The look AJ gives his godfather breaks my heart. He looks so betrayed and broken as if he’d just lost his best friend. The sadness in his gaze is clear.
This entire time I thought of how hurt Andrew would be if he found out about Mitch and I, but not once did I stop and think about how this would destroy Mitch and AJ’s friendship. Mitch wasn’t just AJ’s uncle; he was someone he confided in, someone he trusted and listened to. He was his friend.
“Stay the fuck out of this,” Andrew shouts, regaining my attention. “Don’t you dare speak to my son. I don’t even know why you’re still here. This is a family matter now.”
“I am family.”
Andrew scoffs. “No, you’re just the scumbag fucking my leftovers.”
“I got your gotdamn leftovers.”
Mitch charges toward Andrew again. This time I intercepted him. Pressing my hand against Mitch’s chest, I keep him from doing more damage to Andrew.
The moment his gaze connects with mine, he backs off, running his hand through his hair. He turns away from me.
Turning to face my ex-husband, I knew the only way to deescalate the situation is to separate everyone.
“I understand there is a lot to unpack...”
“You think?” Andrew interrupts.
Rolling my eyes, I get back to my point. “But right now is not the time. Emotions are too high. You need to leave.”
The way Andrew’s eyes bulge, you would think I’d just spat in his face. “Me?” He points at himself in disbelief. “I’m not leaving. He should go.”
“Both of you are going.”
“Ella?” Mitch pleads behind me.
I turn to him and hold up a hand. “If you two stay, you’re only going to argue. Let me talk to my boys alone.”
He doesn’t want to go. Without saying it, I can read it all over his tight shoulders and pinched brow. For a moment he doesn’t move. I think he’s warring with himself. Mitch is a protector, and right now he just wants to keep me safe. I loved him for that, but now was not the time.
“Please,”I mouthed the one word to him. He sighs, shutting his eyes briefly.
“Okay.”
Mitch walks past me to the door. He stops and holds it open, then turns to glare at Andrew. Silently waiting for him to leave.
“This is bullshit,” Andrew roars before walking out of the house.
Mitch gives me one last longing glance before he calmly follows Andrew and closes the door behind him. I send up a silent prayer that those two don’t get into a fight out in my front yard.
The moment they leave, the room goes quiet. I turn to face my boys. AJ glares at me. The anger and disappointment I see shining back at me break me little by little.
“You weren’t supposed to be back until tomorrow.” Yes, that was a lame-ass excuse, but they weren’t. Mitch and I are always careful. We would’ve never been as careless if we had known the boys were coming home.
“I forgot my asthma pump,” Cam supplies the missing piece.
Now I feel even more like shit. First, I was so stressed about Mitch pulling away from me I forgot to check that my son hadhis asthma pump. Then, to justify what they walked in on, I questioned their early return only to find out it was because of the missing asthma pump.
“Mom, are you and Uncle Mitch dating?” Cam’s tone is a mix of confusion and shock.
I smile down at my son. “We were—”
“No,” AJ says, cutting me off. “They were just having sex.”
“Andrew Scott Junior, that is enough.”
