Chapter 10
Holly – Two Days Later
I sigh as I rub my forehead and walk down the aisles, trying to go through the list Matty gave me before cross-checking what is in my cart, ensuring I don’t miss anything while silently cursing my cousin's existence, seriously, I’m picturing running him over with my car.
I’m tired, my feet hurt, I’m hungry, and shopping was the last thing I wanted to do tonight.
Apparently, after Matty's one-night stand stormed into our home she’s stalking him, and now he refuses to leave the house.
Though to be fair, I did see her across the street watching our house like the stalker he accused her of being but because Matty wouldn’t go shopping as he promised, I have to do it—and cook dinner—since he can’t cook to save his life and is literally a danger in the kitchen for us all.
The last time he tried, he nearly set our townhouse on fire just days after we moved in. Lyra screamed the whole time as smoke filled the place, and I had the fire brigade on the phone.
Good, crazy times.
I sigh. I had a plan. Cook something simple, read with Lyra, put her to bed, and take a bubble bath without obsessing over what happened at Alex’s two days ago. Instead, I’m running errands after a long day teaching both my class and Mrs. Jones’s who was apparently ‘ill’, and her class was chaos.
Thankfully, they began listening to me by lunch, and some even mentioned asking their parents to see if they could swap classes, which made me preen. It doesn’t take away the fact that I am exhausted and I still need to cook and organize both class schedules for tomorrow.
Damn Matty.
“Okay,” I huff, my shoulders tight with tension as I look between the cart and list, “milk, bread, tomatoes, lettuce, beef, chicken, noodles, pink icing, co–”
My words halt as I read the next two items on the list, and I narrow my eyes.
He’s dead, that's it, I am done.
Dead, dead, dead.
“You have got to be kidding me!” I hiss, eyeing the last two items with so much anger I fear I’m going to knock my cousin into next week before looking around like someone can see through my piece of paper.
Condoms and lube, he wants me to buy flipping condoms and lube when the reason I’m here and not in the tub is that he’s hiding out from some stalker, all because he couldn’t keep it in his pants.
I swear I’m pouring glitter in his shampoo bottles and salt into his sugar!
That is it, he has released the devil.
I shake my head and scrunch the list up before throwing it in my purse, and I grab my cart and head to the health aisle with a plan in mind, one full of payback, just as my phone rings for the fourth time since I got to the store, but I ignore it, already knowing who it is.
Freya has tried calling several times today and messaged nonstop, and they are beginning to drain me to the point I need to do something about it.
I’m going to have to report her because even when I block her, she still contacts me on unknown numbers.
The court order is still in place between her family, me and my daughter and even though it is the last thing I want to do because they have lost their family member, I know it is for the best, for my daughter and her safety, and for me.
Mrs. Collins has accused me of stealing her grandchild. No one in my old town believes her because they know what her son did, but she’s becoming unstable, and Freya enables her while her husband has apparently left and started over in Europe or so Matty explained yesterday.
Apparently the man has found a new wife.
Sighing, I turn down the health aisle and walk over to the condoms, and I smirk as I grab two boxes before grabbing the lube, then I pick up some hair removal cream, but pause.
Is replacing the lube with the cream taking it too far?
I picture the nice hot bubble bath with a good book, and I instantly shake my head because no, no, it isn’t. I throw the cream into the cart along with the condoms.
Trying not to laugh, I turn, ready to go and pay but halt as a whiny voice cackles, “Oh honey, if you’re buying them for you and my Dirty then one you’re getting the wrong size.
He ain’t no extra small, more like an extra-large and two, don’t bother because him and I are finally giving it another go for our son so your homewrecking ass can put them back on the shelf. ”
Extra-large?
Homewrecker.
I blink and turn to the voice before making eye contact with Caleb’s mama’s grey ones, dark makeup surrounding them, making them pop, and jealousy hits me instantly at how pretty she is.
Dammit, no, nope, I have no right.
Trying to pep myself not to feel jealous that this is the type of woman Alex goes for, someone completely different from my modest clothing and lack of makeup. Though the outfit she’s wearing is more for a strip club than the grocery store, and no, I’m not judging, I’m just, okay yeah I’m judging.
Her shorts can be classed as a belt, and her crop top is only just hiding her nipples.
Wait, she and Alex are…
Why did he ask me…?
I clear my throat, trying to focus on one thought at a time while she looks down her nose at me, standing at least three inches taller in her stripper heels. I say, “They aren’t for me, they’re for my cousin, but he didn’t tell me what size.”
Her brows hit her forehead, causing the makeup to crack a little as she looks at the condoms again, before nodding, but more in acceptance that I’m not screwing her man.
Again, he asked me.
My phone vibrates again but again I ignore it thinking it’s Freya and I introduce, “I’m Ms. Robins, Caleb’s teacher,” then boast, “you’d be very proud of him, he’s doing amazing and is higher than most his grade in more than half his subjects, though math is his favorite,” and I give the woman who is still scrutinizing me a polite smile.
She hums, “Cheryl,” before saying, “Dirty and I, we’ve been through a lot over the years, but we always seem to come together again. I took his virginity you know.”
Okay, so we’re not going to discuss her son then.
I nod before my phone rings again, confusing me and I frown and mumble, “I’m sorry, I need to get this. It could be Matty about my daughter.”
She nods in response, her body relaxing, which confuses me but before I can question it she struts away and I raise a brow and grab my phone from my pocket.
What a weird woman.
Looking at the screen, my frown deepens when I see a number I don’t recognize. I contemplate not answering, but the call cancels, making the decision for me but before I can put my phone away, the same number calls yet again.
With concern, I answer, “Hello?”
“Well, you’re a hard woman to get a hold of, huh, darling?” his deep voice echoes in my ear, and my stomach tightens as my eyes go to Cheryl talking to some guy at the back of the store, her hand on his chest, while biting her red lip, while the guy's hand is on her butt.
I furrow my brows. I thought she said she and Alex were back together.
Shaking my head, I focus back on the call. “How did you get my number?” I ask because I know for a fact I didn’t give it to him, though his dad…
“My dad,” he admits before I can finish my thought, and I shake my head.
“What can I do for you, Alex?” I ask with a slight smile as I push my cart towards the tills, but then frown a little, “Or should I call you Dirty?”
Everyone else does, including his partner. Wait—are they even partners? She was just with that guy. Maybe they have an open relationship?
Crap.
My stomach drops, and a knot fills as I clear my throat, ready to end the call, suddenly feeling like the other woman as guilt overrides me, but Alex answers, “No, never call me Dirty, you call me Alex.”
Okay then.
I turn and eye Cheryl again and I clear my throat and begin, “Look, I uh, I’m at the grocery store, I just bumped into –”
He cuts me off before I can bring up his partner and how inappropriate this is, and he asks, “Why are you at the store? I thought you worked today?”
I clear my throat, “I was, but Matty messed with the wrong woman.”
He’s quiet for a moment, and I check to see if the call is still connected as I make my way to the front of the line, and I clear my throat again to explain I need to go, but he finally speaks before I can.
“Explain, darling,” he demands as I begin to load up the conveyor belt.
I sigh, “Stalker one oh one, he slept with some woman as a one night stand who then proceeded to barge into my home in front of my daughter and accuse me of sleeping with her man. Which by the way I did vomit a little because eww and even accused Matty of having a wife and daughter until Lyra decided to be the cutie that she is and be honest with the woman who happened to cut her own clothes to make them look sexy, I guess. I don’t know but anyway my daughter decided to give her some home truths and the woman hasn’t left him alone since and now he won’t leave the house because she’s camping outside it. ”
I halt my rambling as the cashier, who has bagged my items for me, chuckles, and I wince while Alex laughs his butt off.
Crap.
“That's $42.94, Miss,” the Cashier chuckles, “but uh, are you sure you want extra small condoms? Did you read the packaging properly?”
I hear Alex choke, and I swear my cheeks redden.
Double crap.
“I uh, well, dammit,” I stutter, before I sigh, “Yes, I need the extra small condoms,” and I swear I hear a growl on the other end of the phone.
I didn’t know he had a dog.
The cashier grins a boyish grin as I tap my card on the machine, trying to control my embarrassment, my plan to embarrass Matty seemingly turning into my embarrassment, and I mutter, “Thank you,” as I grab my bags and place them in the cart before walking out of the store, Alex seemingly very quiet.
“Well, that was embarrassing,” I sigh as I walk towards my car, and Alex clears his throat.
“Why, uh, why the condoms, darling?” he asks curtly, and I raise a brow at his tone.
“Why the man bun, Alex?” I retort, and I swear I hear someone snort, “I fucking like her.”