Chapter 24
Twenty-Four
Zach
Work, done.
Girls dropped off at Mom’s for the weekend, check.
Dusk has settled around me as I drive back home, the sapphire blue-sky bleeding into inky darkness on the horizon. I told Lou I’ll message her when I get home.
Excitement and nerves and desire all mingle in the center of my chest like a kaleidoscope, and I can’t wait to get back to the house.
Can’t wait to see Louise. To continue what we’ve started on multiple occasions now.
I haven’t been able to concentrate on anything all day. The anticipation is nearly unbearable.
But it’s made it all the sweeter, too.
Heated glances and secret, frantic kisses stolen when the girls weren’t looking.
I feel like a teenager again.
I’m tempted to pull my phone out of my pocket and send a text to Louise right now, but I don’t. Not while I’m driving.
I’ve seen too many accidents that were completely avoidable involving texting and driving. My girls know that’s my number one rule, too.
Besides, I’m only a few minutes away from home. I can wait.
But pulling into the driveway five minutes later, my heart drops into my stomach.
A gold minivan is parked out front, the taillights glowing red in the dark.
Fuck. My. Life.
Pulling into my parking spot in front of my house, I shut the truck off and climb out at the same time that she does. I walk to the front of the vehicles and stop, crossing my arms over my chest.
Her blue eyes scan the truck behind me, peering into the windows.
“They’re not here,” I mutter darkly.
Those eyes lift to mine, and I can’t help the residual ache that pulls at my sternum.
It’s not that I miss her. Not even a little bit. And it’s not sadness. Maybe, grief? Grief at feeling like I somehow failed my family by not being able to make her happy enough to stay.
Shaking the despondent thought out of my head, I shift on my feet, staring down at her.
“Hi, Zach.”
“Britt.” Glancing at the minivan next to us, I say, “You’re not supposed to be here.”
“I was hoping to stop by and see the girls. I wanted to say hi.”
Bracing my feet shoulder width apart, I glare down at my soon-to-be ex-wife. She ignores my statement, as usual. Trying a different tactic, I mutter, “You haven’t seen them in six months, Brittanee. Why today?”
“I miss them,” she says quietly, but I don’t change my demeanor in the slightest. When she realizes that I’m not buying the act, she switches to matching my own stance and crossing her arms over her chest, too. The sweet and innocent performance dissolves quickly, as always. “Where are they, Zach?”
“Not here.”
“I want to see my daughters,” she demands sharply, tossing her blond hair over her shoulder to glare up at me.
“They’re not here, Brittanee. I don’t know what to tell you.
Maybe a little heads up, and they wouldn’t have plans already lined up.
” Notching my chin toward her still running vehicle, I grunt, “All of our correspondence is supposed to be through the lawyers. You’re not even supposed to be here. You need to go.”
Headlights pull into the driveway and I groan internally. I maintain eye contact with my ex as Louise pulls into her driveway next door. Her engine shuts off, and then I hear the car door open and close.
I’m silently begging her to just go inside. Go inside and don’t call any attention to herself, or to us. Because if Britt senses even a sniff of something going on between us, she’s going to raise fucking hell tonight.
And I don’t have the energy or the patience to deal with my ex flying off the goddamn handle over another woman saying hello to me.
As usual, I have shit luck when it comes to anything having to do with my sexy little neighbor, so I harden my features when she calls over, “Hey, Zach.”
I raise one hand in a brief, dismissive wave, and when Britt turns to look at who has just called me out by name, I take the distraction to shake my head in warning. God, please get the hint. Go inside, Princess.
Louise had taken a step toward us, but at the shake of my head, she glances between me and the petite blond still watching her. I see the moment understanding dawns, and she smiles cheerily, waving once more before taking the steps up to her porch.
“Have a good night!” she calls at her door, but I can’t seem to force my vocal cords to work properly to respond. It comes out as a gruff grunt, and I cough to clear my throat when Britt turns back around to face me.
“Who is that?” Britt demands, using her thumb to point back over her shoulder at where Louise has disappeared into her house.
“A new neighbor,” I say simply, shrugging. “Nobody.”
“She seemed awfully friendly for being a nobody, Zachary.”
Rolling my eyes, I let my head fall back until I’m staring at the rapidly darkening sky. There are no clouds, but a full moon has ascended. Only a handful of stars are visible tonight.
“She’s a fucking neighbor, Britt. Am I not allowed to have polite neighbors now, too?”
“Don’t be an ass.”
I chuff darkly, then exhale while shaking my head. “Look, the girls are not here. I’m going inside to bed. You need to leave.”
“I want to talk to Abigail.”
“It’s not going to happen, Britt.”
“Where are they?”
I’m already shaking my head. “I’m not telling you that. There’s zero reason for you to go rolling up wherever they are and causing problems this late at night. It’ll just upset them. Besides, you’re supposed to ask for visitation time through our lawyers.”
“I’m their mother, Zach.”
This time, my laugh is loud and derisive. “Coulda fooled me.”
Her eyes narrow on my face, her arms ramrod straight at her sides. “You’re a bastard.”
“Well aware.” I turn, giving her my back as I climb the steps to my front porch. “Go back to whatever hole you crawled out of, Britt.”
“I swear to God, if I find out you’re sleeping with that tramp next door—”
Rage settles heavy in my chest and each limb, and it takes every fucking ounce of willpower not to snap. I know it will do no good, and only fuel Britt’s assumption. So, I keep walking until I get to the front door, the heavy wood slamming closed behind me, and don’t look back once.