Bad Bad Girl

“I’m sorry, sweetheart. How are you holding up?”

“Surprisingly well. This has been a long time coming. I just needed something to make me take the plunge.” I paused for a long moment. “I guess you could say I got the closure I needed today.”

“You deserve to be happy.”

“I know. I just need to keep telling myself that.”

“I’m really happy you’re coming home to us. Does Coley know yet?”

“No, not yet. I got her voicemail.”

“So do you need any help packing or moving? What can I do to help? A week isn’t very long to make a move like this,” he inquired with his practical and protective tone.

“Honestly, Caine, I don’t have it in me to fight with the divorce. So I’m just going to walk away with my clothes, some items that hold special memories, and my car. There is nothing to pack really.” I was losing all the excitement in my voice.

I could sense Caine was completely furious hearing this and even more furious that my soon-to-be-ex-husband could take the fight out of me. He never liked my husband and disliked him even more during the separation.

“Why in the hell would you let that jerk get everything? You have more strength than to let that ass walk all over you,” he lectured.

I sighed. “Please, I really don’t want to talk about it. It was a horrible time, and I just want to look ahead. No more talk about him, okay?” I made my voice perk up. “Now I’m free to return home and start my life over. I think I need to come as soon as possible to find an apartment. Do you mind helping me with that?”

“There’s no reason for you to find an apartment and live by yourself. I have a new three bedroom house, and I have a spare room you can move into. We can be roommates,” he stated rather than asked.

“I can’t do that. You’re living with Sara, right? I don’t think me moving in is what you two lovebirds want.”

I didn’t really know much about his new girlfriend. I knew she was one of many and that Caine had just recently moved her into his house. He rarely spoke of his girlfriends other than their name. He kept his love life private and seldom shared that side of him. In all the years I had known Caine, I only met a couple girls, and I had never seen him in love. He had never been with anyone longer than a few months.

“She’ll be fine with it.”

“Come on. No girl in the world would be okay with this idea.”

There was a long pause before he spoke. “It’s my house. Sara lives with me…for now.”

“For now?”

He cleared his throat. “We aren’t discussing me and Sara right now. No getting out of this. Besides, I’m not comfortable with the idea of you living alone. You need people who love you around.”

“I could crash with Coley,” I interjected.

“She has a one bedroom, a lumpy couch and you know how messy my sister is.” He chuckled. “My home is your home, period.” His tone made it clear the conversation was over.

I sighed. “Fine, but I insist on paying rent. And if you and Sara need alone time, you just need to give me some secret code to get out of Dodge.”

He let out a big laugh. “Neely girl, get your ass moving and come home now!”

I couldn’t help but giggle. It was nice to feel this excited and hopeful again. I was happy to be moving in with Caine. I was sick of being alone and having no one to come home to. I couldn’t imagine a better place to live or a better person to live with. I hadn’t felt so beat down in my entire life, and I realized I needed his strength to help me find my own.

“I love you. And I’ll see you guys soon.”

I hung up the phone and felt the urge to laugh or scream. Instead, I cried. I couldn’t believe the past few years were soon to be behind me. I had a new job, new home, and old friends. I couldn’t ask for more…well maybe a new man.

I chuckled at the thought of bringing a man home to meet Caine. How would that go over? I would have to tell a possible love interest that I live with a man. I would have to deal with his fatherly behavior monitoring my dating life. I wiped at my tears and smiled at the thought of seeing him every day. The pity party needed to end. I was done feeling like a failure, and feeling alone. I was ready to take my life back. But more than anything, I couldn’t wait to get back home.

2

Before I could even knock on the door, it flung open with Caine pulling me into his arms.