Asshole Husband

“You heard?”

“He certainly has,” Wolfe said, coming to the doorway. In true possessive style, he wrapped his arm around her waist as if he had a right to even touch her? Did he? They were married, and well, it wasn’t like she’d been living the single life around town either. “Wolfe Montgomery. Pleasure. I hope you take good care of our boy. This is a first time for me, him having a sleepover. Probably why she’s so nervous. She senses my worry.”

Instead of being insulted, Lindsey blushed and began to smile.

“Oh, don’t worry about it. We love to have Benjamin over. He’s such a good boy.”

Okay, now she watched as Lindsey began to play with a piece of her hair, and Rachel also noticed the subtle way she pushed out her chest.

Wow, she was right here, and now her friend, if she could call her that, was flirting with her husband.

She did not act jealous though. What was the point? She wanted a divorce, and he could sleep with whomever he wanted.

Brushing his arm off, she walked past the woman and straight to the car.

“Hey, sweetie, you okay?” Rachel said.

“Yeah, Mom. It’s really cool Dad is here. I can tell everyone about him and they won’t think I’m lying either.”

“They know you’re not lying.”

“But he’s here, and that makes it even better.”

She forced a smile to her lips, kissed his cheek, and helped him to settle in.

“We’ll take good care of him,” Lindsey said, finally coming back to the car. “Will you be in town for the potluck Sunday next week? We hear it’s going to be amazing weather, and you should totally come. Wolfe would love it.”

A bunch of town families, gathered around, talking, watching their kids, and discussing the upcoming Halloween, Thanksgiving, and Christmas plans—she truly doubted he’d go for it.

She nodded and stepped back. She didn’t think for a second Wolfe could hack being in town another couple of days, let alone a week. He never did anything in his life unless it benefited him, and right now, she didn’t see anything on offer to benefit him.

Running her fingers through her hair, she tried not to panic as she turned back to the house. The yard needed a quick mow, and she could do with wiping the windows.

“She seemed nice,” Wolfe said.

“Awesome, sleep with her. She’s a married woman, but I don’t know if you even believe in the sanctity of marriage.”

“Someone is in a pissy mood,” Wolfe said.

She stepped into her home, and she felt … exhausted. With Benjamin out of the house she didn’t have a buffer with the man who was supposed to be her husband.

“I’m not in any kind of mood. I’ve got things to do. You may as well go and do whatever it is rich men do.”

“Yeah, I want to ask you about that. Why didn’t you pick a bigger house?” he asked.

“I don’t want a bigger house.”

“Or hire a maid?”

She laughed. “Out of everything you could ask me, you’re more concerned with the way I live my life?”

“You’re not without the means of making your life more comfortable. Your parents are wealthy. Believe me, I see the figures every quarter.”

“I don’t see this as being any of your business.”

“Amuse me.”

“I’m not here for your amusement.”

“Tell me why you’re raising our son without any help. No nanny, no cook, nothing.”

She folded her arms and stared at Wolfe. He wasn’t being his aggressive self, or even mean. He looked genuinely curious.

“My mother didn’t come from money. She struggled throughout her life, but rather than turn her back on everything she knew, one of the things she wanted from my dad was for them both to raise us like she was. Not to expect money. Wealth comes and goes, but there are other more valuable and precious items in life to hold onto.”

“Like love?” he asked.

“Love, respect, loyalty. I did tell you this when we were dating, how I’d want to be everything for my son. To cook for him, to keep a home. This place, after everything, it just seemed to hold the prospect for so many memories. It’s a home. It’s not a place to sleep or have sex in. The kitchen is where I can see us having breakfast together, talking about school, and trying to help him through his math problems. We do that. This place works for us. I don’t want a nanny. I didn’t have a child to have a nanny. I’m not judging anyone who does. We all have different reasons for doing what we do. This works for me and for Benjamin.”

“I could get you a bigger house. You wouldn’t have to work.”

She smiled. “I like working. When Benjamin’s at school, it gives me something to do.”

“You’re my wife. You would have plenty to do.”

“Like what?” she asked.