14. Sexy Little Cougar
14
SEXY LITTLE COUGAR
ANNA
M y stomach was full of nerves. I couldn’t stomach the food properly, so I excused myself and made my way out of the reception courtyard.
Unknown: you gonna keep ignoring me?
Unknown: stop acting so high and mighty
Unknown: I’m waiting by the garden alcove come now or I’ll come meet my son
I clenched my phone and took a deep breath. I knew that this day would come. But I didn’t predict that it’d come so fast and especially on Aaron’s wedding.
My hands shook, leaning against the wall. The alcove he was talking about was only a few feet from where I was. If he met Aaron, what would he say? I was a bad mom for taking him away?
Shaking my head, I took another deep breath. Lifting my chin high, I marched towards the alcove. Alice was with Jem, and Aaron was laughing with his friends. My kids were safe, and I would do anything to keep them safe.
The scent of smoke was the first thing I noticed. I scoffed. Of course, a no smoking sign won’t stop him.
“Timothy,” I said the name of my ex for the first time in a decade. He turned around, and I blinked at his face and clothes. He looked different. Strange. We were the same age and yet his salt and pepper hair was thinning, a bald spot inching on the sides of his face with dark eye bags underneath his eyes. His eyes were dull and glassy. As if he hadn’t slept well in ages.
“Anna!” He exclaimed, throwing the cigarette on the ground and crushing it with his shoes. At least he was wearing clean dress shoes and a pressed suit. He stepped towards me to hug me, but I stepped back and crossed my arms.
Tim scoffed, lowering his arms and pocketing his hands. “You look… fatter than I last saw you.”
Aah, there it is . The dissing comments about my body. I certainly didn’t miss them, but I wished I had punched the jerk when I was young and stupid in love to take his words seriously.
He had left me with a child, homeless, and full of body insecurity.
“So do you.” I gave him a sweet, saccharine smile. “And a lot balder as well.”
He scowled, mumbling something underneath his breath.
“What’s with the creepy messages?” I asked, itching to go back to the reception. I didn’t feel good being alone with him. It was strange how I’d do anything to get his attention when I was younger, but now I couldn’t stand him. “What do you want?”
He ran a hand through his hair. I saw a hint of his tattoos underneath the dress shirt. I guess he got more than ever since he was in prison. “You should be grateful I reached out. You didn’t even come to pick me up when I was released.”
I let out a loud chuckle, bubbles of laughter spilling out of me. “You’re so delusional, Timothy.” I wiped a tear from the corner of my eye. His scowl got worse, twisting his features in the low light. “You have the audacity to come here to my son’s wedding and ask me, your ex-girlfriend, who you hit in a drunken mess, that I didn’t pick you up from a prison for selling drugs to kids? Did you hit your head somewhere? How stupid can you be?”
I was disgusted. Speaking those words made me wish I could gargle my mouth.
He was a terrible person, and I didn’t want him meddling in my life or my children’s.
“You...” He took a step towards me, but I raised my head high and stared at him. If I was the same old Anna, I might have cowered and apologized to him. “Stop acting like a bitch when I was the one who took you in when your family cut you off!”
“Anna?”
I turned around to look at Kyle and his furrowed brows. I didn’t know he was following me, but I was grateful. Relief washed over me seeing him step closer. He looked between me and Timothy. He stood beside me and asked, “Is everything okay?”
This close, I could smell his sweet, musky perfume with a hint of forest, and it reminded me of rainy weather. It suited him. It was different from the sexy, woody cologne Caleb wore.
Wait, why am I comparing them?
“I-it’s okay, Kyle,” I smiled up at him and looked at Timothy, noticing the height difference between them. Kyle was over six-three, but he never made me feel crowded even though he worked out.
But Timothy…
I sighed. “He was just leaving.”
“Who the fuck is this?” Timothy demanded. “Your ex? I didn’t know you liked ‘em young, Anna.”
“Oh, but she does.” My eyes widened when I saw Caleb strolling in the alcove with a smirk, like he owned the entire land. “She’s such a sexy little cougar in bed. Aren’t you, sugar?”
Sexy cougar?
Sugar?
It wasn’t the right time, but my cheeks heated when he winked at me before looking at Timothy and making a face.
“The question is, which dumpster did you crawl out from and have the balls to talk to her like that?” Caleb said, tilting his head, his dark locks gleaming in the light.
“I was handling it fine, Caleb,” Kyle spoke, making my brows raise.
Why was he … he didn’t even pretend to ignore Caleb’s previous words? I knew it. He had seen us by the pool.
“Really? I didn’t see you handle it and you’re too close to her,” Caleb said, standing on my right.
I swallowed, my mouth feeling dry, standing between two handsome men who were younger than me.
“What the hell? You’ve been up to sleeping around with anyone, Anna?” Timothy glared at me. “You should be ashamed!”
Caleb and Kyle were about to speak up, but I stopped them and said, “I should say that to you. I’m going to be nice because it’s my son’s special day and give you a warning.” I stepped closer and pressed the envelope of money he had left for Aaron to his chest. “Take your filthy money, and never show your face to me or my family again. If you do, I’ll get a restraining order.”
His eyes widened, and I knew he wanted to say much more, try to belittle me, but I could feel the burning death stares from over my shoulder where Kyle and Caleb were standing.
“We’re not done here?—”
“Yes, you are,” Kyle said, his voice deep.
“You heard them,” Caleb said, giving him a dark look. Even I looked away from him at his piercing stare.
Timothy shut his mouth and walked away, in the opposite direction of the wedding. Once he was out of sight, I let out a loud exhale. My muscles relaxed, and I slumped forward, sitting down on the bench.
“Anna, are you okay?” Kyle kneeled, his brown eyes flashing with worry behind his glasses.
“I’m fine.” I gave him a small smile, squeezing his hand on my knee. “Thank you, Kyle.”
“Who the fuck was he?” Caleb asked, sitting down beside me. “Your ex?” He was too close, his biceps covered with suit brushing against my bare arm.
“He’s Aaron’s dad,” I sighed, massaging my temple. It felt relaxing, but it was odd to feel the stares from both. One was sweet and concerned, while the other worried and angry.
“You want me to look up dirt on him?” Caleb asked, his jaw clenching. “I can lock him up again for the rest of his life if you want.”
“Relax, Caleb.” I chuckled at the strange look on his face and squeezed his arm. “I’m not afraid of him.”
“What do you do that you can find dirt on him?” Kyle asked, narrowing his eyes at Caleb.
Good question .
But before he could answer, my happy and drunk son ambled up to us. A half-full bottle of champagne in his hand.
I stood up. “Aaron, honey. What is all this?”
“Oh, hi Caleb! Hi Kyle!” He beamed at us and hugged Caleb.
“Congratulations, man,” Caleb said, holding him up as I took the bottle away from him.
“Thank you!” Aaron’s eyes were bright, and he seemed a little tipsy. “Did you eat the cake? It’s so fucking delicious!”
“I did.” Caleb nodded, patting his shoulder. “It was rainbow colored from the inside.”
“Yeah!” He laughed. Yep, he’s drunk . “Oh, you already met my mom, huh?”
“Yeah, I did— what? ” Caleb stared at me, his eyes widening and lips parting. “Your mom?”
What? Why is he staring at me like that?
“Yeah? That’s great!” Aaron scrunched his face as if he was thinking hard and said, “Mom, meet Caleb Chang. He’s my ex—well, not exactly an ex since all we did was fuc?—”
“ Aaron .” Caleb slapped him hard on the back and said, “Your husband is calling you.”
Wait…
“ Ex? ” I said, looking at Caleb and Aaron.
What the hell?