“I’ll be back in a few. I’m taking these to Uncle Mitch’s,” I tell the boys.
They head into the house, and I walk next door.
I was so caught up with AJ and his attitude that I didn’t notice Val’s car in Mitch’s yard. Of course, I think nothing of it. It’s not unusual for her to be here. I mean, it isn’t his two weeks with Jacob, but she is still his ex-wife and the mother of his son.
As soon as I get close to the steps, the door opens and Val walks out. She spots me immediately. Her nose turns up, and a frown appears on her face. She tugs at her skirt as if she’s trying to fix it. With a smug smile, she walks toward me on the stairs.
“You might want to give him a few minutes. He’s not dressed yet.” The smile on her face rubs me completely wrong. She walks past me down the stairs. I turn to watch her climb into her truck and back out of the yard.
When I turn back to the door, Mitch walks out. He’s slipping his shirt over his head as he exits the house.
“Hey, I saw you were back. I was coming to see if you needed help.” He was there this morning to help load up my truck for the sale.
Although I know I have no right to ask this question or to feel any way about it, I can’t stop the words from coming out of my mouth.
“Did you sleep with her?”
His smile slowly falls. His blue eyes looked me over before a playful smile lifted his lips.
“I figured since you were taking compliments from old, perverted deacons, I’d hook up with my own pervert.”
My stomach fills with rocks, and my throat feels as if it closes up and I can’t catch my breath. I shove the cupcakes into hischest and turn to leave. God, please don’t let these tears fall right now. I don’t want to cry in front of him.
I don’t make it down the stairs before Mitch’s grip on my arm has me turning to face him. My gaze bounces everywhere but on him. I notice that he isn’t holding the cupcakes I shoved at him. He must have put them down.
“Let me go,” I try to pull away.
“Whoa, Ella, calm down.” He chases my gaze with his own until I’m forced to look him in the face. His brows are nearly touching as he watches me.
“You were serious?” he asks as if he’s just understanding.
“Just forget it.”
“Hell no,” he argues pulling me into him. I bury my head in his chest. “Baby, I was joking. Val came here to get Jacob’s charger. I’d just gotten out of the shower when she showed up. I let her in and went to get dressed. She wasn’t even here for over two minutes because the charger was on the table when she walked in. I swear, nothing happened.”
When he pulls back, he looks down into my face. I felt so stupid about the way I reacted.
“I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have accused you of that. It’s just she made it seem like—”
“What did she say?” The way his voice pitched so low, I knew if I told him what she insinuated he’d be pissed. He’d probably call her and curse her out. I didn't want to add to their problems.
“Nothing. I just let my insecurities get the best of me.”
“Look at me.”
I look up into his eyes. “I need you to know I’d never do something like that to you. Do you understand that?”
Shame and embarrassment wash over me. Everything I knew about Mitch told me he wouldn’t do that to me. And further more, I had no right to even question him. Although we bothtend to forget, he and I aren’t together. Mitch isn’t my man the same way I’m not truly his woman.
I shake my head and chuckle. “I guess it’s silly of me to get mad. It’s not like we’re a couple.”
The moment the words leave my mouth, Mitch’s entire demeanor changes. It’s as if a window shut down on his soul and I’m locked out. He takes a step back, his gaze narrowing. He looks away from me and shakes his head.
“Yeah. I guess you’re right.” The words were said so coldly I got a chill up my spine. “You need my help?”
Even though I know what I said hurt him, he still offers his help. That tells me everything I need to know about this man. If I caused Andrew the slightest inconvenience, he would shut down on me for weeks. Hell, I raised my voice at him when I went into labor with Cameron because he was trying to tell me what to do in the midst of contractions. The man walked out of the labor and delivery room and refused to come back. He missed his son being born.
“No. Everything's sold.”
