But before I could correct myself, Lena moved closer, her face taking on a concerned expression. “Hi, it’s not a problem. Are you from around here?” she asked. “What’s your name?”
I opened my mouth to answer but got interrupted.
“Savannah.” Ace’s voice pierced through the crowd and music. He pushed past his younger brother and Lena, barreling down on me. “She’s my wife.”
My breathing halted altogether. The edge in his tone was so cold it could’ve iced over a Texas summer. He looked down at me with daggers shooting from his eyes.
I wanted to wilt underneath the weight of his ire.
My breathing shallowed, and it felt as if all the oxygen had been sucked out of the room. My eyelids drifted shut, but even that didn’t stop me from feeling the intensity of Ace’s glare.
I heard the faint sound of Lena’s laughter, followed by her asking something, followed by Gabriel’s voice. She seemed to have asked a question, and Gabriel answered it. Yet all I could concentrate on was my husband, standing before me for the first time in sixteen years.
My husband, because we never officially signed divorce papers.
“What the fuck are you doing here?” he barked. Venom coiled around every harsh word he threw my way.
“I—” My mind drew a blank.
“Mama, I gotta pee.” The one thing that could pull me out of my trance broke through my mental haze.
Aiden tugged on my hand, and I was brought back to reality. He moved from behind me, and I watched as Ace looked from me to my son at my side. His eyes widened, allowing me to see the totality of his grey irises.
The ferocity of his stare was something that I never forgot. But to see it up close after all this time was still breathtaking.
Then he narrowed them again as he returned his gaze to mine. The accusation was written all over his expression.
“Mama,” Aiden whined again as he began squirming.
I peered down to see him doing the dance he does when he has to go.
I glanced over at the bar and spotted a bartender.
“Where’s your restroom?”
“Down that way. To the left,” the bartender pointed.
“Thanks.” Without looking, I clutched Aiden’s hand closer to me and side-stepped the man in front of me to scurry down through the central area of the bar, around the corner, to the bathroom.
Pleased when I realized it was a one-stall bathroom, I pulled Aiden inside and slammed the door behind us, locking it. Aiden went to the toilet to take care of his business, and I lowered my face to my palm.
Of course. Not even thirty minutes back in Harlington and I run into Ace.
“Done,” Aiden announced once he finished.
“Wash your hands.” I pointed at the sink while still gathering my thoughts. “And don’t forget to sing your ABCs,” I told him.
“Twice. I know. I know,” he said with a roll of his eyes.
I couldn’t go back out there, and I couldn’t stand there and wait for the ground to swallow me up.
While Aiden sang the ABCs as he washed his hands, I noticed an outlet underneath the sink. I pulled out my phone and cord and prayed my plug would fit into the outlet.
Thankfully, it did.
“All done.” Aiden held out his dripping wet hands. “See?”
I nodded in the direction of the paper towel holder. He sauntered over and grabbed way more paper towels than he needed, but I didn’t bother saying anything about it. I eyed my phone as it charged.
