Page 109 of Keep Me
“Easy for you to say,” I muttered before turning back to my computer and doing everything possible not to think about this evening.
It would be fine even if I had to interview my husband. He’d know we were in a professional setting and not embarrass me. Why then did I feel like something I couldn’t control was going to happen tonight?
Chapter 24
“The place is beautiful,” I said, signing the papers on the kitchen counter. I was strangely calm for someone who had just purchased their first home. Maybe it was because there was no one here to celebrate with me.
I clicked the pen off and handed it and the papers back to my realtor, who in turn put them in his bag.
“Is there anything else I need to do?”
“Nothing at all. The place is all yours,” he said, offering his hand with a smile.
I shook it. “Thank you.”
“No, Mr. Mathieson. Thank you. I’m sure you and your wife will be very happy here.”
I smiled as he handed me the keys, trying to hide the fact that Britt being recognized as my wife did strange things to my stomach. She was still mine, and this place wasourseven if she didn’t know that yet.
The house was beautiful, I knew Britt would like it, and I couldn’t wait for her to put her stamp on it.
“Alright, well, if that’s all you need me for, you have my number if you have any further questions.”
“Thanks,” I mumbled.
My shoes echoed as I walked into the middle of the room and took in the view from the full height windows.
Would this place be enough? I was only just starting to make it up to her, and I hoped this proved how committed I was to her.
My phone rang, echoing through the near-empty great room. When I saw the name flashing on the screen, I grinned. Not because I was happy over who it was, but because I was excited to finally end this. “I’ve just got to get this, but I’ll talk to you soon.”
“I’ll show myself out. Thank you again, Mr. Mathieson.”
I waited until the door shut before answering the phone because I wanted to have this conversation in private. Before I could even get the phone to my ear, Olana was already talking. Okay, I was being polite, she was screaming noncoherent things at me.
“I can’t believe you’re doing this!” Ah, that was the first sentence I could understand.
I knew exactly what she was talking about, and I shouldn’t smile at her misfortune, but she’d been mooching off me for too long. I’d given her too many passes over the years, and it was time I became a good husband to Britt.
Kicking Olana out of my life was the start of that.
“I can’t believe it took me so long to do it.”
“You canceled my rent payments?” She sounded confused, and I wished this was a video call so I could see her reaction.
“What can I say? I don’t have the money to fund it anymore.”
“But I’m pregnant!” Her growl made me laugh even though her being pregnant wasn’t a laughing matter. She did need to figure out what she was going to do, but again, not my problem.
“Are you, though?” She didn’t answer. “If you are, I think you should contact your baby daddy and ask him for help. I’m assuming it’s that guy from high school I caught you sleeping with, right? Terry. Isn’t he in line for the NBA? You’ll have more chance of getting money from him than me.”
“You’re joking, right? Where am I supposed to go?”
I walked back toward my new kitchen, admiring the white marble countertop and matching cabinets. I wondered if Britt would want to keep it this way, or if she’d change it to add a little color. Maybe some blue to match the ocean behind us.
“Well, I talked to the landlord, and he said you’ve still got three months of rent left on the house. So, you can live there until the end of semester, then you might have to move back home to your parents’ or your brother’s. I spoke to them. They have space and would love for you to move in with them.”
“You talked to my family?”
