Jeremy’s lips twisted in an ugly sneer. “Is there something you’d like to add,Cal?”
I could stand on the table and recite a whole speech about what I thought about his bullshit “I love you.” If he cared about Erin, he would’ve hauled his sorry ass on a plane the day she left. He’d be down on his knees now begging her to take him back in front of everyone sitting in the shop—at the bareminimum.
“You couldn’t keep it in your pants for two minutes,” I snapped. “You just flirted with the barista.”
“Iorderedacoffee.”
What the hell was this liar playing at? “Youwinkedat her.”
Erin screwed her eyes shut and slumped against the back of the booth. Her hand shook when she dragged the heel of her palm over her forehead.
“Erin—” I was an asshole. I’d made this about me and made her so uncomfortable in the process. “I’m sorry—fuck—”
Matilda gasped, and the baby rabbit in her hand clattered onto the table. “That a no-no word!”
“Sorry, little buccaneer.” My guilty eyes found Erin next. “Sorry… It’s just… Sorry.” I sighed. “I’ll go for a walk.” I rose to my feet, waiting for Jeremy to move out of my way so I could leave. He was more than happy to get rid of me. “I’ll give you guys some space.”
And givemyselfsome bloody space.
I was ready to punch Jeremy in the face. He’d rocked up uninvited, pretending he gave a shit about how much he’d hurt Erin—well,fuck him. I could see through the gifts and the paper-thin apology. He hadn’t changed one bit. If she took him back, I’d give him a week—two, tops—before he strayed again.
I strode out of the ice cream shop, and, ashamed and so utterly frustrated with myself for not holding it together, I growled so loud at the sky that a woman walking down the street jolted, her eyes wide.
Bloody hell. I was scaring the tourists.
I raked my hair off my forehead and fell against the brick wall in the alley. What the hell was wrong with me? I was better than this. I was a grown damn man. My mother would clip me around the back of the head if she saw me acting like that. I’d never acted so damn stupid over a woman.
But Erin wasn’t justanywoman, was she?
I was crazy about her.
She never complained once about how sore her back was from sitting in a rigid plastic chair for days beside me at the hospital. I caught her rubbing it when she didn’t think anyone was looking,but when I asked about it, she waved me off with a laugh and asked what game we should play next. It had been the same with Lila.
She was everything. The girl always in my corner. The only person who ever really sawmeand not the mangled, second-born son of a farmer. A true friend.
Erin wasthewoman… and I was doing everything to sabotage myself.
I got out my phone.
Callan
I’m screwing this up.
Cole
You told Erin yet?
I’m trying. Jeremy’s here. What the hell do I do?
Deck him.
My laugh bounced off the brick walls of the alley. Whatever streak of hot temper ran through the other Wolcotts hadn’t made it to me. I could throw a decent punch, but it took a lot to get me to that point, and I was usually dead cold rational when I did. Jeremy tipped me closer to the edge than anyone. I loathed him, but…
He wasn’t going anywhere.
Once the divorce was finalized, that stuck-up bastard would still be Erin’s ex-husband and Matilda’s father. What if my wildest dreams came true? If Erin were mine, she’d want to know I could handle her ex being around like a grown-up and not a baby tossing his toys out of the pram every time our egos collided.
Callan
