Just One Thing (The Alexanders 6)

Raina looked at her twin from the corner of her eye. “Um, you haven’t seen you when you’re on a tear. You’re pretty scary.”

Kaylee got up and came back with the pitcher of margaritas. Without asking she refilled Katie’s cup. “This sucks. I still think we should go kick his ass. Why do men have to be such idiots?”

Soon the room was a chorus of voices, all talking about the dumb things their men had done. It was supposed to make her feel better, but all the chatter only made her feel worse. The other girls were complaining about their men while secure in the knowledge that their guys loved them. They would complain for an hour but then they’d go home to that man’s welcoming embrace.

While Katie would be climbing into her cold, empty bed. Alone.

All at once, Katie was tired of talking about Bennett. No amount of talking was going to fix this. He simply didn’t want her enough if the idea of going out with another woman didn’t bother him.

Maybe he really does see her as just a friend, a desperate part of her brain protested.

But Katie realized that it didn’t really matter. Because if they were really just friends, Bennett would have invited her to come along as well. Wouldn’t he want to introduce her to Olivia if they were such close friends?

Face it, Katie. You were his second choice all along.

The one thing she’d promised she’d never be again.

?

By the time Katie arrived at home a little after midnight, she was exhausted from too much alcohol and too many hours dissecting her relationship with Bennett.

The other girls had been happy to take her mind off things by discussing what was going on in their lives but truthfully, Katie had only been half listening. All she kept seeing in her mind was Bennett’s face when she walked out.

Worse, he hadn’t even called her. Was he really not even going to try to explain this?

There was a light on in the living room. Mrs. Hillard usually spent the night in the guestroom when she babysat so she wasn’t shocked to see the light. However, when she stepped in the room to cut it off, she was shocked to discover Don asleep on the couch.

“What the hell?” she whispered.

Katie dropped her handbag on the floor and bounded up the stairs. The guest room door was open and the bed was made. Her heart racing, she pushed open the door to the room her sons shared. Hunter was in the top bunk as usual and Matthew was fast asleep on the bottom. Carter was asleep on the attached pull out trundle bed.

Katie closed the door gently on her way out. Where was Mrs. Hillard? She’d met the older woman at church and she’d become almost a surrogate grandmother to her kids. She wouldn’t have left without a good reason. Not to mention that none of it explained why Don was asleep on her couch.

Downstairs, she shook Don’s arm until he woke up. He grunted and turned his head toward the wall. At this angle, she noticed that he had a lot more gray hair than before. Apparently living the single life wasn’t as much fun as he’d thought it would be. She shook her head.

After several more attempts to wake him, she finally turned on the overhead light.

“What? What time is it?” He blinked blearily into the light.

“It’s the middle of the night. What are you doing here? And where is Mrs. Hillard?”

Don grunted again. “When I got here she said something about forgetting her medication. So I told her to go home since I would be here. She said she’d come get Carter tomorrow.”

Katie relaxed. Slightly. "That explains why she's gone but it doesn't explain why you're here in the first place."

“I have a medical conference in Newport News tomorrow.”

“Okay? I still don’t understand what that has to do with you sleeping on my couch. Aren't those conferences usually held at a hotel? Why didn't you book a room there?"

"I shouldn't have to book a hotel room for a local conference.” His words slurred slightly as he struggled to his feet.

What the hell? Katie shook her head in disbelief. "Are you drunk?"

"A couple of us were out at the bar before this. So what?"

He took a closer step and Katie held her hand over her nose. If he'd been closer before she wouldn't have had to ask if he'd been drinking. The smell of alcohol clung to him and the whiff of eau de roadside bar that washed over her was almost enough to make her tipsy, too.

"I wanted to come see you. I missed you. I miss the boys," he whined.