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"Ainsley, Brittany found out somehow what has been going on between us."
"Yeah, about that. Apparently, my father called and spoke with her," I bit out, worried at what he was going to say next. "He said he felt she should know what was going on between us. I don't know why my dad just can’t stay out of it."
The phone was silent. I could barely even hear Spencer breathing on the other end. I was beginning to think he had hung up so I just said what came to my mind. "I tried to tell him everything was consensual and that we were in love—"
"She's threatened to take Nikki from me, Ainsley," Spencer interjected.
It felt as if all the air had been sucked out of the room, and if I thought I was going to be sick before I was really going to be sick now as the room started to spin. I knew how much Nikki meant to Spencer, and I knew that something like this would devastate him if she actually went through with it. "Can she do that? I mean…"
"Yes. If she deems my place to be unsafe place, and that I’m irresponsible, all she needs to do is call her lawyer. They will investigate and it will be over. Ainsley, I can't lose Nikki."
"I'm sorry, Spencer. I hate my father right now."
"I'm sorry, too, Ainsley.” His voice shook, “I think it might be best if for the time being we just go our separate ways until things cool off."
My hand immediately covered my mouth and tears spilled down my cheeks. I could barely breathe as Spencer continued talking, and the lump that sat in my throat hurt like hell. It was only a few more minutes before he had finished saying all he needed to say and then I heard him utter good-bye. I sunk to the kitchen floor, my feet unable to hold me, as my heart broke.
"How was your massage?" Carly asked as she took a sip of her cucumber water.
"Fine." I sat down in the lounge chair beside Carly, leaned back, closed my eyes, and let out a huge sigh. My entire body ached from all the stress I’d been dealing with over the last couple weeks.
"I know you think your life is over, but could you at least act as if you are enjoying yourself?" Carly said, looking over at me with a worried expression on her face.
"Please, just stop. You have no idea what I’m going through."
"I do. I have been involved with someone before you know."
"It's not the same. You really have no idea, Carly. I'm so mad at my dad right now. He has made my life hell."
"No, he didn't, you did that. I told you not to get involved with Spencer. I told you right from the start this whole ordeal would end with nothing but trouble, but you refused to listen."
I rolled my eyes. I was so tired of listening to her go on about this. I met her eyes, which gleamed nothing but ‘I told you so.’ "Please, for once, can you just be on my side, please."
Carly grabbed her robe and swung her legs over the side so she could sit up. "Look, I'm sorry. I feel bad for you, I really do. I just..."
"I know you just feel that I am getting what I deserve. You told me so, I know."
Carly's face fell at my words. I knew I wasn't being fair to her, but I was tired of my best friend not taking how I felt into consideration. I leaned my head back against the lounge chair and closed my eyes, trying to find something other than my troubles to talk about.
"What are you going to do about the job?"
I blew out a breath and looked out the sunroom windows at the lake. "I don't want to quit, but that is what my dad wants, and I am sure Brittany will be urging Spencer to let me go. So, my father will get his way in some regard. I will probably just put in a transfer. I do like working there, it’s good money, and Christmas is right around the corner."
"Might be for the best. I'm glad to see that you are making the right decision in that regard."
"What is that supposed to mean?" I exclaimed, sitting up and looking at Carly, ready for a fight.
"Nothing. We should get changed and head down for lunch."
I watched Carly as she stood up, avoiding eye contact with me. I knew there was some meaning behind her comment. I just didn't know what it was in this moment. "I'll be along in a minute," I whispered as Carly got up and made her way toward the changing room.
Once Carly left the room, I leaned back on the lounge chair I was sitting on and tried to think everything through. I had been the one to start all of this. I had lit the fire, and now I was the one who was getting burned.
I picked up my cell phone and checked it for messages, praying there was one from Spencer telling me that he was sorry and had made a mistake, but there was nothing more from him. I took a minute and started composing a message to him, but halfway through, something stopped me and I deleted it. I had to let him go, I just needed to figure out how to do it.
Spencer
I sat across from my ex-wife. She sat there with a scowl on her face, her arms crossed over her chest as she glared at me. The tension in the room could have been cut with a knife. It seriously felt like our divorce proceedings all over again. I drummed my fingers on the table, more to annoy her than anything. She had come to pick Nikki up my weekend with her, and she looked even more miserable now than she did when she dropped her off.
