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Oh sweet heavens. He was right. This was going to be a challenge because they’d have to spend more time together than they normally did.
But if she got through it, then Billy would have a great opportunity, there’d be plenty of college money for the boys—and any other money they might need—and she’d be able to move on with her life. Win-win-win. It would be worth it.
“We should keep the focus on the boys. It’s all about them, not us, and definitely not me.”
He ran a hand over the back of his head, still looking puzzled. “Where is this coming from, Jenna? I didn’t know you had a problem with compliments.”
The problem was when he used that gentle voice, when he said sweet words with so much sincerity, she wanted to melt on the floor at his feet.
But she couldn’t tell him that. “If you’re too nice, it’ll look fake to the reporter.”
He tipped his head. “Whatever you want. I’m just grateful you’re up for this. Grateful in a not-nice way,” he added quickly. “Kind of a crabby, mean grateful.”
“Thank you.” She was ready for him to go now. He seemed to sense it, so he headed toward the door, snatching up his coat he’d left on the back of a chair.
“Wait.” He turned back. “Won’t I look like a jerk if I can’t be nice to you in front of the reporter?”
“Just…act professional.”
“Professional,” he said blankly. “Professional what?”
“We’re professional co-parents. Think of it that way.”
“Hm.” He shrugged on his coat, an old hunting jacket in red and black plaid. The bright side was that it hid his muscular form. The down side was that it gave him an extra dose of rugged appeal. “Well, this should be interesting.”
She didn’t exhale completely until he’d left, when she sank onto the couch, on the opposite end of where he’d been sitting.
This should be interesting.
That it would.
Then again, life with Billy, before, during and after their marriage, was always interesting.
Five
Pete was overjoyed that Billy was willing to do the profile. “The ex too? Love it.”
“Her name is Jenna.” Billy gritted his teeth as he made that correction, not for the first time.
“Listen, I can barely remember the current wives. Give me a break. I’ll get this set up, you focus on keeping fit. No slacking off this winter. The Dragons might want to fly you in for an in-person meeting.
“Got it.”
“And no partying, right? No bars, no clubs, no—”
“Fuck you, Pete. I told you all that’s over. Besides, who’s going to notice in itty-bitty Lake Bittersweet, Minnesota?”
Pete was already gone, as was his habit. Billy had never once gotten a “goodbye” from him on the phone.
But keeping fit was an excellent idea. Sometimes a guy just needed a long, pounding run. It had nothing to do with blotting out thoughts of a certain blond ex-wife, or ridding himself of excess sexual energy. Nope, nothing like that. Just trying to keep in shape.
Billy put on his winter workout gear and went for a jog down one of the trails that wound through the eastern-shore neighborhoods. He wore his ear buds so he could listen to music as he ran, and so he didn’t miss any calls from Jenna or his brothers or anyone else he actually cared about.
His mother was back in rehab. He’d already sent money for that and knew he wouldn’t hear anything from her until she was out. Maybe this would be the one that worked, but he knew better than to get his hopes up. In meetings, he talked a lot about his guilt that he’d been able to quit, and she struggled so much. You gotta live your life, not someone else’s, his sponsor said. Words were so easy compared to reality.
After pounding the dirt road to the tune of a thrash metal band, he switched to Duolingo. Might as well learn some Japanese, just in case. He and Jenna were going to wow this reporter, he was going to get this contract, and Anson Bones, the new manager, could suck it.
“Hoomuran,” he repeated after the Duolingo narrator. That was how you said “home run” in Japanese, apparently. So far, so good.
