“Work harder, Steph.”
“I have to balance things with my responsibility for Joey. Not everything is black and white. There’s a lot of gray out there.”
He stood. He had to remain firm, or he’d forever be caught in the tangle of Steph and Griffin. Forever be jealous, possessive, insane with frustration. That wasn’t him. He was a nice guy. At least he used to be. He’d lost nice once Griffin showed up. He wasn’t convinced Steph wouldn’t see Griffin again either. The man did whatever the hell he wanted. If Griffin wanted Steph, he’d go after her, even if that meant staking out her house. He’d done it before. And Steph had done nothing to stop it. This was fucked up right from the beginning.
“I wish things were different,” he said over the lump in his throat. “Goodbye.”
Her eyes welled up, and he had to turn away so he wouldn’t join her in a massive cry-fest. He heard her footsteps slowly head to the door, the suitcase wheels rolling behind her, the quick open of the door. She paused, and then quietly shut the door behind her. He let out a breath. He’d done the right thing. He was almost sure of it.
He sank to the sofa and dropped his head in his hands in complete misery. Sometimes it really sucked to do the right thing.
~ ~ ~
Steph went straight to Amber’s house with her misery. She found her friend painting in the detached garage she used as a studio in the backyard. The garage door was partially open, and music blared from inside.
She knocked and called to Amber ahead of time so she didn’t startle her. Amber could get lost in a painting and not come up for hours.
“Hey, you!” Amber called, shutting off the music and pulling the door all the way open. “How did it go in L.A.?”
Steph made it all the way to Amber’s side before she broke down. Amber wrapped her arms around her. Steph was a lot taller than Amber, so she tried to make sure Amber could still breathe.
Finally Steph pulled away and took a shaky breath.
Everything came tumbling out all at once. “It went terrible. Griff asked me for another year to divorce because his finances are a mess, and I agreed because he promised to take care of Joey, but Dave doesn’t understand, and he said I chose Griff, but I didn’t, and now Dave doesn’t want to see me!” That last part came out on a wail. “And a psycho pulled a gun on me!”
“What?” Amber exclaimed.
Bare poked his head out the back door. “Everything okay out here?”
Amber waved him away. “I got this, Bare.”
He nodded once and returned to the house.
Steph sniffled. “You’re so lucky you married the right guy the first time.”
Amber smiled. “I know it. So tell me about the psycho first.”
Steph filled her in and then told her all about Griff and their deal for her brother.
Amber listened thoughtfully. “Okay. Now tell me exactly what Dave said when he said he didn’t want to see you.”
Steph went through every detail, working hard to keep her voice calm and steady so Amber could understand her.
“Okay, forget about Griff,” Amber said with a wave of her hand. “We just have to convince Dave to still be with you. Just because you can’t marry him yet doesn’t mean you can’t be together. I think he’s just hurt. Male egos are so fragile, you know?”
“Yeah?”
“Oh, yeah.” Amber gestured for Steph to follow her further into the garage to a couple of chairs nearby.
Steph sat next to her friend. “Is Bare’s ego fragile?”
Amber laughed. “No. If anything, he’s overly confident.” She shook her head with a smile. “I’m just speaking in general and from personal experience before Bare. My dad couldn’t stand my mom doing anything that didn’t involve supporting his career. Once she made it as an artist, he put down the entire field. He’ll tell anyone that listens that art is a waste of time. I’m telling you—fragile.”
“So what do I do?”
“You have to prove you love Dave and not the A-hole.”
“How?”
“What does he like?”
Steph thought hard. “He likes math. And, um, Shrek.”
“Oh-kay. Anything else?”