AllFreeNovel
Share Us
I regarded each of the women and shook my head at their honesty. Emily would love them. I’d been missing her terribly but was looking forward to her visit in a few weeks. Maybe we could ask Lilly to watch the kids and go out with Kyle’s sisters one night. Things would be okay between us, surely. It wasn’t like Kyle and I would have some big blow-up break-up.
It would just…end. I swallowed thickly and shook my head, refusing to harp on that thought.
There would be no drama. No one to blame. And that was a good thing.
Another throat clearing caught my attention. Savannah was looking at me, wearing an expectant expression. She wasn’t giving up, and I didn’t blame her for looking out for her brother.
“I don’t know.” I shrugged. “He’s leaving for New York in a week.”
“So?” Her brows knitted together.
“His life will be there, and mine is here.”
We’d be separated by hundreds of miles. Yes, I’d survived more than my fair share of periods of separation with Levi, but we’d known each other for most of our lives when we married. Kyle and I were just getting to know each other. Weren’t we? He might not have any interest in a long-distance relationship anyway. Even so, I wasn’t sure how the kids would react to it. Neither batted an eye when I told them Kyle was staying towatch a movie with me after they went to bed the other night. The statement was clear and simple, and neither had an issue. If only I’d handled Sunday night’s dilemma the same way.
But damn, I hated that he couldn’t stay the night. Sneaking out after having sex just felt…I don’t know…like we were teenagers worried about getting caught. If he wasn’t leaving for New York, I could see our relationship heading that way, but with the end of this thing between us on the horizon, I didn’t want to send the wrong message to the kids. Or to myself.
“People date long distance all the time. They even start relationships with hundreds of miles between them.”
She brought her glass to her mouth and hid a smirk behind the rim.
“Just ignore her.” Hattie sighed. “She doesn’t have a filter.”
Thankfully, Bella steered the conversation to plans for Ashley’s wedding. I may have tuned some of it out as Savannah’s comments niggled at my subconscious. There was no way I could ask Kyle to stay. I could tell how important this job was to him. But did I want to continue things with him when we’d be so far apart?
My phone vibrated in my pocket. When I pulled it out, I had a new text from Kyle.
Kyle: What do you think about taking the boat out tomorrow?
My stomach churned at just the idea, but Callie would love it.
Me: Sure, sounds great.
Kyle: Have you had enough of my sisters yet?
I pressed my teeth into my bottom lip to keep from laughing and snuck a glance around the island. They were all still engrossed in the wedding planning.
Me: No. They’re great.
Kyle: That’s a lie. I know for a fact they’re a pain in the ass.
A soft chuckle escaped me, and Ashley turned and homed in on the phone in my hand. Then she studied my face, a knowing smirk playing on her lips.
Kyle: Want to start season 15 tonight?
He’d finished season fourteen ofSupernaturala few nights ago, and I’d mentioned that I still needed to finish fifteen. He suggested we watch it together from the beginning. Teddy was born the year it aired, and Levi deployed not long after. Parenting two kids on my own kept me so busy I had no time for TV. Then the following year Levi deployed again, and that time, he didn’t come home.
Me: Sure, sounds good.
Kyle: You sure you’re good rewatching the first handful of episodes?
I had no issue with that, but he was leaving for New York on Friday. I wasn’t sure we would get through all twenty episodes before then, but I liked the idea of trying.
Me: Yeah, it’s been a while. It’ll be a good refresher.
I slid my phone back into my pocket, a smile playing on mylips. It was so simple, watching a TV show together, but the thought of it made my heart sing. When I looked back up at the women gathered around the kitchen island, instead of finding just that one knowing smirk aimed at me, I found four.
Chapter Twenty-Six
