“That’s not what I said at all,” Cal replies.
Nadine stops in front of her, arching a brow. Cal tries to scowl, but fails spectacularly.
“And here I drove across town to bring you lunch,” Nadine says, lifting the bag. “Which you forgot. Again.”
“I didn’t forget it,” Cal says, rising onto her toes to kiss her. Nadine has to bend slightly to meet her, especially in the heels she’s wearing. “I left it on purpose.”
“For what reason?”
“I knew myhotwife would bring it in on her way to court and I’d get to see her pretty face.”
Nadine fights a smile. She looks around to meet my eye. “Can you believe her?”
I just smile back at them. It’s hard not to smile when you’re around two people who clearly love one another as much as they do. I didn’t grow up in a home full of love. My parents were not affectionate with one another and my marriage was not a great love story by any means. It’s nice to be reminded now and again that love doesn’t exist only in the movies and over-played songs on the radio.
“I’m not feeling like tuna on rye today.” Cal takes the lunch bag from Nadine and tosses it on a nearby chair. “Why don’t you let me take you out?”
Nadine checks the gold watch that glitters on her left wrist. “I have time for something quick. Elliot, why don’t you join us?”
I’m already shaking my head about to say no, but Cal speaks first. “No arguments. It’s on me. Grab your coat.”
In my four months here I have not successfully said no to Cal, and today is no different.
“I’ll be right back,” I tell them, heading for the back room.
“You should be the prosecutor, love,” Nadine chides as I’m walking away. “You’re so good at badgering.”
“I can’t help that I’m a natural-born leader.”
“Natural-born bully, more like it.”
“Nadine.”
“Calpurnia.”
I freeze and stare at Cal with what I can only imagine is a look of pure shock. “Calpurnia?”
Cal fixes me with a hard glare. “The only people permitted to call me that are my wife and my mother, Elliot. If you tell anyone, you will be the one who needs rehabilitation. Am I clear?”
“Crystal clear.” I back away from her quickly before I burst into a fit of giggles.Calpurnia!
The door closes behind me and I shake with laughter as I grab my coat. I’m slipping it on when my phone starts to ring from the pocket of my joggers. I fish it out, hoping it’s the mechanic with an update on Millie.
As soon as I see the caller, my smile and good mood vanish. I haven’t received any texts or calls from Shawn in almost two weeks. The naive optimist in me hoped that he’d gotten bored of being ignored and given up.
I hit the red button declining the call. But as I’m putting my phone in my shoulder bag, it starts to ring again. I reject the call again but once again it starts to ring almost immediately.
Shit.
He’s not going to stop calling. My options are to either turn off my phone, block his number or answer the call. I never turn off my phone. What if Sam’s school needs to get ahold of me and they can’t reach me? And I still don’t have the courage to block his number. I’m afraid of escalation.
I take a shaky breath and hit accept. “Shawn?—”
“Addison O’Neal.”
I recognize my ex-husband’s voice but have no idea what he’s saying.
“What?”
