AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“I never wanted a baby brother,” Davis mutters.
Asshole.I elbow him in the ribs right.
Dad bursts out, “I fucking love you, Noelle. You have no idea how much I’ve been missing you. I never, ever got over you.”
And just like that, my divorced parents are standing there in my hallway, full-blown making out. Groping and French kissing and traumatizing me like I’ve never been traumatized before.
“Okay. So, this is getting very, very awkward,” Davis says loudly. Our parents ignore him. “Anyway, we’re just gonna, um, catch up with you guys later.” Still no response. “Maybe?” My brother nudges me back toward the kitchen. “All right, then. Take as long as you need to figure out…whatever all that is.”
I think my jaw is dragging on the floor. I drop my weight against the edge of the sink. My brother and I just stare at each other for a long minute.
And then, we break out laughing.
“What the fuck did we just witness?” I ask Davis between chortles, hoping he has the answers I don’t.
Sixteen years. Sixteen years our parents have been divorced. And now, this?
Snorting with dumbfounded laughter, Davis shakes his head, looking just as stunned as I feel. “Evidence that, now and then, lovedoesprevail. No matter the circumstances.”
This turn of events may be comical. And shocking. And completely unexpected. But it gives me hope.
Maybe Icanwork things out with Nadia. Maybe if I look hard enough, there might be a path forward for us after all.
Fuck it—I can’t just sit by and allow her to slip through my fingers. I’m not letting the best thing that ever happened to me get away.
49
NADIA
“See how many matches I’ve got?” Delores tilts her phone across the table, proudly showing off the dating app on her screen.
Old Mrs. Bellino whistles. “Way to go, D. Do you think you have a future with any of them?”
Delores shakes her head. “I’m not too worried about the future. I definitely see potential for tonight, though.” She waggles her brows.
My grandmother scans over her best friend’s screen and groans, pointing at a guy who might be in his forties or fifties. “Oh, come on. He’s too young for you.”
“Why can’t I have him? I can be a cougar.” Delores does a little shimmy, shaking thegirls.
Update—she and George broke up over the debacle concerning her will. According to Delores, she realized just in time that the man was nothing but a gold digger.
For five whole minutes, she was absolutely devastated. Yet here she is ready to dive right back into love like she didn’t just get her heart broken. Meanwhile, I can’t even fathom ever trying to find love again.
I shake my head and it weighs a ton. “Don’t do it, Delores. It’s not worth it,” I tell her sadly, passing out today’s French worksheets to the seniors.
“What? Sure it is…” She smiles softly. “Having a warm place to lay your head is always worth it.”
Granny reaches for my hand. “Still no word from your husband, dear.”
“Still no word,” I confirm. “And honestly, I don’t expect him to come running to me. Not after what happened.”
“You still haven’t given us the details of your situation with Harry,” Delores reminds me. “It’s a little hard for us to help you when we don’t know what went on.”
I shrug. “I’m sorry, I can’t.” I’ve already bungled my lawyerly obligations in too many ways to count. As much as I’m dying for someone to confide in, I won’t make things worse by continuing to blabber away at the mouth.
I guess I’m just going to have to carry this heartache in silence.
The worst part is having to put on a smile and carry on with business as usual. Going to the office everyday to work off the two weeks that I still owe Liam, the tension in the hallways as my coworkers wonder why I’ve suddenly quit my job, watching the parade of stellar candidates interviewing for my position. All of it is killing me.
