Trey places some more down. I give Trey props, I’m not sure I’m ready for this in my life right now. Drew’s greedy hands clamp on to banana pieces and he smashes them into his mouth. Trey laughs. “Let the guard down, she’s a cool chick.”
Trey’s right, Paige is cool as shit. The fact she didn’t even ask me questions last night on the way home from the race earned her great respect from me. She hasn’t dug into my issues, and for some reason I’ve grown to like her even more because of it. But finding a girl cool to hang out with and then stepping forward into girlfriend zone are two different things. After running into Xavier and Nora last night, it all rings too true for me. That I shouldn’t be happy, I deserve to live a life of single moments with a million different people instead of a million moments with one person. They reminded me of my fate and I need to stick with it. If only Paige didn’t make it so hard on me.
“She’s a great friend and if I could get her to be friends with benefits, that’d be even better.” I wink and for the first time today, Trey’s face is stone straight.
“You need to get your shit together, Rob. We aren’t eighteen anymore, we’re fucking twenty-four and life will continue on. If you keep passing up the girls, you’ll live a life of regret.” He stands up, walking over to the fridge. “Do you want anything?” Typical Trey, words of advice followed by normal daily routine.
The kids’ screams in the backyard show they’re definitely having fun with one another. I meander toward the window and find Tara chasing Matty. Their little arms pump and I can’t help but smile. Tara’s arm stretches out and she tags him, and then Chloe screeches. To be so innocent and carefree. Not that any of the kids out there were handed an easy life up to this point, but their resilience amazes me and I guarantee they’ll all be in therapy at some point in their adult life. The door bells rings and Drew claps his hands.
“Watch Drew for a sec.” Trey stands up and I sit next to the little guy.
“Are you expecting someone?”
“No, this will just be step one in exterminate the asshole out of Rob mission.” He walks backward and a bellow of laughter escapes his throat.
He answers and I hear her voice. My whole body fidgets in the chair, praying like hell the big man isn’t with her. That I’m not about to have a spotlight on my ass to be interrogated. It’s been a long time coming, but to be face to face with her after all this time makes my insides shake with insecurity. She’s the closest person that’s seen my demons, but she’s still in the dark about what haunts me.
She and Trey carrying on the whole time until she steps in the archway of the kitchen. When she spots me, she stops in her tracks. Her blonde hair now brown, the baby seat hanging over her arms and diaper bag swung over her shoulder. She and Trey resemble a damn suburban minivan clan side by side. Not even acknowledging me, she swivels back to Trey. “What—”
“Hey, Jessa.” I interrupt. Her head whips in my direction and Trey weaves between her and the wall, grabbing the car seat from her hands.
“Rob.”
“Oh good, we all remember each other’s names.” Trey moves over to the couch, fiddling with the car seat. “She’s asleep so try not to wake her.” Walking back over to the table, he picks up Drew. “Time for this one’s nap, so be nice you two. I’ll be right back.” He exits the room, escaping down the hall, but shouts back, “Don’t forget innocent ears outside.”
Jessa stands there, her feet shuffling back and forth. The situation couldn’t be more awkward, and I’m not even sure what to do in this moment. “Where’s hubby?” She narrows her eyes to mine, placing the diaper bag next to the car seat in the living room.
“Work.”
“And you, I heard you were at that gallery?” The only reason I know is because Chrissy took over her spot for a while when she first arrived in Western. Otherwise, I know next to nothing about Jessa’s life.
“I’m part-time now.”
“Never pinned you as the settled down, husband, baby and house in the suburbs kind of girl.” She spins around on her heels.
“Of course you didn’t. I was just a girl you fucked.” She tilts her head and I’m correct—the anger still lies there.
“If you’d let me finish.” Her eyes stare at me waiting. “It looks good on you. Somehow fitting.” A small smile forms until she forces it back.
“Thank you,” she murmurs.
Brady’s words from yesterday morning remind me how I need to make amends here somehow. At least for him and Sadie to have a drama-free wedding. “Will you sit down?” I ask and she eyes me for a moment before walking over. Standing behind the chair, her hands clench the wooden rung. “Please.”
At a painfully slow pace she grabs the chair out and sits down, facing the baby. “Brady asked me to stand up,” I inform her, and she nods still staring at her baby. God, she’s like a different person now.
“I heard.” Her voice is soft and annoyed.
“So, we need to figure out how we’ll be around each other without fighting.” I stare at the side of her face, remembering how beautiful I thought she was the first time I saw her. How much I wanted to dissipate that pain and be with her. I hoped one night would fulfill the need, but something about her dug into me and wouldn’t let up. She was the first girl to pique enough interest to date more than once.
“You could apologize.” Her bluntness, yes, that’s what grabbed a hold of me.
“I’m sorry,” I instantly declare, because her sitting across the table, reminds me of our good times. “I should have ended it before I left on tour. Shit, I probably shouldn’t have even gone on tour.”
This grabs her attention and she twists in the chair, facing me. “Keep going.” Her lips curl a little bit at the ends and I finally sense my way in to her.
“I treated you like shit, and I’m sorry.” She nods, and those eyes that saw too much that one night have a flicker of understanding in them. She saw the hurt and the true me when I awoke from the nightmare in a cold sweat. I came close to telling her, but rolled her over and fucked her instead, probably a little too rough. That’s when I knew I would only hurt her and I needed to do something drastic to make sure she went to Grant instead of staying with me.
“Thank you.” She clasps her hands on the table.
“And?” I add because I’m not denying I did something shitty, but she wasn’t exactly truthful with me.
“What?” She plays innocent, raising her shoulders and shooting those puppy eyes my way. “I should have told you things between Grant and me . . .”
“Were heating up?” I add and she smiles.
“I never cheated on you, Rob. I swear.” If Jessa is one thing, it’s honest. She’s always been truthful with me.
“I know.” I believe her and maybe if I wouldn’t have given her good reason to be with someone else, Grant wouldn’t have taken the opportunity. “So, you think your guy will be okay with me in the wedding party?”
“Well,” she taps her finger to her lips. “I do have some manipulation tactics I can use on him.” She laughs and even though I am an asshole, there’s something about seeing her happy that rotates the contentment back my way.