She sighed and I waited.I could see her brain working, knew she was coming up with a sassy retort.
“I’ll believe it when I see it,” she finally said under her breath.
I didn’t say anything.What could I say?It was true.And come Monday, Reagan wouldn’t have a reason to push me away.Sure, she would probably come up with something, but at least she didn’t have her usual excuses working for her anymore.
“What made you marry that woman, anyway?”She relaxed somewhat.“I’ve always wanted to know.”
“What made you stay with a dumbass like Billy Watson?”I countered.
Reagan’s dark eyes narrowed.“That’s none of your business.”
“No?”
Donna returned with a cup of coffee for me and a Dr.Pepper for Reagan, but the older woman didn’t stick around, quickly moving to the next table and refilling coffee mugs.
“No,” Reagan stated firmly.“Plus, I ain’t with him anymore, so it doesn’t matter.”
“Sure it does.Same as it matters to you why I married Tammy.”
If I wasn’t mistaken, there was something territorial about Reagan’s heated stare.She certainly didn’t like the idea of me being married.Whether it was to Tammy or anyone, I couldn’t tell.
Leaning forward, I decided to clear the air between us.“I’m gonna say this one time and one time only.You do with the information what you want.”
“I’m all ears,” she responded in that snarky tone that made my dick hard.
Keeping my voice low enough that it didn’t carry past our table, I said, “I married Tammy because she said she was pregnant.And yes, before you ask, I did glove up.I’ve never had sex without a condom.”
I noticed a blush creep into Reagan’s cheeks.The talk of sex and condoms was clearly not something she was used to.
“But I took her at her word, and yes, I fucked up.I married her.”
“Did you love her?”
I didn’t even hesitate when I said, “No.Did I think I would eventually?No, but I had an obligation.I thought maybe we could make it work for the baby.But it didn’t.She lied about bein’ pregnant,andshe was screwin’ around behind my back.I learned my lesson.”
What I didn’t say was that I knew I could never love Tammy because there was only one woman I could and would ever love.And she just so happened to be sitting across from me right at that moment.
“I’m sorry about that,” Reagan stated, her tone softer this time.
I sat up, surprised by her reaction.
“Regardless of whether you loved her or not, it’s not easy when they cheat.”
I knew that Reagan had experience in that area.Billy had shit for brains, and the dumbass hadn’t even attempted to hide his infidelity.That still didn’t explain why Reagan had stuck with him for so damn long.
“Did you love Billy?”I asked, figuring it was only fair.Tit for tat.
“I thought I did.At one point.But no, I don’t think so.I cared about him, sure.But even that died a long time ago.”
I believed her.Hell, if she’d said she had loved Billy, I would’ve believed her.I wouldn’t have liked it, but I would’ve believed it.
“What d’ya say we start over?”I suggested after several seconds of painful silence.“How ’bout we forget about Tammy and Billy and just try to leave them in the past, where they belong?”
Reagan’s gaze lifted to my face, studying me.It was as though she suspected I had a double meaning for everything I said.Finally, she nodded.“Okay.I’d like that.”
Good.Because I wasn’t sure I could tolerate thinking about Reagan and Billy together.Every time I did, I wanted to put my fist through the fucking wall.
“Here you go, kids,” Donna announced as she plopped our plates on the table.
