Chapter Ten
Sawyer
“Demi spoke with Henry. He wouldn’t rat Oli out, but he agreed to talk to him, so that’s at least something,” Kai continues explaining as we drink our beers from a booth in the sports bar. We have a great view of the game from here, but we’re both preoccupied and only half watching it. “So, we’re waiting to see if he can convince him to talk to us before taking things further.”
“Let me know if you need equipment, but hopefully it won’t come to that. I hope whatever it is isn’t too serious.”
“Same.” He rubs the middle of his brows. “I haven’t slept properly in weeks. We’re so worried about him.”
And to think Xavier and I are worrying about Cuan being too focused and driven. I’d take that any day over worrying if my kid was doing drugs and going off the rails. Maybe it’s a good thing our eldest is passionate about golf and big-time into his fitness and nutrition.
“I can only imagine. Let us know if we can do anything else to help.”
“Appreciate it, bud.” Kai’s lips pull into a tight line, and his shoulders are rigid with stress.
I can relate. I feel like I’m constantly drowning in stress amid the tension driving a wedge between me and my husband.
“Okay, your turn.” Anderson slants me a knowing look. “Spill it, dude.”
“I didn’t realize when I agreed to come out for a drink it was actually a mutual therapy session.”
“You know Xavier’s telling Abby everything, and you’ve kept that shit to yourselves for too long. We’re your friends, Hunt, and friends help one another. I’ve spewed my guts and you’re up next.”
“Who says I have anything to share?”
“The tension at dinner was excruciating, and you’re not fooling anyone. I’d have to be blind to not know something is going on. Just tell me what’s up.”
“We’re turning into pussies,” I grumble before knocking back the last of my beer.
Anderson elbows me in the ribs. “Man up, fucker. We’re in our forties with kids and careers. Adulting is fucking hard, but let’s not pretend we’re assholes who can’t talk about our emotions. And don’t knock pussy just ’cause you’re all about the D these days. Don’t forget pussy made your baby dreams come true.”
How could I forget when it’s all I’ve been thinking about for months. I signal the waitress and order two whiskeys. I need something stronger than beer if we’re having the conversation.
Air whooshes out of my mouth as I drum my fingers on the table. “I want another baby. Xavier doesn’t, and we’ve been fighting for months over it.”
“Wow. Didn’t see that one coming.”
We stop talking while the waitress places our drinks down, only resuming after she’s gone and we have privacy again.
“This is like some strange role reversal. I would’ve expected Xavier to be the one pushing to expand the family, not you. No offense meant,” Kai adds before draining the dregs of his beer.
“None taken. I agree with you, which is why when I first raised the subject I thought he’d be jumping all over the idea. Shocked the hell out of me when he said no, and he hasn’t changed his mind.”
“What are his reasons?”
“Our lives are too busy, and everything is perfect the way it is, so why rock the boat.”
“You don’t agree with that assessment?”
“No, I mean, yes. It’s not that it’s a lie, but we’re always busy. If we’d used that argument fourteen years ago, we wouldn’t have any kids now. I know life is hectic, but we can make it work. If our roles were reversed, he wouldn’t accept this as a plausible excuse. He’d find a way to make it happen, but when I want it, he’s all for digging his heels in and refusing to compromise. He’s driving me insane.”
“Can’t imagine the vacation was much fun.”
“Actually, the vacation was great. We’d agreed to pause hostilities while we were overseas, and we didn’t discuss the baby issue. We both relaxed and enjoyed ourselves.” I’m not divulging we were ravenous in the bedroom in a way we haven’t been in months because that’s too fucking private to share. “But the minute we returned home, all the strain reappeared, and it’s only highlighting the fractures in our relationship, and it’s terrifying me. I love his crazy, stubborn, intelligent ass. I don’t want to hurt our relationship or lose the person I love more than life, but he’s being inconsiderate and flippant with my needs, and that kills me.”
“That’s rough, man. I can’t imagine what we would’ve done if we weren’t on the same page. Abby and I were in agreement tokeep going until Mellie was born, and then we both realized and agreed we were done.”
“Everyone knows we fight like crazy, over almost everything, but it usually works for us. We can normally find some common ground except for this.”
