Clark's eyes locked onto Ryan like a pit bull hearing a dog whistle. He flashed a smile and rounded the hood. "And you must be . . . the handyman?"
Ryan chuckled, but Aelin could've sworn his stance widened. He put out a hand. "Not exactly."
Clark shook it, his expression cagey. "Is Bailey here?" He dropped Ryan's hand and turned his attention to Aelin.
"She's with a friend." Aelin crossed her arms over her chest and took a step back on the grass.
Clark nodded. "Hmm. You know, Aelin, I wondered if I could get those camping mats. I think I left them in your garage."
Aelin's nostrils flared. He'd flipped her off last week when she'd told him he couldn't have them, and now he was pretending like this was the first she'd heard of it? "I have them ready for you, actually. As soon as you're able to bring by my mom's table runner, I'd be happy to exchange."
He chuckled, his smile never faltering. "Do you see this, Ryan? A guy can ask nicely." He shook his head. "I haven't had any luck finding it, but I'll look again."
"Sounds great." Aelin's nails bit into the skin on the backs of her arms.
Clark glanced at the open gate to the backyard. "Let Bailey know I stopped by."
"Sure, and can I have my key please?" Aelin swallowed hard. The last person in the world she wanted to have the key to her house was Clark Moses.
He cocked his head. "Your key? Last I checked, the title for this house was still in both our names."
Aelin pursed her lips. They'd agreed in their last mediation that the house would stay with her and Bailey, and they'd divided all their other assets. The only thing they had left to figure out was custody and child support. "Clark?—"
"Have a good night, A. Ryan." He waved and stalked back to the car, getting into the driver's seat and peeling away from the curb without a second glance.
Aelin deflated like a balloon.
"Are you okay?" Ryan's voice was low.
"How did you know his name?" She rubbed her hands over her arms to stop them from shaking.
Ryan's jaw worked. "I saw a message on your phone. When you left it on the porch."
"Ah." She turned and walked toward the backyard, her ribs tightening around her lungs, wringing her out. She knew exactly the message he was talking about.This would all be a lot simpler if you weren't so difficult and exhausting to love."Thanks for opening the door, Ryan. I'll get Amaya."
She worked to draw a full breath as her shoes crunched over the gravel in the side yard. He was gone. It didn't matter if he had a spare key, he wasn't allowed to enter the premises without her permission per their mediation. If he did, she'd have grounds for a restraining order, and Clark was far too proud to be a partner at Nelson and Sons to risk getting arrested.
He wouldn't do it. She was safe here.
"Hey girls!" she called out. Amaya and Bailey were up in the tree house. "Amaya, your dad is waiting for you out front. Bailey, time to get dinner ready."
"Is the house open?" Bailey popped her head out the open window.
Aelin smiled. "Yep. You can pee in a real toilet!"
Bailey rolled her eyes. "Gross, mom. I don't even have to go that bad."
Aelin waited for the girls to climb down the ladder, then walked with them back to the front. Ryan leaned against his car looking at his phone. Amaya gave Bailey a hug, then jogged across the grass. Ryan looked up.
"Can we get food before we go see Mom?" Amaya asked, and Aelin's stomach twisted. Ryan had come here to pick her lock when he was supposed to be visiting his wife in the hospital?
Ryan nodded. "Sure." He opened the door for her, then closed it and turned back to Aelin. Before he could say anything, Amaya was pushing her door open again.
“Can Bailey play on Saturday?” She poked her head out, kneeling on the seat.
Bailey ran up next to Aelin, pulling on her arm. “Please?”
“Since when are you two best friends?” Aelin asked. She could count the number of times Bailey asked for a playdate on one hand since the holidays.
