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“Tomorrow night?”he asks as Chase runs back into the living room.
“Yeah.”I drag a hand through my stinky hair and force a smile.“Aaron’s staying with us while he recovers.I texted you about it this morning, didn’t I?I would swear I did.”
“No, you didn’t,” Ben says, the muscle in his jaw clenching.
I exhale.“Oh, shoot.It must not have sent.Service has been sketchy at the catering office lately.”
“Since when?”Ben asks, but I ignore him, breezing past him to the fridge.
I open it, grabbing a seltzer water and a beat to compose myself before kicking it shut.“So, yeah, he’s staying with us for a bit.It seemed like a no-brainer.I have an extra room.He’s happy to watch Chase every once in a while when I have to stay late at work, so I don’t have to beg my family for help all the time.It’s a win-win.”
“He’s a stranger and…” Ben glances over his shoulder, ensuring we’re still alone before adding in a harsh whisper, “and an asshole.You hate this guy, Mel.He bullied you when you were a kid.Now, all of a sudden, you’re trusting him with ours?”
“It’s not like that.”I set my seltzer down on the counter hard enough to send water fizzing out of the top.
“Then what is it like?”he presses.“What the hell is going on with you?Between this and all the things you’re forgetting lately, it feels like I don’t know you anymore.”
Flinching at the insult, one that goes straight to my frazzled, exhausted last nerve, I snap, “Welcome to the club, Ben.I guess now you know how it feels.”
He steps back, the color draining from his face.
I instantly feel terrible, but instead of apologizing, I do what I do when I’m cornered.I double down, adding, “You blindsided me with the whole Radcliffe thing.Now, I’ve blindsided you with Aaron.Let’s call it even.Now, please, I need you to go.I have to get ready to go or we’ll be late.Wesley’s grilled cheese is bad enough when it doesn’t have time to get cold and soggy.”
He gives a tight shake of his head.“Okay, but this isn’t over.If you’re involved with this guy… If you’re moving a boyfriend into your house with my son, that’s a much longer discussion.”
I want to snap back that he doesn’t get to tell me what I can do with my life or my son or my vagina, but that would only escalate this more than it’s escalated already.
For no reason.
Aaron isn’t my boyfriend and he’s not moving in.This is just a temporary arrangement.But the fact that Ben doesn’t trust my judgment, that he actually thinks I would put our baby, the kid who means more to me than anything in the world, in danger, really chaps my ass.
It’s so chapped, in fact, that I can barely force out, “I’m not involved with Aaron.He’s only staying here because he’s uncomfortable at his gram’s house.”
Ben’s eyes narrow.“What?Why?”
“Because my gram and her boyfriend are really horny and really loud,” Aaron says, appearing in the doorway.“Like…really loud.It was interfering with my mental health and my nap schedule.I basically begged Mel to let me stay here, and I promise I won’t do anything to abuse her generosity.I can give you a few character references to call if you’d like.I understand wanting to make sure your kid is safe, but I’m no threat, man.Scout’s honor.”
Ben arches a brow.“You were a Boy Scout?”
“Yeah.”Aaron flashes one of his megawatt grins.“Only for a couple years and mostly because I loved setting marshmallows on fire, but that still counts, right?”He lifts his hand in surrender again.“And I’m over the firebug thing.Mostly.Though I do have a lot of candles at my new place in Minneapolis.”
“Speaking of your new place,” Ben says crisply, “do you need someone to drive you back to the city?If you’re capable of taking care of my son with one arm, I’m sure you’re capable of taking care of yourself.Minneapolis has a lot more food and cookie delivery options than Bad Dog.I’m sure you’d be more comfortable recovering there.”
Aaron smiles at him for a long beat, long enough to make Ben’s jaw muscle clench again.“I understand you’re having feelings right now, Ben,” he finally says in a soothing voice I can tell is already on Ben’s last nerve.“But I don’t owe you any explanations for my behavior.I’m staying with Melissa, grateful for her kind offer, and committed to doing your family no harm.That’s all you need to know.”Ben pulls in a breath but before he can speak, Aaron turns to me, “I’m going to head upstairs to take my pain pill and grab a quick nap, Mel.Have fun at Wesley’s and please bring back fancy grilled cheese leftovers if you have any.”
I nod.“Will do, and thanks for watching Chase.Sounds like he had a great time.”
“My pleasure.He’s a cool kid.”Aaron smiles and gives me a quick salute, throwing a friendly, “Drive safe, Ben,” over his shoulder as he leaves.
When he’s gone, Ben turns to me with an arched brow.
The part of me that still considers Ben my best friend and partner wants to apologize for forgetting to text him and smooth his feathers before sending him on his way.But the part of me that’s hurt by his lack of faith in my mothering skills wins out.I arch a brow in return.“Yes, please do drive safe.I’ll touch base with you about the next drop off soon.”
“So, we aren’t having family dinner tomorrow night?”Ben asks, sounding a little hurt.
But he cancelled weekly dinners last month (after first changing them to Wednesdays, instead of our usual twice a week).He said it was too disruptive to his schedule to come over so often, and I really don’t need the stress of sitting at a dinner table with my ex-husband and my one-night stand after a day of making baby shower cakes.
Ugh, even the thought is enough to make my skin crawl.
