Naturally, Sydney’s presence haunted him as he took his appointment, a long-standing client who wanted to check in on his ongoing plans in the current economic market before filing his taxes. This should have been a run-of-the-mill chat that Benson knocked out of the park before collapsing again in between appointments, but he was so distracted by his ex-wife’s blond head bobbing around in the waiting area that he had to get up in the middle of his meeting to close the blinds.
Since it was routine, his client left fifteen minutes early, giving Benson way too much time to talk to Sydney.
“Not even gonna give me a moment to myself?” he asked as she sat down in front of him.
Sydney crossed her two svelte legs and made herself comfortable after adjusting the puff of her peplum blouse.She looks like she’s going to a funeral.His? He sure hoped not. Then again, Sydney and dressing in black were a more iconic pair than La Mariposa and women.
“You have so little time for me,” she mused. “Let me get out of your hair more quickly.”
“So, what?” Benson folded his hands on his desk. “What is so important that it couldn’t be a phone call or popping by my place?”
“Drew tells me that Liam is back in your life.”
Damn, she went right for it. The one thing he didn’t want to talk about with her. “Did she, now? How helpful of her.”
Sydney laughed. “How long has it been? Five years?”
“Yes.”
“I see.”
“That’s it? That’s what you wanted to talk about? My ex?”
“The ex that’s coming and going from your place again. I admit, he looks a little more mature these days. Then again, so do you.” She cocked her head. “Do you dye your hair, Ben?”
“Now any more than you do.”
She removed her gloves and smacked them on top of the bag in her lap. “I wouldn’t be here if it were just Liam. She also tells me that you’rebothdating the same woman. A woman barely older than our daughter. She was most upset about that part.”
Damnit, Drew.Didn’t Liam warn him about this?I thought he took care of it!Unless Drew had this rant with her motherbeforedear old Uncle Liam took her out to lunch.
“What about it? Everyone is consensual and old enough to make those decisions.”
“He doesn’t deny it.” Sydney clicked her tongue. “I’m honestly surprised. A co-ed?”
“She’s well out of college, thank you, not that it’s any of your business.”
“It’s my business when it’s our daughter dealing with the fallout. Honestly, Ben, it was one thing when it was an age-appropriate lady between you and…” She sighed. “Other men.It’s quite another when it’s someone young enough to be our daughter.”
“Well, she’s not our daughter. And she’s still five years older than our daughter.”
“Do you hear yourself?”
Don’t let her get to you.Sydney was a master of spearing her ex right in the heart, but he was on to her now. It had been almost a decade since they separated, after all, and the more the years went by (and Drew got older), the less Benson gave a shit what his ex-wife thought of his personal life.
“I can’t believe Oliver and Desmond are okay with this,” Sydney continued, without giving Benson a moment to reply. “Do they even know?”
“They know about Eden.”
“Is that her name?”
“Yes. They’ve met her. Not planned, but…” He leaned back, acting casual. “They’ve never said a thing, except for asking how life’s going.”
“But do they know that Liam’s back?”
“They barely knew about him to begin with, and that’s how I prefer it.”
“I see.”
