Asshole Husband

“Why do it?” Wolfe asked. “You don’t have to do any of this. You’re free to live your own life, and if they take offense, who gives a fuck?”

“I do. I would care. The point is, after all the hard work is done, I get to the part I actually like. If I don’t put in the effort, I don’t get this. It’s rather easy to work out.” She picked up the tray. “Oh, and I won’t be taking any of these home. If there’s leftovers, it gets given out to anyone who wants it at the end.”

“But what if I want it?”

“Don’t be a baby. This is all about giving. Not taking for yourself.” She carried the tray over to the table and started to lay the pies out. With the job done, she returned the tray as Wolfe was doing his, and without waiting for him to be with her, she quickly disappeared within the crowd, grabbing a drink of soda and keeping a watch for him to find her.

She needed a break.

Just a couple of minutes to call herself before she had to deal with everything.

She felt completely overwhelmed by him.

When the crowd opened up and she saw him, she quickly moved behind one of the largest trees in town and watched him.

Several women approached him, all of them mothers. One of them was recently single. If only he’d give her a divorce. Even as she thought about him signing those pieces of paper though, she felt a sharp pain rush through her body. Rather than watch him to see if he found any of the women attractive, she quickly moved from her hiding spot.

Had he really been telling the truth about the past five years? She didn’t know if she could believe him, or if it was a ploy to get her to stop searching for a divorce.

Sipping at her soda, she kept on moving, hoping to avoid him.

Glancing across the town square, she didn’t look where she was going and bumped into a hard, male back.

“Oh, I’m sorry,” she said.

Ryan turned toward her with a smile. “It’s fine, honey,” he said. “You okay?”

“Yeah, I’m fine. You know, it’s the potluck, and I like to stay as far away as possible from everyone and everything.” She smiled. “How are you?”

“Good, more than good. I’ve missed coming to hang out with you though. I drove by to see someone had mowed your lawn.”

“Yeah, Wolfe and I took care of everything. Thank you so much for thinking about me though. It really does mean a lot to me that you care.”

“Of course I care.” He put a hand on her shoulder. It wasn’t hard, but gentle, caring, sweet.

She didn’t like that he was touching her. If Wolfe saw, he’d be pissed, and the last thing she wanted was for her estranged husband to cause a scene because a guy she’d been friends with for a few years touched her shoulder in a comforting gesture. This was why she needed a divorce. They were not compatible.

Stepping away from his hold, she glanced out toward the crowd.

“Are you looking for your husband?”

“No, I was actually looking for my son,” she said. “Where’s Billy?”

“He’s over by the sandpit.”

“They built one this year?” she asked. For the past two years the young kids had been putting in a request for a sandpit to be built for one of the potlucks and well, every single potluck. She couldn’t believe they actually got what they wanted.

“Yes, I guess they broke the mayor down, you know. I helped. I bought a bunch of the sand as well.”

“You’re such a generous person, Ryan. Really, you are. When you find a woman, she’s going to be lucky to have you.” She offered him a smile, knowing he’d find a woman to love him.

Ryan took a step toward her.

“I thought I’d found her.” He took her hand, and her heart started to race. This wasn’t what she meant. This was far from what she’d anticipated from him.

“Really, who?” She hoped she was missing all the signals and reading them wrong.

“You know who, Rachel, you.”

“Ryan…”

“Hear me out. I know your husband is back and he’s made it abundantly clear I’m to stay away from you, but does he make you happy? Does he really give you everything you need? Does he love you?”

“Ryan, you don’t love me.”

“I do. I love you so much. I see how amazing you are with the kids. How much you love being with them. I see everything he doesn’t want to see.” He tugged her a little closer, and so as not to draw attention to them, she didn’t put up a fight. “He’s a big hotshot in the city. I get it. He can provide you with a lot more than I can, but can he give you everything? He’d not even here half of the time. This is the first I’ve seen of him, and I know when Benjamin goes to see him, you’re not there. You’re with your sisters.”