“Me and Arlo.”
“I thought you hated each other,” he continues like me being uncomfortable doesn’t matter.
I glance at Ainsley, and she nods in encouragement.
“Arlo and I dated before he went to the Marines, and then when he came home from basic training, we got married.” The silence that greets me suddenly blows up in loud voices trying to talk over each other.
I hold up my hand for them to stop. “I’ll tell you guys everything, but you have to shut up. I can’t handle the million questions right now. My head is pounding.” Ledger’s jaw clenches, but he nods as everyone else follows suit.
I tell them about our history and how we have managed to reconnect, if that’s what we want to call it, but I keep the fact we’re still married to myself. I feel like I need a better handle on it before I start talking about it.
“I’m not saying this all makes perfect sense, buttttt this makes perfect sense,” Willow says as she smirks over at Oakley.
“Why do you say that?” I ask.
“Because there’s no way you hate someone as much as you hated Arlo without a huge reason, and I’d say getting dumped without an explanation after our parents died is the best kind of reason. Although, I always thought there was some tension there,” Willow says.
I roll my eyes. “You’re delusional.”
“Am I, though? Are you not currently hooking up with your ex-husband?” She giggles. “God, that’s weird to say.”
I could tell her it’s weirder because he’s still my husband, but I refrain.
“Not currently, no.” I go for some form of the truth. I don’t know what the future holds for Arlo and me, but I do know we won’t be hooking up anytime soon.
“And what’s going on with this stalker? Arlo texted Ledger about a break-in, and now it’s a stalker?” Ainsley asks, hurt poking through her words. She’s my best friend, and it sure seems like I’ve hidden a lot from her.
“I don’t really know what’s going on with that. I’ve gotten a few texts that were creepy, but I didn’t think much of them. Then he trashed my workshop and left a note on my desk, leading Arlo to think it’s all connected.”
“It is. Did you give Arlo all the texts? It’ll help him try to figure out a connection. We were talking earlier about how to trace some leads,” Oakley adds.
“Yes, I gave him everything,” I snark. I almost feel bad, but everyone is acting like I’m a child and it’s pissing me off.
“Good, I’ll get with him later, then.”
Rolling my eyes again, I pick up my drink and down half of the can in one go.
“Are you okay?” Ainsley asks.
I look around at most of my family looking at me with concern, and it breaks me once more.
“No, I don’t think I am,” I hiccup.
Willow and Ainsley surround me once more before sitting on either side of me as I attempt to work through my thoughts.
Oakley looks on awkwardly and Ledger just looks pissed, but I’m more worried that I’ll never be able to figure out how to move forward. These mental block and insane emotions are wreaking havoc on my life.
“If there was nothing else going on, what do you want with Arlo? Is this something you want to continue to explore?” Ainsley asks.
Instead of over-analyzing it to death, I say the first thing that comes to my mind.
“Yes.”
As soon as the word is out there, I know it’s the truth. It doesn’t mean we don’t have a ton to work through, or that I forgive him for not sending in the divorce papers and lying to me this entire time. But it does mean I think it’s worth trying to work through. It’s worth putting in the work because I’m never as happy as I am with Arlo Steel.
I look around at my siblings and their partners, and realize the dream of finding what they have never really went away. I have a chance to get that again with Arlo, and I think I’d hate myself if I didn’t try. If we make it through the storm, maybe I can have everything I’ve always wanted.
My phone dings, distracting me, and I check it, expecting another text from Arlo.
