Unsuitable

“I don’t get it.”

Like the seagulls that queued patiently in front of them weren’t getting chips but hung around just in case.

“Are you doing anything tonight?”

She made a face and shook her head.

“Come have dinner with Charlie and the girls and me tonight.”

“Ah.” Another face. “I don’t think so.”

“That’s what you don’t get. I love my family. You like them in small, controlled doses. You loved me, but you wanted me to be different, more ambitious. Louder, more dominant. That’s why we were never going to work.”

“That’s not fair, Reece. I only wanted you to be the best you could.”

“I’m my best me when I’m with Audrey and Mia.”

Sky made a gagging sound.

He lifted his arm to pat her on the back and realised she wasn’t choking, she was mocking him. “Nice.”

“It’s the best I can do. I’m not going to get a second chance with you and I’m pissed off.”

He opened his mouth to answer and his phone rang. Audrey. He showed Sky the screen as he stood, moved away to answer. “Hi.”

“Hi. Can you talk?”

She was brisk. “Sure, everything okay?”

“Barrett’s here. He’s going to stay with us for a couple of weeks.

“Oh, okay.” What did that mean? Barrett would be in the guest room, his room. “How do I handle that with Mia Monday?” There was a long silence and he thought the call had dropped. “Audrey?”

“I don’t want you to come on Monday.”

“What?” He wrapped his free hand around railing on the walkway.

“Listen, Reece. We got too close too fast. I was so sick and you were wonderful, but I didn’t know everything I needed to know about you and what I saw last night changed the way I feel.”

The sun blazed and he felt cold. He held onto the guardrail because it wasn’t moving and everything else in his life was. “You’re breaking up with me?”

“Yes.”

“Because I beat some guys up before they beat me?”

“Say it, Reece. That you saved me again. You did. I’m grateful. But I think I should’ve known about that part of you, and that part of you isn’t compatible with someone I want caring for Mia.”

The scab on his middle knuckle split, but he didn’t le the railing go. There had to be a way to fix this. “So we cool it and take a breather. We can go back to—”

“No.”

“You’re sacking me.”

“I’ll provide severance. I’ll be generous, Reece. I’ll ever forget what we owe you, Mia and me.”

“Fuck, Audrey. Fuck.” No, no, no. This wasn’t how it should be.

“That’s not helping.”