Thirty-five and Single

“You don’t know my brother at all. He’s got his life all mapped out until retirement and I bet money that includes you and your little gray-haired self.”

I wipe at a tear, feeling overly emotional.

“I don’t know.”

He pulls to a stop in front of my building.

“Do me a favor. Give him a chance. If my brother loves you like I expect he does, he won’t care you’ll be a geriatric senior citizen before he is.”

I let out a pained laugh before leaning over and planting a kiss on his cheek.

“Thank you.”

His smile disappears and I lean back into my seat and see Joel.

Joel’s features harden with a glower before he turns away to continue to the building with Calli trailing behind him.

“Go on,” Craig urges.

But I don’t want to go. If I leave now, I’ll end up sharing an elevator with them. Reluctantly, I get out anyway and trudge through the front doors. Fate hates me as Joel and company are there waiting. The elevator chimes and opens and I play the mature card.

I follow behind them and take position in the front. The ride is silent, and we exit without a word. When I get to my door, I finally have the nerve to speak.

Joel’s already passed, but I ask the question anyway, “Joel, can we talk?”

“Not right now,” he says over his shoulder.

The woman hovering next to him flashes me a wicked smile.

With as much dignity as I can, I open my door, and as luck would have it, I slip on something the cat left on the floor. My hand flies out for balance, hitting the closing door, slamming it.

Great. He thinks I did that on purpose.

I toss my keys onto the counter and growl at the cat who purrs at my feet. The Lynx Point Siamese winds between my legs to butter me up. It works. I get her food and clean up the litter box before I’m in full-blown tears.

Showering doesn’t help, as my emotions have exploded. Add to that I feel horrible. I place a quick call before packing a bag and meeting an Uber outside.

I don’t want to be alone tonight. It’s not like Joel is either.

Chapter Twenty-Two

Joel

The sound of the door slamming reverberates through the hall as I usher Calli inside.

I hold my arm straight as I close my own door and hold it there for a second. I close my eyes and Calli’s hand touches mine.

What Rhett said plays in my head, and I step away. I go to the kitchen and find the tequila bottle.

“Did you know my brother before we met?” I ask.

She comes around into my line of sight and reaches for me. I move back.

“Just answer,” I say, even though her non-answer is answer enough.

She looks down and I see the gears shifting in her head. Her face morphs into her Miss Innocent expression.

“Just once,” she says with as much remorse as she can muster.

“So Rhett is right. You’ve been playing me all along.”

I look anywhere but at her as I put more distance between us. I take a swallow straight from the bottle and remember how damn cute Olivia had looked when we’d shared this bottle so long ago.

“It’s not like that. Yes, at first I wanted to make him jealous. But then, you’re you. And what’s not to love?”

She’s halfway across the room when I stop to face her.

“Who is Aaron’s father and don’t lie to me.”

“Joel.”

I hold up a hand when she moves in my direction. “Don’t. Be honest for once in your life.”

She focuses on her hands. “Rhett’s—most likely.”

The second part she’d said more to herself, but I’d heard it well enough.

I nod. “Or your stepfather’s,” I say on a hunch. She doesn’t answer, but the pieces are falling in place. “He’s the reason why you spent so many nights sleeping with me in our pool house.”

She remains silent.

“Did anything happen to you abroad?” I ask.

Her head sways side to side.

“But when you came back and went home, he raped you again, didn’t he?”

I voice all the conclusions that finally make the most sense. She almost folds into herself on a choking sob. I take her in my arms and let her cry.

“We can figure this out.”

“He can’t be. I don’t want him to be,” she wails. “I want you to be his father.”

“Me too,” I say.

Despite Calli’s faults, I love her son. He’s felt like mine the times she’s let me have him.

“I told Rhett to get him.”

She pulls free, suddenly angry.

“You did what?”

“He can’t stay there. I won’t let you put him in harm’s way.”

Her fury burns in her eyes. “He’s mine, not yours.”

“You’ve told me that a thousand times. Which is why I sent Rhett. Your mother knows the truth, doesn’t she? She’ll hand him over.”

She comes forward with her fist raised. I let her get in a few hits before I stop her.