I drove past the house, just to make sure I wasn’t seeing things, but when I circled around, I saw it was definitely him. He didn’t get a good look at me, so I don’t think he realized who I was. I also didn’t have the same car I’d had when we were together. How dare that asshole just show up like that? How did he even find me?
Seeing him triggered me in so many ways. I felt cut open and raw, as if Luther had taken a knife, sliced into my core, and allowed all my organs to spill. For a split second, I’d felt a panic attack coming on, but one glance in the visor mirror at Aleesa and I’d pulled it together as best I could and then called Javier.
Sighing, I picked up my sparkling water and took a sip. At least my hands had stopped shaking. I would’ve loved a nice, cold glass of wine,but I had plans for a four-hour drive the next day with a toddler. Plus, one glass of wine would’ve led to two, three, and so on—all so I could erase my darker thoughts.
I took a sweep of my surroundings, trying to center myself and be present in this moment.Focus on the things that catch your eye.That’s what my therapist often said.
If there was one thing I could say about Javier and his type A tendencies, it was that he had impeccable taste. His modern Spanish-style home was beautiful, but the pool and spa area were next level.
The hot tub was separated from the pool, of course, but not too far away was a seating area with plush black outdoor furniture and a propane firepit with glass panels and decorative silvery rocks.
A massive flat-screen was built into the wall across from the seating, and off to the left was a kitchen equipped with a gas stove, a grill, and an oven. My favorite, though, was the waterfall wall built into one end of the pool. His space was perfectly luxurious, and I soaked up every second of it to clear my mind.
I tipped my head back to look at the stars in the velvet, dark-blue sky. A thump sounded in the distance, and my breath hitched when a door clicked shut. A tall, solidly built silhouette appeared.
Javier walked toward the hot tub, wearing basketball shorts and a solid-white T-shirt. His hair looked like it had just dried and was a dark, beautiful mess atop his head.
When he stopped, he slipped his hands into his front pockets and gave me a thorough look.
“How are you?” he asked.
I twisted around in the water so I could anchor my forearms on the edge and allow my legs to float. “I’m okay. Thanks for asking.”
He was quiet for a moment, eyes drifting from my face to the curve of my ass poking out of the water. I’d gone to the guesthouse to change into a black bikini before hitting the hot tub. He clearly liked what he was seeing.
“May I join you?” he asked.
“Of course.”
He grabbed the hem of his shirt and pulled it up and over his head. He stepped out of his shorts next and approached the edge of the hot tub with nothing but his boxers on.
“Make room.”
Dropping my arms, I smiled as he dipped one foot in after the other. When his lower half was engulfed in water, he stepped to the opposite side of the hot tub.
“I’m glad you came out. I wanted to ask if it will be okay to bring Aleesa with me to Charlotte?”
“To Charlotte?” He settled in a bit deeper. “What for?”
“Davina is cake tasting, and she wants me to join her. If that’s taking Aleesa too far, I understand. I don’t want to cross the line or make you uncomfortable. I can just tell Vina I can’t make it, and she’ll understand.”
“No, no.” He held my gaze before I could pull away. “It is fine. You can take her with you. I have a meeting with Tommy tomorrow anyway.”
I raised a curious brow. “Tommy?”
“My manager. He wants to discuss the Bubbles and Swaddles launch and figure out dates for New York.”
“Oh. Gotcha.”
Bubbles and Swaddles was the company Javier had partnered with to promote skin care products for young children and babies. Aleesa was one of the faces for their brand, and she loved using their items during bath times.
I’d met the owner of the company once, when I went to Miami with Davina last year. Her name was Kyla Cox, and she was a smart woman who reminded me a lot of my sister.
Business-savvy. Confident. Chic. Humble.
I narrowed my eyes at Javier. He was beingtooaccommodating about this. “Are yousureit’s okay?”
“Yes. It will be good for you to see your sister after the mess today, I am sure. And Aleesa would probably enjoy the change of scenery. It will be good for her to spread her wings a bit.”
