Chapter Thirty-Two
~DEX~
Isnuck out of my room, where Amelia is still sleeping to clean up our dinner from last night. Unfortunately, the food needs to be thrown out because we never made it back out here. After another round we collapsed onto the bed, and I fell asleep with her in my arms.
It was the perfect night.
I work quietly to get last night’s dinner cleaned up before I start on breakfast for us.
I picked up a few extras yesterday when I went shopping, so I can make her some French toast this morning.
After last night my step feels lighter and I feel like I’m on cloud nine.
I knew how I felt about her going into last night; I was ready to tell her that I loved her, but I didn’t want to scare her.
But when she was staring at me like that, I couldn’t think of a more perfect time.
So, I did. And she said it back. It took everything I had not to rush out of that room and scream from the rooftops that Amelia West loves me.
But of course, I didn’t.
I showed her with my body and actions as I much as I could. I think she understood that. At least, I hope that she did.
I work slicing the bread and preparing the liquid for dipping when I hear movement coming from the hallway. I turn and there she stands.
“Good morning,” she rasps out, her voice still has a little bit of sleep left in it. “What are you up to?”
I walk over to her and close the distance between us. My lips gently brush hers and I pull her in a for hug. I hold onto for a bit while I tell her, “I’m working on some breakfast for you. Tell me, do you like French toast?”
I pull back in time to see a beautiful smile cover face. “You’re cooking for me again.”
I nod. “I am. Is that alright?”
She slowly nods. “Yeah, it’s a little unreal. I hadn’t imagined you making me breakfasts and dinners like that. And those brownies, they were absolutely amazing. I could go for more of those.”
“We didn’t finish them last night, but you need to eat good breakfast before you get your dessert.”
“I don’t suppose that’s a euphemism for anything?” She wiggles her eyebrows at me.
“It could be. But I meant what I said. You need food first.”
She juts a lip out, pouting. “Fine, if you insist.”
“I most certainly do. Now come on into the kitchen and sit with me while I finish this up.” I grab a chair from her table and bring it into the kitchen, so that she can sit with me.
“Thank you,” Amelia steals another kiss from my lips before gently lowering herself into the chair.
“How’s the knee pain today? I didn’t hurt you last night, did I?” I turn to watch her reaction so that I can see if she’s hiding her pain.
“I’m a little sore, I think I could use some meds this morning.” She swiftly tightens the brace and rubs over the knee cap a bit.
“Coming right up.” I quickly get her a glass of water, fetching her medicine and vitamins. “I want you to take your vitamins too. I think you’ve been missing them. They are vital for your recovery.” She makes a face. “Humor me, please.”
“Well, since you asked so nicely.” Taking the pills, she swallows them down.
“Thank you.” I take the water glass back and get back to working on her breakfast.
The morning feels normal and right. Like we’ve been making breakfast together for years. I love it.
I begin to wipe up the counters, to grab the drips of batter from making the French toast, when I hear a knock at the door.
“I’ve got it,” Amelia says, hopping up. “It’s probably someone from the team anyways.”
“Are you sure?” I ask her, concerned about her hobbling over to the door.
“I am. It will be one of my friends, so you keep on working on breakfast,” she says as she makes her way to the door.
I go back to flipping French toast when I hear her call for me.
“Dex, someone is here to see you!” I notice the shake in her voice as I turn to head towards the door.
“Who?” I ask, rounding the corner. Nothing could possibly prepare me for who I see standing there.
Elise.
There she stands in all her five-foot-ten glory.
Long blonde air perfectly curled, she’s wearing a black sheath dress and kitten heels.
Looking ever the perfectly polished woman that she is.
Never a hair out of place and always with a full face of makeup.
Her standing there is like a knife driving straight to my heart.
“Elise,” I move quickly towards the door so that I can stand between her and Amelia.
Amelia, who just got out of bed from a good night of fucking.
She’s still wearing her short plaid PJ shorts, hair high in a bun with an oversized T-shirt that shows the bottom of her shorts.
The contrast between them is apparent. But in a good way; I never wanted another partner or lover like Elise.
I wanted someone real and that’s what I have now.
Unless Elise takes it away from me, which is very possible.
“What are you doing here?” I ask her. My head immediately turns to look at Amelia. Her brown eyes are wide and blinking, like she’s trying to process the fact that my ex-wife is standing here in front of us.
Amelia takes a step back, and Elise takes that to her advantage and steps into the apartment.
“Who are you and why are you living with my dear husband?” Her tone is full of snark.
I shake my head. “You are my ex-wife,” I remind her. I look over at Amelia. “I’m not married.”
“Well, Dexter, that is not exactly accurate. We are in fact still married.” She grins at me like the cat that ate the canary.
“No, no, no,” I repeat the word like it will make her go away. My palms are sweaty, and my chest feels tight. How did this morning go so wrong. “I signed the papers in my lawyer’s office before I came here to Tampa.”
She shakes her head and laughs. “Do you mean before you came down here to Tampa and shacked up with this woman.” She turns her attention to Amelia. “Who are you exactly?”
Amelia sighs, bringing her hands up to her face and covering it for a moment.
She then looks up at Elise, her voice shaking, “I’m Amelia, one of the players for the Blaze,” she explains, looking from Elise to me and then back again.
“I had no idea he was married. He told me he was divorced. I’m so sorry. ”
Amelia hobbles backwards a bit more. All of the color has drained from her face.
“Hi, Amelia, I’m sorry we have to meet this way,” Elise starts to say, but I cut her off.
“You were never going to meet at all because your life is in New England, and I live down here now,” I tell her through clenched teeth.
“Yes, I’m sure that is what you had hoped but unfortunately, that is not the case.
I had to come down here and see where it is that you are living.
Charming little place you have here,” she says as her eyes search Amelia’s place.
“Why are they putting you up with a player? What, August couldn’t spring for your own place?
Or is this a perk of having you on the team? ”
“Fuck you,” I spit at her. “Just tell me why the fuck you are here.”
“I wouldn’t have to be here if you would have answered any of my phone calls.” Elise actually has the audacity to say.
“We are divorced. I had no reason to pick up your calls,” I say shaking my head. “Why are you here?”
She sighs and has the nerve to look bored, bringing her hand up to examine her perfectly manicured fingernails.
“Because we are not officially divorced, Dexter. You missed a signature on the forms. Your lawyer missed it, mine caught it when we went to file the papers. I was calling you to see if you could please make arrangements to get them signed.”
“Why wouldn’t my lawyer call me?” I ask her in disbelief. “This doesn’t make sense. I haven’t received an email from Paul, my attorney.”
Elise shakes her head, “Well, Paul is out of the country right now. He went on some European trip. My lawyer said that if I came to you and got you to sign them that he can help me. He’ll file them and we can all move on with our lives.
” She pauses for a moment, her head swiveling in Amelia’s direction, like a snake.
“Well, I can move on. You already have from what I can see, darling.”
She knows I hate it when she calls me that. It always made me feel like her pet poodle.
“Okay, well, give me the papers and I’ll take care of this,” I grit out.
“Yeah, you would like that, wouldn’t you. You probably have a lot of explaining to do with your newest toy.”
I hate the way she is speaking right now. It reminds me of why I left her. And now she’s in Tampa, in my space where she was never supposed to be.
“Excuse me,” Amelia says, turning to walk away. I can see the tears forming in her eyes.
“I really am sorry, I didn’t mean to ruin your morning,” Elise sweetly calls after her. “Take the papers and sign them,” she tells me.
I take them from her and see she’s right - one of the papers is missing a signature. “I have no idea how this could have happened. But I’m taking care of this. I want this over with as soon as humanly possible.” I scribble a signature and thrust the papers back in her direction.
“Thanks, honey. It’s been wonderful being married to you.” Her voice is laced with sarcasm. “And I’m really sorry for ruining your morning.”
Amelia stops and turns, her eyes not completely reaching Elise’s.
“I’m really sorry. I had no idea that he was married.
” She looks to me, and I can see how hollow her eyes look.
The happiness and levity that we had this morning is gone.
Turning back to Elise she says, “He is only here because of a housing mix-up. This wasn’t some planned thing.
August is trying to resolve it. But he hasn’t yet.
I’ll reach out to him today and have your husband moved out of my apartment. ”
“I signed the papers right now; I’m not her husband anymore. I haven’t been her husband in a long time.” I desperately say to Amelia.