I didn’t want to deal with a contract that wouldn’t ever get approved by James. There was no point in getting everyone’s hopes up.
Shaw
Tell Aaron I said hi. He can call me this afternoon if he wants.
If that is okay with you.
Me
Okay.
The dots danced as Shaw continued to type, and my eyes burned in anticipation of what else he’d say.
Then they disappeared, and my heart sank. Dammit, I had to focus on other things. I couldn’t get wrapped up in what was happening with Shaw. I had to put all my focus on Aaron.
“So, your new boyfriend is buying you a new lawyer, huh?” James said as a greeting when he called the next day.
“I don’t see how that matters to you,” I said quietly and closed the door to my bedroom.
“It doesn’t. I want to see Aaron this weekend.”
“It’s not your weekend,” I said.
“Nonetheless, if you want to make this more amicable, you will start to be flexible. I want him here this weekend.”
“Why, what is the big deal? I couldn’t get you to adhere to the other scheduled dates.”
“My schedule is always changing. Between work, Amber, and her kids’ activities, I have to rearrange things sometimes,” he said with irritation.
“That isn’t my problem. We have an agreement. I’d like to stick with it,” I said.
His tone darkened with exasperation. “My parents are coming this weekend, and I would like my family together.”
His family.
“I see.” His parents had always liked me, and they adored Aaron. I’m sure he’d had a lot of explaining to do with the divorce and his marrying Amber so quickly. “I will talk with Aaron and see if he’d like to come visit your parents. I think he wanted some quiet time after last weekend.”
“You mean after you left him for your fling in Charlotte.”
“Again, none of your business. I told you I had plans.”
“If I’d known you were going to abandon him to?—”
“I didn’t abandon him. You know what? It doesn’t matter. I will talk to Aaron,” I said. “I will text you later.”
“Kelcie—”
I hung up on him. There wasn’t any point in arguing.
Later that evening, after dinner, I approached Aaron with the idea of going to his father’s that weekend to see his grandparents.
He dropped his spoon in his ice cream bowl and, without looking up, said, “Do I have to?”
“Technically, no. It’s not his weekend.”
He straightened. “Then I don’t want to go. I want to stay home.”
The wave of unhappiness that hit him had me prying more. “Honey, is everything okay when you go there?”
