Page 40 of Second Chances

“Do you really think it could be your ex?” he asked, turning back to her.

She thought about it, about all the times Brock had sent those same words to her, over and over, every time he’d believed he’d caught her in a lie or cheating. She nodded her head slowly.

“Why? I mean, we weren’t, hadn’t…” He shook his head. “We’d only run into each other a few times by then.”

“That doesn’t matter. Brock used to be jealous of any man I talked to.” She glanced around. “It confirms my suspicion that he’s either close by or has a buddy watching me.” She leaned back on the bench and crossed her arms over her chest. “Eric and Brock have been best friends since grade school.” She glanced out over the flowers surrounding them. “Eric works in town at the gas station.”

She thought about the only man in town that had not believed her side of the story when Brock had broken her arm. For the first couple months after Brock had been arrested, Eric harassed her so much that she’d stopped using that gas station and had made a point to drive out of town to get her gas. She still did to this day.

Then she thought about what this could mean for Todd. If it was Brock who had sent that text instead of a madman out to kill him and his team.

“If it was Brock instead of…”—she lowered her voice— “the person who killed the members of your team, what does that mean?” Did it mean that his security team would leave? Somehow, she’d felt safer with them in town. If someone, someday could come after Todd, she wanted to know that he was safe.

“That means that I need to give my CO a call.” They both glanced over when everyone cheered on the game on the set. “Go on over, grab some food. I’ll make a quick call and be over.”

She understood that he wanted to be alone for the call and stood up and walked over to her friends. She was instantly engulfed in a few hugs, then she sat next to her daughter with a plate full of food.

From across the yard, she watched him pull out his phone and talk as he paced the small grassy area.

When he was done, he joined the rest of them at the bar and tables and ate while cheering the game on.

When the sun started to set, Simona was sitting on Todd’s lap on the sofa while she sat next to them surrounded by her friends. When she noticed her daughter’s head rolling as she started falling asleep, she suggested that it was time they head home.

Todd stood up, easily shifting Simona into his arms, and carried her daughter to her car. She watched as Todd gently placing Simona in her car seat and then stood back so Olivia could strap her daughter in and shut the door. She turned towards him, and he pulled her into his arms and gently kissed her.

“I’m glad you came today,” she said with a slight sigh.

“Me too.” He smiled. “Besides our team losing, today was a very lucky day. I’d like tomorrow to be even luckier.”

She smiled and wrapped her arms around his shoulders. “Mondays are my days off. Simona and I were going to head out to find a spot for a picnic. You’re welcome to tag along.”

“Sounds perfect.” He sighed when his cell phone rang in his pocket.

“I’ll text you the details,” she said and moved to get into her car. He stopped her by giving her one more kiss that had her toes curling.

“Night,” he said before answering the call.

The entire short drive home, she played over the highlights of the day, how wonderful it had been to have a man enjoy her friends. Brock had shied away from hanging out with anyone she knew. Most of the time, she’d been stuck listening to him and his friends, usually Eric, play video games or drink themselves silly. They’d never hung out with other married couples. It was nice, being around other people that she had things in common with.

Getting Simona shuffled into the house used up the rest of her energy. When her daughter was safely tucked in her bed fast asleep, Olivia decided a nice long bath and one more glass of wine was just what she needed.

She always had a jar of Crystal’s bath salts or some of her bath bombs on hand and dropped some into the water. The water turned a soft purple color as the scent of lavender filled the room. She poured herself a glass of wine and slid under the warm water and wished more than anything that she was back on the island with Todd, sitting in the hot tub.

Smiling, she pulled out her phone and sent him a text message of her toes poking out of the water next to the candle she’d lit.

“Wishing it was bubbles from a hot tub with you beside me.”

She set the phone down after a few moments when he didn’t reply, figuring he must be fast asleep. She’d just relaxed back when his reply came.

A picture almost matching hers flashed on her screen. His feet poked out of clear water, and instead of a candle, it was a flashlight.

“Sorry, I couldn’t find any candles. But yeah, wishing I could be there too.”

She laughed and then sank a little under the water.

“I’d ask you what you’re wearing, but I can imagine instead,” his next text said.

“You could always stop by the store Tuesday for early morning yoga and get some candles,” she texted back.