His First Choice

“What’s wrong? Is it Levi? Is he okay?”

“He’s fine. Probably better than he’s been in a while. He’s in bed, sleeping soundly.”

“Is it Tressa? Did she call you again?” She’d been expecting the other woman to be a problem. Just hadn’t known how soon.

Her territory had been threatened. And she thought Jem had had only one date. When Levi visited her again and mentioned Kacey and Lacey, all hell was going to break loose.

But Sydney would know before it happened. She’d have a me

asure in place...

“She did, but she’s not on a rampage, if that’s what you mean,” he told her. “She was actually better than I’ve heard her in a long time—rational, kind, thinking of others.”

Lacey felt a twinge of jealousy and turned away from it. She wasn’t going back down the road of self-doubt. It was unhealthy—for her and for those she cared about.

Jem wasn’t hers.

And even if they were officially together, if he suddenly decided he wanted his ex-wife, Lacey wanted him to say so and go. Because if he truly felt the need to be with her, then that was where he was meant to be. Right?

Her thoughts were all over the place.

She hated it.

“You were right, Lacey...” Jem sounded beaten. The self-doubt came clearly over the line and scared her.

“Right about what?” She clutched the sheet up to her chin.

“About Tressa. And Levi. I don’t think it’s actionable,” he said. “I’ve got a pretty clear picture now. I only wish I’d seen it sooner. He’s been suffering through this all alone and...”

“No.” Relief made her giddy. Such relief. Levi was going to be safe. Safe. And Jem? “He wasn’t suffering alone, Jem. He had you all the time. Your constant love and attention give him security. And we caught it in time.”

“But...”

“Look at how well he took to Kacey and me and going off alone with either one of us. That’s the sign of a secure kid.”

“He cried when I left him at his mother’s house.”

“Understandable.”

“But I didn’t understand. I just thought he was upset because he couldn’t come to work with me. Or work on the boat. Or...”

“Be with the dad who made him feel safe,” Lacey finished for him.

“Anyway, I need to know where we go from here.”

“What did you mean when you said there was nothing actionable?”

“I’ve been doing some reading. Tressa’s got control issues. She overreacts. When she’s sad, she bursts into tears. When she’s happy, she’s like a little kid. When she’s angry...”

“She lashes out?”

“Not physically,” he said. “At least, not like I’ve been reading about. She doesn’t hit him. At all. I asked him over and over. He swears his mother has never so much as slapped him on the bottom.”

“And you believe him.” She could only be a friend. After having slept with Jem, she was the furthest thing from impartial when it came to his ex-wife.

“I do.”

Problem was, she didn’t completely trust his judgment on the subject, either. Most particularly after the way he’d made excuses for the other woman after her despicable behavior the previous week.