Chapter Seventeen
“Are you readyto go?” Connor knew they’d better leave soon, or they wouldn’t leave at all. And then he realized there was a man sitting on Sierra’s couch, frowning at them.
“Sorry. I didn’t know you had company.” He had a bad feeling that he knew who it was before Sierra spoke.
“He’s not company. He just showed up on my doorstep. Connor, meet my ex-husband, Phil. Phil, this is Connor.”
He and the man exchanged nods but neither offered a hand. He’d been right. Her ex-husband, here in Marietta.
After glaring at her ex, Sierra said, “Phil was just leaving.”
“I can take a hint,” Phil said, getting up.
“Could have fooled me,” Sierra muttered.
“I’ll be around for a while.”
“Why?” she asked. “And how long is a while?”
He didn’t answer the question. Only said, “I hope we can get together again. I’ll call you.”
“Don’t bother.” She followed him to the door.
“Oh, it’s no trouble.” With a nod for Connor, he left.
Sierra shut the door with a bang.
“So that’s your ex.” A dumb thing to say but he said it anyway.
“That’s him.” She stared at the door.
“Why is he here?”
She raised her chin and met his gaze. “I’m not sure. He and the homewrecker broke up. He said she was a mistake, and that he made a mistake when he divorced me. I think he might want me back. Otherwise I can’t imagine why he’d show up here.”
“Well, shit.” His worst nightmare. Especially since she’d told him when they met that she was still in love with the guy. But that was months ago. She couldn’t still be in love with him. Could she?
Oh, hell, yes she could. She hadn’t acted as if she was but maybe she’d just been pissed. Not to mention, she might not love her ex but she hadn’t said she loved Connor either.
“Come on, we can talk about it at dinner.”
His laugh held no humor. “I don’t think so. This isn’t a discussion to have in a public place.”
“Fine, then we won’t talk about it. We’ll be late if we don’t leave now.”
“I don’t care.” They had reservations at Rocco’s Italian restaurant, which he’d been looking forward to. But he had too many questions. Questions like, ‘Are you going to see him again?’ And ‘Were you happy to see him?’ Yet she’d sounded firm when she sent him away. “We can table this for now, but we still need to talk about it.”
Sierra studied him for a long moment. Then she walked to him, put her arms around his neck, and kissed the hell out of him. “I’d rather go to dinner than talk about my very-much-ex husband.”
He started to ask her if she still loved the guy, but he knew she’d deny it. Even if she did. Maybe especially if she did. Instead he said, “Let’s go.” And told himself there was no reason to worry about Sierra and her ex. But of course, he did.
Dinner was not a success. They didn’t discuss the elephant in the room, but it was there, sitting its big fat ass between them and laughing said ass off at him. The admittedly romantic atmosphere of Rocco’s was lost on them.
Sierra ordered the chicken Parmesan and he ordered his favorite. Lasagna. Rocco’s special salad, sautéed vegetables and delicious crusty Italian bread completed the meal.
He knew he should trust Sierra. He did trust her not to screw him over. But he wasn’t sure she’d totally come to terms with her feelings for her ex. Wasn’t at all sure that she even knew what she felt about Phil. As for Connor, she didn’t love him, or at least, wasn’t sure enough to tell him if she did.
“You’re still stewing about Phil, aren’t you?”
