A laugh escapes me before I can stop it, the sound gruff and humorless. “Ironically, Rachel, you doing that is what made mefalloutof love with you. I wasn’t always as present as I should’ve been. I know that now. Had you come to me about it—things could’ve been different. We could’ve worked on it.
“But you crossed a line that there was no fixing. It’s been over between us for years now. Almost three to be exact. There’s no reason to drudge up any of it because what’s done is done. I don’t give a fuck about you and Fred. Not anymore.”
She scoffs, shaking her head. “Of course you’d pretend you’re over it. Yet you’re dating the babysitter.”
“Let’s get one thing straight,” I say, taking a step toward her. My tone one of warning. “Her name’s Solana, and you’ll refer to her as such. We connected before she ever became your damn babysitter, Rachel. That happened by chance. That’s what you don’t seem to get—me and Solana have got nothing to do with you and Fred. I’d like to keep it that way.”
“Am I supposed to buy that? That you didn’t go out and find the most inappropriate girlfriend you could just to get under my skin?”
“No, I didn’t. Because I genuinely care about Solana. Our relationship is real. Just like ours was, once.”
Her brows knit close as her mouth opens as if to speak, but she comes up with nothing. She’s genuinely thrown by my response.
“Rachel, we’re divorced,” I go on simply. “I’ve moved on. I thought you had too. A part of me will always care about you—as the mother of my children. But otherwise, it’s over. For good. I’d like us to be a team in raising Jack and Tabby, but that’s about it. Alright?”
The surprise fades for a different emotion that flickers in her green eyes. It’s vulnerable and unexpected as she swallows tightly. Like maybe she’d finally had second thoughts about our divorce, wondering what would’ve happened if we’d tried harder.
I used to wonder those things too. Back when it first happened.
But it’s too late for that now. I’ve moved on from it, and if she hasn’t, she needs to too.
“I don’t know how much longer Fred and I will be together,” she admits quietly. “Things have been... tense. He’s pressuring me for marriage. For kids of his own, and I don’t know if I want to go there again.”
I don’t say anything. It’s not my place to comment on her relationship anymore.
She draws a deep, shuddering breath, straightening her shoulders. “But you’re right. Our marriage is done. There’s no going back.”
I nod slowly. “No. There’s not.”
Rachel hikes her purse higher up her shoulder, pausing as she turns for the door as if another thought has occurred to her.
“Apologize to Solana for me,” she says. “For how I treated her. Jack and Tabby... they gush about her constantly. If… if they like her, then so do I.”
“I’ll let her know you said that.”
Rachel nods once, then walks out without another word.
I stand there for a long moment, staring at the empty doorway.
Things’ll never be perfect between me and Rachel. There’ll always be some bitterness between us. Some tension simmering beneath the surface. It’s a given when you’ve got the history we do, full of so much hurt on both sides.
You don’t spend two decades with somebody and walk away clean.
But what’s most important isn’t us anymore.
We’ve got two amazing kids we made together. They should be our priority regardless of how we feel about each other.
I’ve barely turned to walk back to the desk when there’s another tap on the ajar door.
Mace walks in first, followed by Logan, Cash, and Ozzie. The four of them file into the office like they’ve been waiting in the wings, which—knowing this crew—they probably were.
“Drama with the ex-wife?” Mace asks, right eyebrow cocked.
I almost grin. Instead I rest my hands on my waist and give a single shake of my head. “Me and Rachel finally seem to be on the same page.”
The men exchange glances.
“But time’ll tell for good,” I add.
