“That’s awesome. I know how much your mom misses you. Every time Mom and I have lunch with her, she’s always talking nonstop about you and Felix.”
My heart swells at her words. Even though I was gone, I’m glad she has Sophia. Since we moved in eight years ago, they clicked and have been the best of friends ever since.
“Thank you for keeping her company. I’ve missed her like crazy.” I’ve missed everyone like crazy.
“We should totally catch up. Hey! Friday night, I have to attend a charity concert. It’s for a good cause, and I have an extra ticket. You should come.”
“I don’t know.” It’s been so long since I’ve been out. David always works late on Friday nights, and I hate to ask my mom to watch Felix when we’ve just moved back.
“Come on, please. It’s been forever since we hung out,” she begs.
“Let me see if my mom minds watching Felix, and I’ll let you know.”
CHAPTER SEVEN
LAYLA
“Where are you going?” David asks.
“A charity concert in the park.”
“Who will be there?”
“Bailey, for sure, and I’m assuming her friends.”
“Will they be there?”
“Who?” I ask incredulously, confused as to why the hell my husband all of a sudden cares where I’m going and who I’m going with. For the past five years, he’s never asked me a single question. He’s always been too busy with school and work and doing his own thing.
“Don’t play stupid with me, Layla. Raging Chaos.” His face twists together like just the name of the band is enough to make him sick.
“You know, you used to be friends with them,” I point out. When we first met at the beach, he hit it off with Declan, Gage, and Braxton. We spent two weeks, all of us hanging out. It wasn’t until Camden got home that David decided he was above hanging out with a bunch of rockers.
“I put up with them to hang out with you,” he corrects. “And once we were together, I didn’t have to do that.”
What the hell? Not liking his attitude, I throw it back at him. “Well, Camden used to be my best friend, and now that we’re home, I wouldn’t doubt that we’ll see more of them, so you better play nice. You know our families are close.”
“I don’t give a shit how close your families are. You’re married to me, and he isn’t welcome anywhere near my family.”
“Whatever. I’m going tonight. Does you coming home early mean you’re keeping Felix?”
“I have a meeting I need to get to. I thought your mom was taking him.”
“She is,” I snap. “I need to get ready. Keep an eye on Felix, please.” After stomping upstairs, I put on an olive-green maxi dress with a halter top and pair it with a cute dark-wash denim jacket. After I finish curling my hair into beach waves, since it’s too humid to straighten it, and throw on a pair of strappy sandals, I head back downstairs.
David is in the living room typing away on his computer, and when he sees me enter the room, he does a double take before setting his computer aside and walking toward me.
“You look beautiful,” he says, placing his hands on my hips. “We should go out tonight, just the two of us.” His tone is gentle, sweet, and very unlike him. It reminds me of when we were in high school, and for a second, my heart softens at it.
“I thought you had to work.”
“I can reschedule the meeting. We can drop Felix off at your mom’s and go to dinner. What do you say?” He places a tender kiss on the corner of my mouth. “Cancel with Bailey and go out with me.”
His last statement has me rearing back. “Or you can go with us?”
His eyes turn into thin slits. “I’m not going to that shit.” And there he is… The real David Kessler.
“It’s for a good cause,” I repeat what Bailey had said. “We can get dinner and go to the concert. It will be nice—”
“I have work to do,” he says, stepping back. “I grew up years ago. You should try it.”
His harsh words hit me like a slap to the face even though they shouldn’t surprise me anymore. “Music isn’t just for teenagers. You might think of it as a hobby, but many people view it as a career. One I plan to pursue.”
He glares like he always does when the subject of me working gets brought up. “If you’re bored, you can always reconsider getting pregnant…”
Ugh, not this again. “I already told you that I’m not ready to have another baby.” The truth is, I always imagined my kids being close in age, but there’s no way I’m bringing another child into our already rocky marriage.
“Fine,” he barks. “Then you should do something productive like volunteer at Felix’s school. My mom did that when I was little.”