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Every part of me wants to stay, tuck her into my side, and protect her from whatever garbage will spew from Kevin’s mouth. I don’t want her to stand alone against him.
But she didn’t even tell me she had kids. This isn’t my fight. We barely know each other, and she doesn’t want me here.
Isn’t that for the best? Doesn’t that suit me just fine?
I don’t do complications. I’m not the type of guy who can stand by a woman’s side through thick and thin. Not when I know I should be on my own.
Still…instinct blares at me to stay. To protect.
But Trina just gives me a nod, and with a sigh, I make my way outside to the line of bikes and passengers waiting for their scoot around the block.
When we get back, Trina and her asshole ex are gone.
Later, I end up driving to the Cedar Grove with the boys, but as soon as I walk in, all I can think about is my evening with Trina in here. The place seems duller, darker without her, and I can’t bear to be here. I turn right around, then freeze.
“Hey, handsome,” Belinda says from the doorway. She’s wearing a tight top that shows off far too much cleavage, and I can’t help comparing it to the classy, effortlessly sexy clothing Trina usually wears. The two of them are like night and day.
“Belinda.” I clear my throat, wondering if I can get outside without speaking to her.
“You never called me after last time I came to see you.” She pouts, and it’s not cute.
I glance over my shoulder at my father and brother, who are most definitely listening to every word. Turning back to Belinda, I sigh. “Can I speak to you outside?”
She gives me a seductive smile, and I fight the urge to roll my eyes. “Of course, big boy,” she purrs.
We walk out into the late afternoon, and I know there’s no excuse now. I need to find the words to get Belinda to leave me alone, once and for all.
If I took even a second to examine that thought, I’d realize that it’s because of Katrina. I’d realize that it’s important to me to cut ties to all other women, as stale and tenuous as they might be.
If I took a moment to admit to myself that what I feel for Trina might not be your run-of-the-mill need for a hard fuck, I might hesitate and lose my nerve. I might retreat and push Trina away.
But I don’t think of any of that.
I look at the woman in front of me. “Belinda, I’ve told you time and time again that it’s not appropriate for us to see each other.”
“My son isn’t even at this school anymore, Mac.” She scoffs, rolling her eyes.
“I’m not interested.” My voice is hard, and Belinda’s face changes in an instant. She goes from sultry and flirty to furiously angry.
Her lips curl down and her eyes grow dark. “Excuse me?”
“I’m just being honest. This has gone on long enough.”
Belinda arches an eyebrow. “Oh yeah? I’ll go to the principal and tell her all about our affair together. You’ll lose your job.”
“Our ‘affair’ was one night after the end of the school year, and it was a mistake.”
She flinches. With a hand on her hip, Belinda purses her lips and shakes her head. “I waited around for you for four years, Mac, and this is how you repay me?”
“I didn’t ask you to do that. I told you I didn’t want to see you anymore.”
“No, Mac. You told me it wasn’t appropriate for us to see each other. You kept me on the hook for years, only to turn around and tell me you don’t want me now that my son is out of your school. You couldn’t have done that four years ago? You couldn’t have been honest with me?” She scoffs, shaking her head as she stares at the sky. “You’re an asshole and a tease, Mac.” Then she turns on her heels and stomps toward her minivan.
I stand rooted to the spot until she’s out of the parking lot and out of sight.
Closing my eyes for a brief moment, I push away the uncomfortable truth in her words. I did dodge her advances for years, if only to avoid awkward confrontation at my work. Maybe it would have been better to be honest—but would I have risked repercussions at work? Would it have blown up in my face?
I did the best I could do at the time. I tried to let her down as gently as I could.
