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“What’s your favorite color?” he asked.
“Peach and blue—aquamarine, really,” I replied. “But don’t you want to know Kyra’s favorite color?”
“Of course, but I’m trying to get to know you better, too,” he explained. He made a show of examining my home. He eyed my bare white walls, the vertical blinds that had no curtains or valances, my everyday furniture, the wood floors, and the dark brown carpet. “Hmm,” he murmured disapprovingly.
“Is there something more going on here?” I asked.
“Nope, not at all.” Lucas shook his head in denial. “So, aquamarine, huh? Is that your birthstone?”
“Yep. I’m a Pisces.”
He nodded.
“Is Kyra awake? Can I look at her room to get some ideas?”
I wasn’t sure if she was up or not. I guided Lucas to her room. Thankfully she was awake and reading in her bed. He glanced around. “I wish Dad had waited before he put the desk and bookshelves up, but we can work around it.”
“What are you doing?” Kyra asked suspiciously.
“Dad wanted me to look at your room and see what I can come up with for a remodel,” Lucas said.
“Really?” Kyra sat up on her bed. “Yes!”
Lucas grinned. “So your baseball cap was a success at the Fourth of July festival?” he queried.
“Yep!” she said excitedly. “Can you paint canvas shoes like you did the cap? My dance teacher would like to order some for our next performance.”
“Really?” Lucas seemed surprised. “Maybe we are on to something.”
They started chatting about dance and costumes, then moved on to adding color and flash to her room.
“I have to get back to work,” I interrupted.
Neither paid me any attention, so I headed into the office and back to work.
Chapter Sixteen
Dex sent me a text on Thursday morning explaining that he and Mel were on their way to the airport. He wanted to know if I could say goodbye to the kids for him. I was fuming. I called him right away, and when he picked up the phone I let it out, “Dex! I can’t believe you're pulling this shit again!”
“What do you mean, Cass? I told you we were out here to visit for only a short time. I never said I was moving back.”
“Did you ever stop to think about our kids, Dex? Did you explain that to them? Do you understand how angry and hurt they were when you left, and now here you are doing it again?”
“Well, I planned to spend time with them over the weekend, but you are the one who disappeared, and I had no way of getting in touch with them or you.”
“Bullshit!” I shouted. “You have all our cell phone numbers. You didn’t plan on spending time with them this weekend. You were probably too busy doing whatever Mel wanted you to do or dealing with something for one of your stupid hotels.”
“They aren’t stupid, Cass. They are my business and livelihood now. In fact, the kids might want to take over the business some day. That was part of our problem. You know that, right? You never respected the real estate world and what it means to me.”
“I will not even go there with you right now—or ever, for that matter. It doesn’t matter anymore. Our failed and exhausted marriage doesn’t matter anymore. What is important is how you treat your kids. You need to cancel your flight and reschedule it. You need to say a proper goodbye to your kids.”
“No, Cass,” Dex answered stubbornly.
“What?”
“I can’t reschedule our flight. I have to be back in Europe by tomorrow night.”
“How could you?” My throat was burning with unshed tears. I hurt because I knew how much my kids would hurt. Kyra had just forgiven him for leaving the first time. Max was okay then, but what about now?
