Only One Night (Only One 3)

She glares at me. “There is nothing to talk about,” she hisses at me, and the bell rings again. She pushes away from the counter and starts to walk out of the room.

“The minute my son figures out that his mother gets fucked in the basement, it’s really over,” I say.

“Our son,” she repeats. “I would hate to have to take our son away.”

I grip her hand in mine when she tries to walk away. “You caught me off guard the last time,” I say, my voice as low as I will allow it. “This time, I’m ready for you.” She snatches her arm out of my hand.

“Don’t you dare threaten me,” she hisses.

I shake my head and smile at her. “I wouldn’t dare think of threatening you,” I say and walk away, going to the couch. “Let’s go, buddy.” I pick up Jaxon, and he laughs when I throw him over my shoulder.

“Dad!” He laughs, and I walk up the stairs at the same time that Murielle is opening the door. I make sure he doesn’t see as I walk to my side of the house.

“Are you leaving again?” Jaxon asks when I take out my going away tote bag and place it on the bed while he plays on his iPad.

“Just for a couple of days. I leave tomorrow, and then I come back on Wednesday.”

“Can you take me to practice when you get back?” he asks.

I grab my phone, and my heart does a little flip, hoping there is a text, but then is let down. I check my schedule. “I think I can. So far, it looks good.”

He gets up off the bed when the timer goes off on the iPad, letting him know he has to get dressed. “Thanks, Dad,” he says, walking out of the room.

“Anything for you,” I say to the empty doorway. “Anything for you.”

Chapter 16

Evelyn

“You look tired,” Veronica says to me when I get to the restaurant, and I laugh.

“That’s a polite way to say you look like shit.” I kiss her cheek and then bend to kiss my brother’s. “Sorry I’m a bit late.” I kiss my nephew, and I’m shocked when I see Jaxon there. My heart speeds up in my chest, and I look around nervously to see if he’s here with his mother or his father. I spent the whole night thinking about him. Thinking about what he said. Thinking about the fact that I met him one week ago today, and it feels like I’ve known him forever. It’s so stupid.

“Hello, you,” I say to Caleb, kissing him on the head, and Jaxon looks up at me and smiles. “Hello, you, too.” I ruffle his hair, and my face scrunches. “Why is your hair wet?” He laughs at me. “Is it hockey sweat or shower?” His laughter gets louder. “Please tell me shower.” I try to keep my heart at bay as I look around without making it look so obvious.

“We took a shower,” Jaxon says, laughing. I look over at Tim and Veronica and see two empty chairs, and my mouth gets super dry.

“Are we just us?” I ask, trying not to make a big deal out of it. They both nod their head, and I let out a sigh of relief. I sit next to Veronica, leaving the seat next to me empty. “So how was the big game?” I ask the boys.

“We lost by one,” Caleb says. “Jaxon scored two goals.” My mouth opens, and I put my hand up.

“High-five for the two goals.” He reaches over and high-fives me. “Is that a trick?” I ask, looking at them as they laugh at me.

“Auntie Evie, I told you already,” he groans out, putting his hand to his forehead. “That’s three goals,” Caleb says, shaking his head. “I told you this five times already.”

I put up my hands, laughing. “I don’t get hockey.” I look back at Jaxon, who laughs with Caleb. “Well, I’m sure you can do it next time then,” I tell him, and he just looks at me. Then Caleb and he both look down at their menus.

“You should come to the hockey game with us tonight,” Tim says, and I just look at him. My stomach twists and turns at the thought of seeing Manning.

“I would rather sit on my couch and catch up on that Joe exotic guy,” I tell him. “And then search how I could adopt a tiger.” I shrug, knowing that I’ll be on my couch curled up and spend the night trying not to think about Manning.

Veronica laughs. The waitress comes over, and the kids both order burgers with bacon and fries. Jaxon asks if he can have soup with that, and then Caleb asks him if he ate breakfast.

“I did,” he says. “Dad made me blueberry pancakes with sausage and turkey bacon.”