Kiki
Itoss the bottle of wine onto the front seat, swipe at my eyes, and pray to God I don’t have mascara halfway down my face.
Not that it matters.
One look at me and Eddie is going to know something is seriously amiss, smeared mascara or no.
I don’t have to turn around before he’s by my side, his hands warm and steady on my waist, his mouth near my ear. “What the hell happened?”
I swallow hard, buying myself a few seconds because the tears are right there, waiting for one wrong word to bust the dam wide open. “Just leave it alone, please.”
He turns me around, fixing me with his dark gaze. “Not happening.”
Of course it isn’t.
Eddie won’t allow me to hide my pain behind a half-assed brush-off, especially not when I resemble a walking nervous breakdown. For all my internal unraveling over the last severalmonths, I’ve managed to keep most of it tucked beneath the surface.
Not anymore.
“It’s been a really bad day,” I mutter.
Eddie folds his arms across his chest, his gaze never leaving mine. “Okay. Tell me about it.”
Theo chooses this exact moment to step closer, peering up at me with wide, solemn eyes, his hand wrapped around his hockey stick.
I seize on the distraction immediately.
Wiping my cheeks, I crouch down and ruffle his hair. “You’re going to play hockey this winter? How cool is that?”
He nods and swings the stick a little, but his usual excitement is nowhere to be found.
Let’s hope my meltdown isn’t frightening him. That would be the fucking mustard on this shit sandwich.
“Dad’s makin’ paschetti.”
Despite everything, a small smile breaks across my lips. “Well, your dad makes excellent paschetti. I hope you enjoy it.” Then I turn my attention to Eddie. “I’m fine. I got a little overwhelmed, but I’m heading home now.”
“Nice try,” Eddie states, his voice low and controlled. “But I’m not going to pretend you’re fine. I’ve never seen you this upset before. Talk to me.”
“Trust me, Eddie, you don’t want to engage in this conversation. Not right now.”
He shifts his weight, his body language clear. He’s not going anywhere. “Try me.”
“Drake won’t sign the divorce papers,” I mutter, averting my gaze.
“Really? Why is that?”
I drag in a breath and tip my face toward the sky, watchinga pair of crows circle overhead. God. To be that free. “I can’t say.”
A muscle jumps in his jaw. “What the hell does that mean?”
Theo’s head jerks up. “Dad.”
Eddie exhales hard and scrubs a hand over his face. “Sorry, bud.” Then he cuts me a pointed look. “What theheckdoes that mean, Kiki?”
I want to tell him. God, I do. Just so I don’t have to carry this burden alone for one more second. But the less he knows, the better.
I shake my head, staring down at the pavement. “Please just let it go.”
