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5
Amber pulled up to the gas station on the outskirts of Billings and scanned for her ex’s truck. Seeing it parked across the lot, she pulled in next to it, but saw he wasn’t inside the vehicle. Stepping out of the van, she picked up her phone and called his number, not wanting the kids to hear any fight they may have.
“Hello.”
“I’m here. Where are you?” Amber thought he would be waiting outside for her. The man practically had a tracker on her phone at times it seemed. Knowing exactly when and where she’d be. It was another one of his games, she’d inconvenienced him and wasted half his day, he would return the favor.
“I’ll be out in a few. Just came in to have a cup of coffee. You were late you know.”
“Sorry. I explained that. I’ll be waiting for you.” Amber disconnected the call and glanced in the rear passenger window.
Both kids had fallen asleep, but they had just started stirring a bit.
Slipping back into her seat, she touched her daughter’s leg. “Honey. We’re here come on wake up.”
Maisie moved a bit then opened her eyes with a loud yawn. “Mommy? Where’s daddy?”
“He’ll be here in a few minutes. Callum kiddo, come on we’re here. You don’t want to keep daddy waiting.”
Her son moaned and rubbed his eyes. He was so cute when he was sleeping.
Considering their eventful day so far, Amber felt bad that it had been such a long trip. With the accident and the added time at the gas station, while she got the MCs information it had taken her more than three hours to get to her ex. No wonder he was pissed off.
Through the front window of the van, she saw him walking across the parking lot from the restaurant attached to the gas station. As he walked up, he appeared to have a smile on his face so hopefully, he wasn’t too mad. With each step, she could see deeper into the man she knew too well.
Fear, stark and cold raced up her back into her neck. She reached to rub the muscles and tried to catch the knot before it caught hold and relax to stave off a headache. That’s all she would need. Thinking about her children, she breathed out, rolled the window down, and waited for Kevin to arrive.
“Hi Amber. Glad you could make it.”
“Kevin, look don’t start with me with the kids here. I’m sorry I was late. They’re ready to go. I’ll get their bags.” She opened the door and stepped out.
“Can the grown-ups have a few words?” he asked, waving at the kids before following Amber to the back of the van.
She bit back the overwhelming need to say they were one grown up short for a conversation. Kevin could say whatever he wanted, she’d matured in the few years since they called it quits.
“I’ve been thinking about us and decided I want you back Amber. Look Vicki isn’t working out and I’ve asked her not to come around anymore. I want you to move back home.” The perfect blond hair, slicked back with just enough product to make it impenetrable by the wind, but not so much you would think brick wall if you reached up to touch it faced her. Killer smile and sincere with a hint bullshit eyes tried to pull her into his orbit. “We can make it work.”
“This week is busy, I’m gonna have to say not now Kevin. I’m happy right where I am.” Amber worried he wasn’t going to settle for her explanation. They went through this every time he broke up with a new girlfriend. Usually, it was the woman that left him. While he was nicest man, the particularities of who and what he expected made it tough to be around him. Harder still to explain why one would ever think to leave and yet, it seems, another had.
“Come on Amber. For the kids?” Kevin helped the kids out of the van and walked them toward his truck.
Amber followed him, passing Callum’s booster seat and waited to help the kids into the back of his vehicle. Latching the belt through and making sure it was secure. Though, she hadn’t seen the driver of the pick-up truck, being tossed out was enough to tell her the man hadn’t been strapped in. At some point, she considered bubble wrapping the kids and keeping them with her at all times. The best way to deal with Kevin was to avoid any discussion. Her ex had zero ability to be on his own, which meant all she had to do was dodge her way past his inane suggestions until they passed. A good swift breeze might clear his brain of the whole notion.
“Goodbye kids. I’ll see you on Monday.” Amber kissed her hands and few times and blew them kisses.
“What about me?” Kevin practically whined. “No kiss goodbye.”
Don’t say it, don’t say it, don’t say it.Amber tamped down the urge to tell him exactly where he could find her kiss goodbye, but she was being a grown up and settled on being civil. “Kevin I’ll meet you here at six, same time as always.”
“Just make sure you’re on time. I hate waiting around for you.”
“Look I haven’t been late before.”
His eyebrow rose.
“Okay, I haven’t beenthislate before. I told you what happened today. It was the truth. The wreck was massive and I had to help the injured.”
“Wait, you said the interstate was shut down.” Kevin’s face twisted in anger.
