Chapter 11
Alex
That nightI meet Drew for drinks at one of his favorite places. I’m really not in the fucking mood for any conversation he wants to have given that I’d guess they all revolve around her, and we’re never going to see eye to eye. But I’m willing to give him the benefit of the doubt this once, mostly because I want the opportunity to tell him to go fuck himself if he does anything but tell me what a piece of shit he is for treating her the way he did.
“Thanks for meeting me. I know you have a lot going on,” he says when he reaches the table, late as usual.
I shrug half-heartedly and take a sip of the drink I’d ordered while I waited.
“Sounds like you have less these days.”
“I don’t know what she told you about how things went down or why we got divorced but I’m well aware I fucked up where she’s concerned.”
“I told you before you got married to her that you needed to get your shit in order. That she wasn’t going to put up with any of it.”
“Yeah, well I learned my lesson the hard way.”
“I don’t really want to gossip about her like a couple of teenagers, so is there a point to this?”
“Yes. I want to get our shit straight on this. Clear the air. Especially if the two of you are going to be putting on this show.”
“How she and I interact really isn’t any of your business anymore.”
“She was my wife, and you’re one of my closest friends and a client. I’m pretty sure I get a fucking opinion. Especially since I’m covering for you.”
I don’t like the hint of a threat in that statement.
“You can have an opinion. Can’t stop you from that.”
The server drops off his drink at the table and he frowns at it for a second before he speaks again.
“I’ll get to the point—I want her back. I fucked up, majorly. But I want her back, and I’m going to do everything I can to show her I’ve changed. I thought this could work in both our favors—you pretending to date her. It keeps you out of trouble, and as long as she’s dating you, she can’t be dating anyone else. That gives me time to get my act together again. Try to show her I can be better for her. Be the guy I should have been all along.”
“You had years to do that, Drew. Literal fucking years to prove to her you were the right guy while she wore your ring on her finger.”
“Yeah, well I never felt like I deserved her. I always felt like she was too good for me and—”
“So you showed her by sticking your dick where it didn’t belong?”
“I had a fucking problem. I know. But the women I slept with… weren’t her. You know? They were soft and easy, and not nearly so… everything she is. Not a force to be fucking reckoned with like her. I run multi-million-dollar accounts, and I still feel like I lived in her shadow. She’s always so fucking smart and clever. Everyone loves her and on top of that, she’s such a do-gooder. Helping with community events. Doing donation drives. Working with Violet and the rest of them to help support local initiatives and charities. I couldn’t keep up with all of that… I just wanted to sit on the couch and watch a game. Drink a beer. So yeah, I sunk to vices that made me feel better. And you know as well as I do that fucking someone who thinks you’re amazing just for existing is good for your ego.”
“What I know is fucking your wife who loved and adored you, and did anything and everything you asked for, including putting up with your fucking family and schedule and all your vices with a smile on her face should have been the only thing you were doing. I honestly can’t fucking believe you’re trying to defend this to me.”
“Because you’re so much fucking better.” There’s a bitter sarcasm in his tone.
“I don’t have a wife. Trust me, if I did—especially one like you had, I wouldn’t have a problem keeping my eyes on the only thing I cared about.”
“One like I had? Or the one I had? You gonna finally admit you have a thing for her?”
“What I have or didn’t have is none of your business.”
“What you had was my business if it was when she and I were married.”
“It was before you were married.”
“What?” The color in his face drains.
“She wanted me first.”
“What the fuck are you talking about?”
“I met Harper before you did. Violet introduced us. I spent a whole fucking night with her.”
“You slept with my wife, and you didn’t tell me?”
“I didn’t sleep with her, and she wasn’t your wife then. I spent a night with her. We were up talking about life, dreams, and all that kinda shit. But I was hard into my one night only phase at the time, and I told her I couldn’t offer more than that. She said she deserved more. She was right.” I press my lips together, staring out the window for a minute. “When she and I figured out that the two of you were dating later, and who we were to each other, we decided it wasn’t worth saying anything. She told me she had feelings for you and didn’t want to make things weird. ‘Nothing happened between us anyway except for kissing a few times so why tell him.’ So I agreed. She seemed happy with you, and I didn’t want to fuck that up for either of you. Now I feel guilty I didn’t speak up when I had the chance. Could have saved her all your bullshit.”
“I got what you couldn’t have, and you couldn’t fucking stand it. Now it all makes sense. The way you looked at her. Why you were saying the shit you did on our wedding day. Jesus Christ that’s fucked. You know that’s fucked right?” He looks at me like I’m revolting, and then his eyes shift like he’s had an even worse revelation. “Did anything happen between you after we were together?”
“No.”
“Did you try?”
“No. I told you. I’m not a fucking asshole. I thought the two of you were in love and I respected that.”
“We were. We are. It’s just a rough patch. I have a hard time believing that you didn’t try.”
“Well, you should. But trust me, if I’d known you were cheating on her I would have made sure she knew where she could find a warm bed of her own if she wanted one.”
His fist hits the table loud enough that a couple of people around us look over, and I smile at him to reassure everyone that things are fine. Because Drew is a lot of things, but stupid enough to punch me in public isn’t one of them.
“Some friend,” he mutters.
“That I stayed away when I could have had her? Yeah. I’m fucking awful.”
“Could have had her.” He laughs like it’s the stupidest thing he’s heard lately.
“You think she would have chosen you if she’d known I was an option?” I should shut my mouth. Listen to Tobias. Try to be more like him. But I can’t.
“Except you’re not an option and never will be. She would never want to be with someone like you and you fucking know it.”
“Well, she also doesn’t want to be with a cheater, so guess we’re both shit out of luck now, huh?”
“Fuck… I came here to ask for your help. I thought maybe you’d help me win her back. That at least if the two of you were pretending, it’d keep her from dating someone else. Give me time.” He huffs and lets out a sarcastic laugh, shaking his head.
“I’m not going to help you win her back. She doesn’t deserve to be cheated on again, and I give it less than a year before you’re right back where you started.”
“You don’t know me like you think you do.”
“Don’t I?”
He shakes his head again, pressing his lips together. “Well, I know you too. And if you think that you can win her over, being who you are… Forget it. She’ll never pick you, Xander.”
“Well, look at it this way—if you’re right, then you’ll know she’s safe. She won’t be seeing anyone else while we keep up our arrangement, and she’ll have zero interest in fucking me. So feel free to try to show her you’ve changed. I doubt she buys it, and I’ll definitely enjoy watching her tell you to fuck off after everything you did to her.
“I know I’m right. You’ll be the one pissed a second time when she tells you to fuck off. I might have fucked up, but she and I have history—a life together, memories, a family. You’ve got a reputation and a long list of past offenses.” Drew smugly stands, grabbing cash from his wallet and throwing it on the table.
His barbs hit as intended but I don’t let it show, smiling and waving as he heads out the door. He might be right about my chances with her. She might not want me, but I’d make sure he never hurts her again.