“He chose his mistress over me, over us Mama!” Cole growls as he throws his pencil just as Nat walks out from the back, easing the tension as she sighs dramatically and half falls on Cole making him laugh, his anger fading as she sighs, “I can’t believe you’re leaving me,” as Cole pushes her off him, smiling.
She gives me a wink as she takes a seat next to him, and I mouth, ‘thank you,’ before reminding her, “I’m not leaving you, we can still meet up and besides, I don’t even know if I’ve passed yet so you could be stuck with me.”
She scrunches her nose up, and Cole asks, “Are you going to steal animals as well, like Aunty Brit? Her new dog, Max, is amazing!” completely ignoring my worry about my results.
I chuckle as I shake my head. I’ve been offered a job at Wincher Vets as a qualified vet pending on my results after years being in school, running myself thin between there, work, Cole and my soon to be ex-husband. I am excited to finally find mypassion but the only problem is that the vet nurse is Doc’s old lady, who, as my son said, steals the animals when they’ve been mistreated which I wholeheartedly agree with by the way.
She also lost her memories after being attacked, and she woke up from a coma, pregnant. It took Doc everything to win her back, all while caring for their child. Meanwhile, she's unaware that Pauline has offered me a job, again pending my results, and none of the brothers know I’ve been studying all this time.
I don’t want any of them knowing so I’ve got to somehow convince her not to say anything even though she has no idea who I am – easy right?
“I know it just won’t be the same,” Nat sighs dramatically, “unless you steal me a kitten then I may forgive you,” and I snort, shaking my head as the bell on the door announces someone’s presence and Cole mutters, “Great,” and I wince, knowing it’s most likely Ty’s mama.
“Is that the kind of greeting I get nowadays?” Olive asks as she walks over to us, and I sigh as Cole remarks, “It is if I’m not staying at yours this weekend.”
“Cole…” I warn him, and he looks away as I look at my soon-to-be ex-mother-in-law.
“Still wants nothing to do with Trigger, huh?” she confirms sadly, and I shake my head.
“It doesn’t matter what I try, but suddenly every time his father was absent, including when he got really sick, it's flittering through his head,” I admit quietly.
Olive’s jaw ticks, and she threatens, “When I find out who told him, I’m going to kill them.”
“Then I suggest you go searching for your son's mistress, Olive,” I state, and her eyes widen. I shrug and ask, “Did you really think she wouldn’t track Cole down at his school and tell him everything just like she did with me?”
“But he’s a child…” She gasps.
I retort, “She doesn’t care. Cole admitted last month that a woman with light blonde hair, blue eyes, and dressed like the clubwhores was waiting for him in the office at his school. She claimed she was his aunt and he had forgotten something.”
“That’s why you pulled him out of the school, not because it reminds you of how you and Trigger met.” She whispers with realization, and I look away.
“Mama, I don’t want to go,” Cole whines, and I drop my head as Olive flinches while Nat tries, “Cole, your grandpa will be upset if he hears you talking like that, darling, you know you’re his favorite grandson.”
Cole exasperates, “I’m his only grandson...” making her grin wide.
I give her a small smile in thanks as he sighs knowing he has to go and the bell announces another arrival. I swear the scowl that overtakes my son's face is exactly like his father's, and I look to see what has gotten that look from him, only to lock eyes with my boyfriend's hazel ones, and I swallow hard.
“You feel so good, babe,” Talen whispers as he pushes inside me, my walls squeezing him, but more trying to push him out not pull him in and the filthy feeling I always get intensifies even more than it did with Tyler, and not because I’m scared of getting him dirty.
It’s like my body knows him but wants him out.
Maybe it’s because I never thought I would sleep with anyone other than my husband.
Ignoring the ugly feeling in the pit of my stomach, knowing it’s time I allowed someone else in because I won’t be returning to my ex. I wrap my legs around Talen’s waist, my arms going around his neck, and I pull him down, kissing him as he begins to thrust, our tongues tangling.
“Oh great, it’s jackass,” Cole murmurs, shocking me out of the one and only time I have slept with Talen, and I spin around and hiss, “Cole Kyle Davis!”
He flinches at the use of his full name and looks away, and I grit my teeth.
Dammit!
I’ve already had tantrums from Tyler over Talen, even though he's the one who caused all this. I don’t need it from my nearly eleven-year-old as well, especially when I’m just trying to move on.
Seventeen years of being in love with the same man, a love that still shines bright despite my pain. I don’t need their negativity as I try to live my life without that man anymore.
“I guess he doesn’t like the new boyfriend,” Olive murmurs, a hint of happiness to her voice, and I reply snidely, “There wouldn’t be a new boyfriend if your son hadn’t had an affair after I gave my whole life to him.”
She winces but nods in understanding just as Talen walks over and I reluctantly leave the safety of the counter making him grin as he wraps his arm around my waist and pressing a kiss to my head. I smile slightly despite feeling a little off with him as I place my hand against his chest.
