“You’re practically dodging the coffin as we speak, brother.”
“I’ll bury you before I make it into one if you carry on.”
“What I mean is, you’re set in your ways.”
He’s right.
He’s always right.
I haven’t slept with Jennifer in almost a year, and I can’t even blame that on work. Because if there’s one thing I always had time for… it was sex. I just couldn’t bring myself to listen to those fake little moans of hers any longer. Visually, there’s absolutely nothing wrong with my soon-to-be ex-wife, she’s absolutely stunning—even at fifty.
Tall, slender, with a model-like figure that makes men freeze on the spot just to stare at her. She takes care of her skin, dresses for her age, and barely eats anything to keep her from gaining any weight. I’m not exactly sure how she survives by running on an empty stomach but she’s done it for years. Maybe making people miserable is her way of feeding herself. Everything about her was for show, and I guess I just grew tired of it. So maybe I’m partly to blame for the chef-fucking incident.
Christ, my hand has most recently become my best friend, and it knows my dick better than I can remember. Shocking, I know. It’s not that I don’t enjoy sex, I just didn’t enjoy it with her.
“Coach?” I hear faintly.
“Shit,” Ellis huffs. “Jack, I’m sorry, brother, I have to go. I’ll call you tonight if I don’t get out of practice too late, alright?”
“Alright.” I reach up to grab my phone from between my ear and shoulder, but I stop when he says. “Hey, asshole?”
“What?”
“I love you.” The words come begrudgingly. “There. Feelings enough for you?”
“I love you too, now fuck off.”
Both of us chuckle as he ends the call, and I toss my cell down onto the top of the stack of papers on my dark wood office desk. Looking around the room, I realise I’m stuck here… alone, until I’m back at work tomorrow morning.
Great, just great.
Cold air smacks me in the face as I walk through the sliding doors of Denver’s international airport, dragging my suitcase behind me. Using my free hand, I lift the collar of my long, black mohair coat to free my neck from the icy chill dancing along my skin there. I don’t even know why Istillbother to indulge my mother’s bullshit reasoning behind having me travel all the way from London to see her.
“I miss you, Ro-Ro.”
“I never get to see you, Ro-Ro.”
The past three times I’ve travelled the ten-hour flight from London to Colorado, somethingalwayscomes up. There’s always an excuse as to why she forgot and accidentally made plans with friends. Which in turn, ends up with me spending three days in some hotel in the city… alone, or flying back home to the UK that same day.
This time, though, I’m partially here to get away from my ex. So I guess visiting her has come at the most opportune time for me. But I’m still not happy about it.
Why?
Because Jennifer Miller—maiden name Cole—is a bitch. I never felt love from her growing up and was treated more like an accessory to her extravagant life than an actual daughter. She’s harsh when she speaks, uncaring with anyone except herself, and the type of mother who should never have been a mother at all.
My anxiety is already through the roof being here, because no doubt the moment she sees me, the first thing out of her mouth will be a comment about my weight, my hair, my skin, the way I’m dressed, how my job isn’t a real job… the list is endless.
Jennifer Miller is the type of woman who can cut you down to size with just a few small words and a look.
Jenifer Miller… is a cunt.
However, if she’s forgotten again—which I’m really fucking hoping she has—then I can travel to LA tomorrow, meet up with friends, and start my plans earlier than expected.
So at least I’m covered in that sense.
My phone pings from inside my coat pocket and I groan with frustration by the sound of it alone. I almost don’t want to look at it because if it’s Toby—my ex—it’s only going to piss me off further. But as I’m a glutton for punishment, I slide it out and when the screen lights up, I breathe a sigh of relief at the realisation of it being a message from my dad.
Dad: Did you land safely? Sent: 17:00
