Shaw’s head was down, staring at the table, probably rethinking his return flight time.
I was staring at the top of his beautiful hair, wanting to touch it, even yank on it like I used to when I was teasing him or wanted his attention.
“This hair is too beautiful to belong to an ox like you…it makes you too pretty…”
I used to tease him, but only because I was envious. Not just of the hair but of the girls who got to run their hands through it.
“Kelcie, Shaw is here to support you like we are, honey. There isn’t any reason to be upset,” Aliya said.
Flashes of those unrequited feelings mingled with the humiliation of my failed marriage and became doused in guilt over the way I left things with him when I decided to marry James. It was a lot for my already weakened heart to manage. I was envious of his life's success, and my pride stung at how low I’d sunk.
I stared at my three friends. “I know I have Wyatt to thank for getting Shaw to fly out here and—” I couldn’t finish my statement without being harsh, so I shut my mouth, trying to find words for the emotions coursing through me. I stood, pushing back my chair and finishing my wine in an attempt to gather my composure.
I pointed at Shaw, but my attention was on Grace and Aliya. “He’s here.” Out of my peripheral vision, I caught him folding his hands, settling in for my oncoming tirade. “He’s here because you think I’m going to fall apart. Or is it because Wyatt has a plan to castrate my ex and needs your help to carry it out, figuratively or literally? Either way, it probably doesn’t fair well for the father of my child.”
He lifted his hand and opened his mouth to reply, but I stopped him.
At that moment, my phone dinged with the anticipated notification. I tapped a couple of buttons and, without looking up, said, “I’m not going to fall apart. For God’s sake, I’ve been through worse than this.” I stood as I slipped the phone into my back pocket. “Having a child before I was ready, juggling raising a child on the spectrum and trying to finish my degree. And this joke of a marriage…” I shook my head and gestured with my hands. “This was just the cherry on top of my last decade.” It was a good idea to take a step away from my friends before they could delve deeper into any part of that statement. “I’m getting another drink.”
If they pushed, I’d say something I would regret.
I’d contemplated walking right out of the bar but stopped myself. That was too dramatic, even for me.
Besides, Grace was my ride.
As I approached the bar, Nick quickly placed another glass of wine in front of me. I couldn’t look at him—or anyone. “Thanks, Nick.”
I never yelled at my friends. I was always the level-headed, laidback, boring one of the bunch. The voice of reason. The logical thinker.
I checked to make sure my ringer was on before taking a healthy sip of my wine. I took a few more “healthy sips,” which brought on a coughing fit. Yeah, there were reasons I shouldn’t chug wine.
Great job, Kelcie—really badass.
A giant, warm paw began to softly pound on my back while another one, large enough to palm a football, grabbed the dainty wine glass out of my hand and set it on the bar.
My friends thought they’d called in the big guns when they told Shaw. But with everything left unsaid between us, we were more like unstable, emotional explosives.
5
Shaw
Her face was red from the effort of channeling indignation over any other emotion.
God damn that man all to hell.
I stuffed my hands in my jeans pockets and didn’t immediately reach for her. My instinct was to wrap her in a bear hug and comfort her. Before, I would’ve been the one she ran to, but not now.
Now, I was powerless to help. It was another figurative kick in the ass.
When she’d stomped off toward the bar and the exit, Grace stood to go after her.
“I’ve got her,” I said, taking a deep breath and wondering if those would be my last words. Taking on a few three-hundred-pound linemen sounded more enticing than dealing with Kelcie right now.
Kelce was a woman of average height, but she seemed tiny next to my unusually tall frame. She had an inherent athletic build from years of sports, which had given way to some attractive curves, whether from maturity or from having Aaron. She wore her chestnut-brown hair in a high ponytail—a carryover from her youth. It had been fun to yank on when we were teenagers.
After initially attempting to inhale her wine, I rubbed her back as I held up my hand to Nick. He stepped away. “Kelce, honey.”
Her hand went up. She cleared her throat, stepped away from my touch, and faced me, staring at my chest instead of looking up at me. “Shaw, I appreciate that you took time out of your busy schedule to come all the way back to town. I know Wyatt probably told you I was despondent and needed you, but as you can see, I’m fine.” She held out her arms, still not making eye contact.
